Introducing IPV

Thank you for these comments and suggestions. At the moment IPV is only licensed for IM or SQ injection. It is possible that an ID license will be granted to one company in the coming year. However the current plan that the GAVI board has endorsed is for supporting financially the introduction of one single dose of IPV, administered through the intramuscular route, at 14 weeks or at the next immunization visit that follows regards Michel Zaffran Coordinator WHO/EPI Co-Chair of GPEI Immunization Systems Management Group

Dear Sir, I must reiterate that we must expedite ID introduction of IPV to spare costs and also Vaccine so that more vaccine is available and effective use of available vaccine is ensured. Why that reluctance to introduce ID IPV ? Thanks,

Thank you for your reply. I did not mean to say that there was reluctance to explore ID administration of IPV. To the contrary. Several studies have been completed and others are underway and some companies have indicated that they would file for license. I was trying to convey that in the very short term this option may not be available and we should start IPV introduction with the tools available. Over the coming years, we will also have access to ID, adjuvanted and combination vaccines at affordable prices. Speaking of reluctance however, some African countries have clearly expressed a reluctance to introduce the ID formulation if the rest of the world gets access to a full IM dose. Other countries have expressed concerns that ID administration is not a technique that is fully mastered by health workers outside of the sites where BCG is administered to new born. Work is also ongoing to license devices that will make the ID injection easier A range of solutions is therefore necessary that countries can chose from. ID is one of them. It is slightly less advanced than IM but I am confident that it will become a serious option in 2-3 years. regards Michel Zaffran