The PsA-TT vaccine elicited a stronger response to group A antibody than the PsACWY vaccine. (Funded by the Meningitis Vaccine Project through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Controlled-Trials.com numbers, ISRCTN78147026 and ISRCTN87739946.).

PATH, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals SA. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01262872.

Abstract. Immunization remains the most cost effective method for the control of infectious diseases. Therefore, there is a global effort to deploy new vaccines for disease control and eradication. These new vaccines must be tested in the settings in which they will be used. This necessity has required the conduct of many vaccine trials in Africa, where several infectious diseases with significant public health impact are prevalent. However, these areas have peculiarities and are just beginning to gain expertise in the conduct of such trials. The vaccine developers and sponsors of these trials may also not be conversant with some issues unique to the trial site. The understanding gap from both partners can result in challenges if not addressed during the planning phase of the trial. This review seeks to highlight the issues surrounding the conduct of clinical trials in resource-constrained settings and suggests some ways of circumventing them.

M72/AS01 given to infants after or concomitantly with EPI vaccines had an acceptable safety profile. Our results suggest no interference of immunogenicity profiles occurred following co-administration of M72/AS01 and EPI vaccines. Two M72/AS01 doses elicited higher immune responses than one dose.

BackgroundSeveral West African countries are unlikely to achieve the recommended Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) immunisation coverage and dropout targets in a landscape beset with entrenched intra-country equity gaps in immunisation. Our aim was to assess and compare the immunisation coverage, dropout and equity gaps across 15 West African countries between 2000 and 2017.MethodsWe compared Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG) and the third dose of diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis (DTP3) containing vaccine coverage between 2000 and 2017 using the WHO and Unicef Estimates of National Immunisation Coverage for 15 West African countries. Estimated subregional median and weighted average coverages, and dropout (DTP1–DTP3) were tracked against the GVAP targets of ≥90% coverage (BCG and DTP3), and ≤10% dropouts. Equity gaps in immunisation were assessed using the latest disaggregated national health survey immunisation data.ResultsThe weighted average subregional BCG coverage was 60.7% in 2000, peaked at 83.2% in 2009 and was 65.7% in 2017. The weighted average DTP3 coverage was 42.3% in 2000, peaked at 70.3% in 2009 and was 61.5% in 2017. As of 2017, 46.7% of countries (7/15) had met the GVAP targets on DTP3 coverage. Average weighted subregional immunisation dropouts consistently reduced from 16.4% in 2000 to 7.4% in 2017, meeting the GVAP target in 2008. In most countries, inequalities in BCG, and DTP3 coverage and dropouts were mainly related to equity gaps of more than 20% points between the wealthiest and the poorest, high coverage regions and low coverage regions, and between children of mothers with at least secondary education and those with no formal education. A child’s sex and place of residence (urban or rural) minimally determined equity gaps.ConclusionsThe West African subregion made progress between 2000 and 2017 in ensuring that its children utilised immunisation services, however, wide equity gaps persist.