New Delhi: Did you know that almost one-thirds of the world’s total dengue cases are reported from India? Now, there is a positive news as the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, has greenlit a groundbreaking dengue vaccine called QDENGA.
Dengue Vaccine: Central Government’s CDSCO Gives Nod to Landmark Dengue Vaccine QDENGA
This morning, the central government’s Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation, which is India’s main regulator for the pharma industry granted its approval to a new vaccine aimed at tackling dengue.
The vaccine called QDENGA is manufactured by Takeda. It has now become India’s first ever approved vaccine for dengue. Takeda welcomed the decision & said that the CDSCO’s approval marks a major step in India’s fight . The vaccine has also gained market authorisation from the Drug Controller General of India (DGCI).
What is QDENGA?
QDENGA is a live, attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine that was created by Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda. It is designed to stimulate immunity against all four dengue virus strains, reducing the risk of symptomatic dengue.
Previously, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended that it should be administered in countries with high cases of dengue. It will be administered in 2 doses, that are meant to be taken 3 months apart.
Dengue Vaccine: Price
An official price of the QDENGA dengue vaccine has not been publicly disclosed by Takeda. However the pricing will be determined by a mix of factors like production costs, demand and supply and availability. Some rumours have also suggested that the individual doses will fall in the price range from ₹3,000 to ₹6,000 per shot.
Dengue Vaccine: Eligibility Criteria
The QDENGA vaccine does not have a strict eligibility criteria. It can be given to people in the age group of 4 to 60. People who have never had dengue as well as former patients can both get the vaccine.
This makes it different from Dengvaxia, an international dengue vaccine which is only meant for people who have previously suffered from dengue. It also won’t require a pre-vaccination blood test.
Dengue Vaccine: Side Effects
Some common side effects of the QDENGA dengue vaccine include pain and redness at the vaccinated spot, joint pain and nausea. However, the side effects will be mild in nature & only linger for a few days.
