Abstract
Several new vaccines with the potential to bring large public health benefits to developing countries have recently come to market. These vaccines, which include the rotavirus, pneumococcal conjugate, and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, have entered markets in industrialized countries at high prices, in some cases over US$ 100 a dose, and there is concern that developing countries may be unable to afford them. Manufacturers have indicated that they will sell these vaccines at substantially reduced prices to the public sector in developing countries,1 but, with the exception of Merck’s rotavirus vaccine, which is now offered through the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) Revolving Fund, these prices have not yet been determined.
