This week, I'll share some fun vaccine facts because 🇲🇾 joined COVAX.
Fact 2: there are ~10,000 diseases but only ~1500 treatments & ~30 vaccines.
How many diseases have been 100% eradicated by vaccines? Only one: smallpox, declared in 1980. (1/6)
Fact 2: there are ~10,000 diseases but only ~1500 treatments & ~30 vaccines.
How many diseases have been 100% eradicated by vaccines? Only one: smallpox, declared in 1980. (1/6)
~10,000 diseases? It's a rough number because “disease” could mean different things.
One resource is the International Classification of Disease 10th edition (ICD-10), managed by @WHO. It has ~70K codes!
Some are hilarious, like this pic. These are not diseases, of course.
One resource is the International Classification of Disease 10th edition (ICD-10), managed by @WHO. It has ~70K codes!
Some are hilarious, like this pic. These are not diseases, of course.
Diseases can be infectious (eg tuberculosis, malaria or HIV/AIDS) or non-infectious (eg diabetes, cancer or asthma). Another term is “communicable”. Vaccines work against communicable diseases.
3 of the top 10 global causes of death are infectious, so it's a big problem.
3 of the top 10 global causes of death are infectious, so it's a big problem.
~1500 cures/treatments? (Cure = 100% health. Treatment = trying to achieve a cure).
Using the US FDA as a guide, it has approved 1453 “new molecular entities” in its entire existence.
NMEs are completely new drugs, i.e. many companies make paracetamol, but it’s one NME.
Using the US FDA as a guide, it has approved 1453 “new molecular entities” in its entire existence.
NMEs are completely new drugs, i.e. many companies make paracetamol, but it’s one NME.
There are >300 infectious diseases, but only ~30 vaccines. Why?
1. Vaccines are complex & expensive.
2. Bacteria & viruses mutate.
3. Many infectious diseases are tropical, which lacks capital & research capacity.
The last reason is the most important & controversial.
1. Vaccines are complex & expensive.
2. Bacteria & viruses mutate.
3. Many infectious diseases are tropical, which lacks capital & research capacity.
The last reason is the most important & controversial.
Despite ~30 vaccines, we’ve only eradicated smallpox. Why?
1. Eradication is possible only if everyone gets a vaccine.
2. Some germs have non-human hosts, like horses, cows or bats, so they can return.
3. No money or political will.
There's lots to do, & science is hard at work!
1. Eradication is possible only if everyone gets a vaccine.
2. Some germs have non-human hosts, like horses, cows or bats, so they can return.
3. No money or political will.
There's lots to do, & science is hard at work!
Refereces:
1.icd.who.int/browse10/2010/…
2.icd.codes/icd10cm/W550
3.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-chec…
4.who.int/immunization/d…
5.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24680947/
6.fda.gov/media/97229/do…
7.who.int/news-room/fact…
8.ourworldindata.org/vaccination
1.icd.who.int/browse10/2010/…
2.icd.codes/icd10cm/W550
3.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-chec…
4.who.int/immunization/d…
5.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24680947/
6.fda.gov/media/97229/do…
7.who.int/news-room/fact…
8.ourworldindata.org/vaccination
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