WHO Greenlights Simplified Cholera Vaccine Amid Global Shortage

The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved a simplified version of the widely used oral cholera vaccine, Euvichol-S, developed by EuBiologics.

This new formulation, which requires fewer ingredients and is more cost-effective to produce, has been authorized in response to a global shortage of cholera vaccines.

The approval comes at a crucial time as the world faces an acute surge in cholera cases that has depleted the global vaccine stockpile, leaving many poorer countries struggling to contain outbreaks.

Euvichol-S has demonstrated efficacy in preventing the diarrheal disease in late-stage research conducted in Nepal.

With WHO’s approval, donor agencies such as the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and UNICEF can now procure the vaccine for distribution in impoverished nations.

This development is expected to significantly increase vaccine supplies by over 25%, with estimates indicating an allocation of approximately 50 million doses for the global stockpile this year.

Despite the positive outlook, the demand for cholera vaccines continues to outstrip the available supply.

Since January, 14 countries affected by cholera have requested a combined total of 79 million doses. As of this week, only 2.3 million doses were available.

Cholera, an acute diarrheal disease caused by contaminated food or water, is most prevalent in regions with inadequate sanitation and limited access to clean water.

While many infected individuals remain asymptomatic, severe cases necessitate prompt treatment with intravenous fluids and antibiotics.

If left untreated, cholera can prove fatal, claiming the lives of approximately a quarter to half of those infected.

Since January of the previous year, WHO has documented over 824,000 cholera infections, resulting in 5,900 deaths globally, with the Middle East and Africa reporting the highest caseloads.

The U.N. agency attributes the exacerbation of outbreaks and heightened mortality rates to rising temperatures prolonging the survival of cholera bacteria, marking the highest death toll in a decade.