Vietnam Begins Mass Production of Measles-Rubella Vaccine

The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has recently issued Certificate of Free Sale for the combined vaccine against measles-rubella, which will be mass produced by the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biology (POLYVAC) for the first time. This marks a remarkable milestone in Vietnam’s efforts toward self-reliance in vaccine production. According to the plan, the POLYVAC will supply 2.5 million units of the vaccine for the Expanded Program on Immunization in June 2017. The price of this drug is only half of the imported ones. The measles-rubella is the second type of vaccine in Vietnam produced by combining two components in a product, while the other is a one-component vaccine. This kind of vaccine helps prevent measles and rubella at the same time. This vaccine places Vietnam in a group of 25 countries in the world and the fourth nation in Asia that can manufacture the antibiotic on a large scale. Thus, Vietnam can avoid the shortage due to import procedures or scarcity from producers and reduce spending on vaccine. (Dan Van; HCMC Party Body; VTV May 2)