The journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, one of two offshoots (B focuses on the biological sciences, while A is dedicated to the physical sciences, math, and engineering) of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (the oldest scientific journal in the English-speaking world (1)), has recently published a Theme Issue (June 19, 2014; 369 (1645)) titled After 2015: infectious diseases in a new era of health and development, which compiles 12 articles pertaining to the issues of combating global infectious disease and managing immunization programs (2). The full text to several of these entries are available online. One of the articles (for which only the abstract is currently available online, but this journal provides open access after 12 months), The contribution of vaccination to global health: past, present and future, provides some history on the worldwide impact of vaccines, then goes on to describe the importance of continuing research into future breakthroughs, with the promise of eventually being able to immunize against even non-infectious conditions (3): Vaccination has made an enormous contribution to global health. Two major infections, smallpox and rinderpest, have been eradicated. Global coverage of vaccination against many important infectious diseases of childhood has been enhanced dramatically since the creation of WHOss Expanded Programme of Immunization in 1974 and of the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunization in 2000. Polio has almost been eradicated and success in controlling measles makes this infection another potential target for eradication. Despite these successes, approximately 6.6 million children still die each year and about a half of these deaths are caused by infections, including pneumonia and diarrhoea, which could be prevented by vaccination. Enhanced deployment of recently developed pneumococcal conjugate and rotavirus vaccines should, therefore, result in a further decline in childhood mortality. Development of vaccines against more complex infections, such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, has been challenging and achievements so far have been modest. Final success against these infections may require combination vaccinations, each component stimulating a different arm of the immune system. In the longer term, vaccines are likely to be used to prevent or modulate the course of some non-infectious diseases. Progress has already been made with therapeutic cancer vaccines and future potential targets include addiction, diabetes, hypertension and Alzheimers disease. Another article outlines the case for mass drug administration (MDA), citing an average cost of $0.50 per person per year to cover more than 700 million people...annually, but also noting that more than 1.9 BILLION (emphasis added) people need to receive MDA annually across several years if these targets (elimination of neglected tropical diseases) are to be met. (4) But anti-vaxxers would say, Screw those proposed 1.9 billion, and the 700 million weve been wasting money on! Let them develop their own sanitation! Lets instead be concerned about long-debunked claims about toxins, autism, and fetal cells, and together we will make the world a scarier place for all those kids and their families! Sources: (1) Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_Transactions_of_the_Royal_Society_B) (2) Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B (rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/369/1645.toc) (3) Abstract: The contribution of vaccination to global health: past, present and future (rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/369/1645/20130433.abstract) (4) Abstract: The contribution of mass drug administration to global health: past, present and future (rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/369/1645/20130434.abstract)
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 21:25:00 +0000
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