New combination vaccines: backdoor entry into India's universal immunization programme?

摘要

The recent trend in the Indian vaccine industry to move towards expensive new combination vaccines despite mounting shortages in the supply of affordable primary vaccines is a cause for concern. Combination (cocktail) vaccines and multivalent vaccines are meant to provide protection against multiple diseases, with lesser number of doses. In principle, it is a good idea, to the extent that it shortens the immunization schedule and makes it more convenient to the health workers as well as the people.