South Africa: SA Is One Step Closer to a New TB Vaccine, but There Is a Lot of Work Ahead

What the report says

AllAfrica reports that South Africa is edging closer to a possible new tuberculosis vaccine, with the M72/AS01E candidate now in a large phase three clinical trial that began in March 2024. The article, written by Russell Rensburg, says the trial has been moving ahead of schedule and could produce results within the next year. If the findings are positive, the vaccine could then move toward registration with the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.

The piece says preparations are already starting for a potential rollout. It cites an agreement announced in July between the Serum Institute of India and the Gates Medical Research Institute to prepare for large-scale manufacturing if the vaccine succeeds. South Africa’s National Department of Health has also begun discussing a possible rollout roadmap. The article places the development in context by noting South Africa’s heavy TB burden and the country’s high share of global TB deaths, according to World Health Organization data.

Rensburg argues that approval and supply planning are only part of the task. He says effective deployment would also depend on community trust, public understanding and the role of civil society. As a practical example, he points to the country’s rollout of a new near point-of-care TB diagnostic test, saying engagement efforts around that project could help build familiarity with TB innovations before a vaccine arrives.

The broader message is that vaccine preparedness should include health-system logistics as well as community outreach, so that any future TB jab can be understood, trusted and taken up by the people most at risk.