Vaccine development and deployment: opportunities and challenges in India

The Indian economy is among the fastest growing economies in the world. The country forayed into manufacturing vaccines starting with a few public-sector manufacturers in the late 1960s but has emerged as the major supplier of basic Expanded Programme on Immunization vaccines to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) because of substantial private-sector investment in the area. The Indian vaccine industry is now able to produce new and more complex vaccines such as the meningitis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, rotavirus vaccine and influenza A (H1N1) vaccines. This has been possible because of an attractive investment environment, effective and innovative governmental support, international partnerships and the growing in-country technical work force. A large number of vaccines, including those mentioned, is available and administered in the private sector within the country, but India has been slow in introducing new vaccines in its publically funded programs. Growth in the economy and technological accomplishments are not reflected in a reduction in health inequalities, and India continues to contribute significantly to global child mortality figures. This paper reviews the development of the Indian vaccine industry, policy support for it and its current status. It also highlights opportunities and challenges for the introduction of new and underutilized vaccines at home.