A few weeks ago we heard the news that the efficacy of two rotavirus vaccines, that infectious agent that causes pediatric gastroenteritis, and that kills 500,000 children every year due to dehydration, has been proven and tested, with children in the Third World being the most affected .
The vaccine has been approved by the US government, under the name of Rotateq, which will be applied orally in a series of three, with intervals of two months, before the baby reaches nine months. Merck laboratories affirm that this week they will be able to serve the vaccine in US territory and that they are licensed in 50 countries.
But the high cost of this vaccine, $ 187'50, will allow children to continue dying from the rotavirus, as those most affected will not be able to afford it. Marie Paule Kieny, director of the WHO vaccine research initiative says she will not be able to apply the vaccine even if they are discounted, because they do not have that money. Merck said he is committed to eradicating diseases in the Third World by making discounts, although he confesses that there are still years left. But Marie Paule requests that laboratories conduct studies in Third World countries because the results in malnourished children may be different.
And many of us think, what is the use of finding a remedy against a certain disease? It is clear that the real obstacle is money, not the disease itself, a child dies today because of the worst disease of all, money . It is very good to investigate and find remedies against the evils of today and especially those that affect babies, but it is necessary to first solve other problems that prevent the development of solutions.
