New Oral Polio Vaccine Approved By WHO: A Boost For India's Eradication Efforts?

In a significant development for global public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified an additional novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), strengthening the international response against polio outbreaks. Prequalification means the vaccine meets stringent global standards for safety, quality and effectiveness, enabling United Nations procurement agencies, including UNICEF, to purchase and distribute it worldwide. Polio, once a global scourge paralysing hundreds of thousands of children each year, is now close to eradication thanks to sustained vaccination efforts. However, the virus, particularly circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), can re-emerge in under-immunised communities, triggering outbreaks. The newly qualified nOPV2 is engineered to be more genetically stable than older vaccines and less likely to seed new outbreaks while retaining its ability to stop virus transmission quickly.

For India, one of the world's largest immunisation implementers and a key vaccine manufacturer, this WHO milestone not only reinforces progress towards eliminating poliovirus risks at home but also enhances its role in global eradication initiatives. With robust routine immunisation already a cornerstone of national public health strategy, access to diversified high-quality nOPV2 supply provides added confidence as India works to sustain polio-free status.

What Is nOPV2 And Why It Matters?

The novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) was developed to address outbreaks caused by vaccine-derived polioviruses, particularly cVDPV2, which can occur in communities with low immunisation coverage when weakened viruses in older vaccines mutate back toward virulent forms. nOPV2 is designed to be genetically more stable, reducing the risk of reverting to pathogenic strains compared with traditional monovalent oral polio vaccine type 2.

According to the WHO update, this newly prequalified vaccine is now produced by Biological E. Limited, India's Hyderabad-based vaccine manufacturer, marking a critical expansion of global supply capacity beyond the original manufacturer in Indonesia. By diversifying production sources and strengthening supply resilience, countries can respond more rapidly and reliably to emerging outbreaks.

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Why This Matters For Global Polio Eradication?

1. Strengthening Outbreak Response

Polio eradication efforts have reduced global wild poliovirus cases by more than 99% since the 1980s. However, gaps in immunisation can allow cVDPV2 outbreaks in populations with low vaccine coverage, as seen in recent outbreaks in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. nOPV2's genetic stability helps limit that risk.

2. Reliable Vaccine Supply

Prequalification allows UN procurement mechanisms such as United Nations Children's Fund to source nOPV2 for immunisation campaigns worldwide. This increases supply diversity and reduces dependence on a single manufacturer, which is crucial for rapid global response.

3. Faster, Flexible Deployment

WHO's note explains that nOPV2 has a shelf-life of up to 24 months, and can be stored at standard vaccine temperatures, making it easier to use in diverse settings from remote rural clinics to urban immunisation drives.

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Why It Matters For India?

India has one of the world's largest childhood immunisation programmes, with oral polio vaccine (OPV) a core component of its routine schedule and mass campaigns. The country achieved its polio-free certification in 2014, yet the risk of importations or vaccine-derived outbreaks remains if coverage drops. The WHO prequalification of additional nOPV2 helps safeguard that hard-won success by ensuring access to the most advanced tools available.

India is also a global vaccine manufacturing hub, with companies like Biological E now contributing significantly to the global nOPV2 supply. Expanded prequalification strengthens India's role in global immunisation, ensuring low- and middle-income countries have access to quality-assured vaccines in outbreak settings.

At the 158th WHO Executive Board session, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reaffirmed that "vaccines are also bringing us closer to the eradication of polio," citing a dramatic decline in wild polio cases globally. Efforts must continue with high coverage, strong surveillance and rapid outbreak response to achieve the long-stated goal of a polio-free world.

The WHO's prequalification of an additional nOPV2 represents a major public health milestone. By enhancing global outbreak response capacity with a vaccine designed for safety and stability, this decision fortifies the arsenal against both wild and vaccine-derived polio. For India, with its vast immunisation reach and vaccine manufacturing clout, this development bolsters national health security and reinforces its leadership in the final push toward global polio eradication.

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