Brazil Offers 5 Million Second Generation Dengue Vaccines

According to local media, Brazil's Ministry of Health announced it would integrate the Qdenga® tetravalent vaccine into its Unified Health System (SUS).

The two-dose, 0.5 mL each, three months apart, Qdenga vaccinations are scheduled to launch in February 2024.

About 5 million vaccinations in 2024 will be focused on specific audiences and priority regions without pre-administration testing.

"The Ministry of Health assessed the cost-benefit relationship and the issue of access, as in a country like Brazil, it is necessary to have an adequate quantity of vaccines for the size of our population. Following the favorable opinion of Conitec, we will be the first country to provide public access to this vaccine as an immunizer under SUS," said Health Minister Nísia Trindade, reported Folha de Paulo on December 22, 2023.

The World Health Organization recently confirmed dengue is endemic in about 125 countries. 

During 2023, the most significant number of dengue outbreaks were reported in Brazil, with over 2.5 million patients.

Qdenga was initially authorized in Indonesia, followed by Argentina, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, and Thailand. This dengue vaccine is not approved in the U.S.

Note: This article was updated for clinical accuracy on January 10, 2024.