GENEVA: The World Health Organization (WHO) has approved Bavarian Nordic's mpox vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17, recognising the age group as particularly vulnerable to outbreaks of the disease, which has raised global health concerns.
The approval follows the WHO's earlier declaration of mpox as a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, after a new strain spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighbouring countries.
The Jynneos vaccine had already been approved for adults, providing badly-hit African countries with easier access to the vaccine. With children, adolescents, and individuals with weakened immune systems facing heightened risk from mpox—a viral infection characterised by flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions—the latest approval marks a significant step in combating the disease.
The WHO's decision follows the European Union's approval of the vaccine for adolescents in September, further supporting global efforts to curb the spread of mpox.