Joint IVR/ Global Malaria Programme MALVAC 2010 Scientific Forum: Measures of efficacy of preventive malaria interventions against malaria transmission
This WHO meeting was convened to evaluate the potential assays and trial designs that should be applied to measurement of reduction of transmission of P.falciparum malaria. Though the meeting focussed particularly on the question of evaluation of malaria transmission-blocking vaccines (i.e. those vaccines whose biological target acts to prevent transmission from humans to mosquitoes), the discussions encompassed many wider issues of relevance to evaluation of all anti-malarial interventions from the perspective of transmission reduction. The meeting was attended by representatives from academia, industry, regulatory and funding agencies.
Key outcomes:
- Highlighting of the need for further elaboration of clinical and regulatory pathways for pre-clinical and clinical development, licensure and access for transmission-reducing malaria vaccines
- Confirmation of the paucity of recent data to define the human infectious reservoir in endemic settings. These and other transmission-related epidemiological data gaps represent a priority research agenda necessary to guide development and implementation of new transmission-reducing tools.
- Standardized measures of malaria transmission are yet to be agreed, and appropriate measures are likely to differ for high and low transmission settings.
The consensus on possible approaches for the research community to make progress in the above areas are outlined in the meeting report.
Further information
Last updated: 24 October 2011