Wyeth applauds GAVI decision on pneumococcal vaccine

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of US drug major Wyeth, says it welcomes the GAVI Alliance's (formerly Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) announcement approving funds to support the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in GAVI Fund-eligible countries within the developing world. This decision was taken at the November 29 GAVI Board meeting in Berlin, Germany.

This action reflects the GAVI's recognition of the critical health consequences of pneumococcal disease, which causes more than one million deaths each year in young children, most of whom are in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization, pneumococcal disease is the number one vaccine-preventable cause of death in children younger than five years of age worldwide.

This decision brings much needed attention to the global burden of pneumococcal disease," says Bernard Poussot, president of Wyeth. "We look forward to working with GAVI and other stakeholders on this important initiative, which will help protect children in developing countries against the devastating consequences of pneumococcal disease," he added.