Some progress is being made towards vaccinating against malaria. Phase 3 testing of the RTS,S/AS01 vaccine (also known as RTS,S or Mosquirix) found it is effective at preventing a first or only clinical malaria episode in 56% of children aged between 5-17 months and in 31% of children aged 6-12 weeks. Roll out of the vaccine is planned from 2018 for children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Other approaches, such as anti-malarial drugs and use of insecticides and repellents including permethrin-treated bed nets will still be needed.22

RTS,S is active against Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly of the malaria parasites, and the most common form in Africa. However, the vaccine has no activity against P vivax, which predominates in other parts of the world. RTS,S is not licensed for use in the EU. Other malaria vaccines are not expected to be ready for testing for at least 5-10 years.23