Last fall, Merck said it would stop selling its rotavirus vaccine to West Africa and redirect its supply to China at a higher price. After NPR broke the story, the situation changed — for the good.
The pharmaceutical giant will stop delivering its rotavirus vaccine to four West African countries and will begin to sell it in China for likely more than 10 times the cost.
New research finds that stomach infections, like norovirus and rotavirus, have a special way to get to us hard — and fast. That knowledge could lead to new, more effective treatments.
It's aimed at rotavirus, a nasty pathogen that can cause diarrhea and kills more than 500 children a day. The secret to the vaccine is the same thing that makes space ice cream so cool.
Pediatrician Namala Mkopi shares his new insights into the art of parenting and doctoring. He also tells NPR why people need to pay more attention to a disease no one likes to talk about: diarrhea.
