What is the malaria vaccine?

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites, not viruses or bacteria, and it remains a major global killer, especially of children in Africa. After many decades of research, the first malaria vaccine, RTS,S, was recommended by the World Health Organization in 2021 for young children in areas with moderate to high transmission. Another vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, was also recommended by WHO in 2023. These vaccines do not eliminate malaria on their own, but they can reduce severe disease and save lives when used alongside bed nets, medicines, and mosquito control. Their approval was a milestone in tropical medicine.