Immunisation

Biocon Ltd on Tuesday said its subsidiary has received supplemental approval from the US health regulator for Yesintek prefilled autoinjector. Yesintek is indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis. The company's subsidiary in the United States has received supplemental US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) approval for Yesintek of strengths 45 mg/0.5 ml single-dose prefilled autoinjector and 90 mg/ml single-dose prefilled autoinjector, Biocon said in a regulatory filing. Yesintek was originally approved by the USFDA on November 29, 2024, it added. The Yesintek single-dose prefilled autoinjector offers patients with another important treatment option. This new delivery format supports more tailored treatment approaches across different care settings and patient needs, the company said. Yesintek is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis in adult and pediatric patients

Cervical cancer remains a major threat in India, but the HPV vaccine could prevent most cases. Doctors explain how the shot works and why it is becoming a powerful cancer prevention tool

Public-health experts say India's free HPV vaccination for 14-year-old girls could significantly lower cervical cancer cases and deaths, but warn success hinges on strong screening and sustained execu

More than a dozen states have sued the Trump administration over its rollback of vaccine recommendations for children, calling the move an illegal threat to public health. The states on Tuesday argue that the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention put children's lives at risk when it announced last month that it would stop recommending all children get immunised against the flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, some forms of meningitis and RSV. Under the new guidance, which was met with criticism from medical experts, protections against those diseases are recommended only for certain groups deemed high risk or when doctors recommend them in what's called "shared decision-making." The new vaccine recommendations ignore long-standing medical guidance and will make states have to spend more to protect against outbreaks, the states, including Arizona and California, said. "The health and safety of children across the country is not a political issue," Arizona Attorney General

The US has sharply revised its childhood vaccine schedule, cutting universal shots from 17 to 11 and shifting others to shared decision-making between doctors and parents

From practising deep breathing to rewarding bravery, small steps can make a big difference in helping children overcome needle-related fears.

Immunisation prevents up to five million deaths every year, yet millions remain unprotected. World Immunisation Day 2025 calls for stronger global and local action

World Immunisation Week 2025: India's Universal Immunisation Programme targets over 50 million beneficiaries each year, with new digital tools aimed at closing the access gap

A US panel has restricted MMRV shots for kids under 4 and delayed advice on hepatitis B jabs for newborns-here's how India's vaccine policy compares and what Indian parents should do

South Asia has achieved its highest-ever immunization coverage for children, with notable progress in India and Nepal, according to new data released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF for 2024. India reduced its number of zero-dose children those who have not received a single vaccine by 43 per cent, from 1.6 million in 2023 to 0.9 million in 2024. Nepal achieved a 52 per cent reduction, from 23,000 to 11,000, a WHO statement said. Pakistan also recorded its highest-ever DTP3 (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis) coverage at 87 per cent. However, Afghanistan continued to struggle, with the lowest coverage in the region and a one percentage point decline since last year, it added. The progress marks a milestone in the region's efforts to protect every child from vaccine-preventable diseases. "This is a proud moment for South Asia. More children are protected today than ever before, thanks to tireless frontline health workers, strong government leadership, ...

World Immunisation Week 2025: WHO's global health campaign reaffirms the power of vaccines in protecting lives and communities; here's all you need to know

With measles resurging in the US, Indian experts say there is no cause for panic yet but underline the need for high vaccine coverage and public awareness

The national full immunisation coverage for 2023-24 was 93.50 per cent, with Lakshadweep and Jammu and Kashmir topping the list, according to the Source Health Management Information System. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav said Lakshadweep (108.79 per cent) and Jammu and Kashmir (108.66 per cent) were followed by Telangana (106.13 per cent), Delhi (105.03 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (101.26 per cent), Mizoram (101.10 per cent) and Maharashtra (101.04 per cent). Immunisation coverage was above 95 per cent in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Jharkhand Gujarat, Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh during this period. The coverage was the lowest in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu at 48.03 per cent. According to health ministry sources, some states and Union territories had figures higher than 100 per cent because of increased coverage by catch-up campaigns such as Intensified Mission Indradhan

The U-WIN portal aims to create an electronic registry of routine immunisations for pregnant women and children under the Universal Immunisation Programme

Persistent socio-economic barriers and geographical disparities hinder immunisation efforts, with significant impact on global health

The amount will be finalised at a meeting on Thursday in Paris, where donors will make pledges for the organisation's plan for 2026-2030

AstraZeneca has admitted for the first time in court documents that its Covid vaccine can cause rare side effects, marking an about-turn that may open the door for a multi-million pound legal payout

A total of 91,237 children in the age group of 0-5 years have been administered vaccine doses during the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme held in Goa. The immunisation programme was held on Sunday across 660 polio booth camps in Goa, as per a media statement issued by the state Directorate of Health Services. "Total 91,237 doses were administered to the children, which means an equal number of children benefitted with the programme," the official said. The target was to cover more than one lakh children during the campaign, he said. This will be followed by a house-to-house survey and coverage activity from March 4-6 during which doses for the left over children would be administered, he added.

Push to include cervical cancer vaccination in Universal Immunisation Programme and set up more medical colleges

The U-WIN portal is linked with Co-WIN portal and the beneficiary records from Co-WIN can be accessed through U-WIN using the registered mobile number for facilitation of registration of children