Polio will be eradicated worldwide within a year, predicted Dr. Bruce Aylward, Coordinator Polio Eradication Initiative, World Health Organization (WHO). He spoke at the International Association for Biologicals (IABs) conference, Polio Vaccine: The First 50 Years and Beyond, in Toronto on June 6.
Dr. Aylward anticipates the eradication of polio by the end of this year or, at the latest, mid-2006. “The opportunity has never been greater to end polio than in 2005,” said Dr. Aylward.
If polio ends this year, it will take three more years of enhanced surveillance for undetected wild poliovirus to receive eradication certification.
Also at the conference, Dr. David Heymann, Special Representative of the Director General for Polio Eradication, WHO, presented a vision of a polio free world to international experts in polio research, vaccine development, manufacture, regulation and polio eradication. They discussed the necessary steps to complete the WHO global polio eradication program.
The eradication initiative had been a resounding success since its inception in 1988. The remaining challenges include the lack of essential funds for region specific National Immunization Days, the resistance by small enclaves of conscientious objectors who oppose vaccination, and delivering a vaccine in conflict areas.
Insufficient funding, say WHO representatives, will lead to fewer workers in the field and reduced monitoring. When polio campaigns are scaled back, the wild poliovirus can go undetected, causing gaps in surveillance and the potential for new outbreaks.
“If we cut back on the extent of our program, we are taking a chance on not ending the virus and increasing our risks—it’s a high price,” says Dr. Aylward.
Polio experts discussed vaccine production and stockpiling vaccines in the event of future polio outbreaks, and debated the need to continue immunization after a country is certified free of polio.
The possibility of developing and licensing new, more affordable, inactivated polio vaccines for the post eradication era, such as inactivated injectable vaccines from Dr. Albert Sabin’s oral polio vaccine, were much discussed, as was the need for a better harmonized quality control procedure for the inactivated vaccines.
Other issues presented by eminent scientists and government regulators included the potential use of polio viruses in development of new biological treatments for other human health problems, such as destruction of brain tumors, and how to protect the world from bio-terrorists who could unleash a polio virus.
Delegates at the two-day conference celebrated the 50th anniversary of Dr. Jonas Salk’s discovery of an effective polio vaccine for human use, in which the Connaught Laboratories (now sanofi pasteur), in Canada, played a pivotal role.
The Lieutenant Governor, The Honourable James K. Bartleman, gave a reception at Queen’s Park for the delegates and leaders in the field who were made Polio Honourees at a dinner held at the sanofi pasteur site. Master of ceremonies David Onley, of CP24, and The Hon. Dr. Marie Bountrogianni, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration for Ontario, spoke.
Honourees included Mr. Frank Shimada, Dr. Paul Austin, Dr. John Furesz, Dr. Hilary Koprowski and Dr. Stanley Plotkin, for their pioneering work with polio, and “Canadians working on global eradication through the United Nations and its partners” were also recognized.
Ontario March of Dimes organized the three-day conference sponsored by sanofi pasteur, Polio Canada, International Association for Biologicals, World Health Organization, Health Canada, Industry Canada and Public Health Agency of Canada. The conference took place at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
Ontario March of Dimes has been a leader in the struggle against polio for more than 50 years.
See our historical milestones for details.