Drug Database
BC

BCG vaccine

✓ Approved

AJVaccines · Cell-based Therapies · Cell-based Therapies

What is BCG vaccine?

BCG vaccine is a cell-based therapies developed by AJVaccines. It is approved for therapeutic indications via injectable (others) or intradermal injection.

Drug Profile

CompanyAJVaccines
Drug ClassCell-based Therapies, Vaccine
RouteInjectable (Others), Intradermal Injection
StatusApproved
Sources: ClinicalTrials.gov, AJVaccines

Related Research Articles

PubMedBMC public health2026-11-12

Evaluating parents' perceptions of infectious diseases and their levels of protection in terms of vaccination attitudes and vaccine hesitancy.

Gökçay Gönül G, Küçük Hulya Incirkuş HI, Sezer Nazlı Akar NA, Aydin Cansu Mine CM et al.

This research was conducted to evaluate parents' perceptions of infectious diseases and their levels of protection in terms of vaccination attitudes and vaccine hesitancy. The research is descriptive and relational was conducted online with 560 parents of children aged 0-5 years between March 8 and November 8, 2024. Convenience sampling method was used in the study. For data collection, a questionnaire form including personal information form, Perception Scale on Communicable Diseases (PSCD), Parental Attitudes Towards Childhood Vaccines Scale (PACVS), and Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) in parents of children under five years of age was used. The evaluation of data was performed via SPSS V-27.0 package program. A total of 560 parents took part in this study, and the participants scored an average of 148.81 ± 18.53 points on the PSCD total, 53.42 ± 8.91 points on the Vaccine Attitude Scale total, and 24.89 ± 8.49 points on the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale total. PSCD explains 13.4% of the total PACVS score. A low-level statistically significant correlation was found between the total PSCD and VHS scores. Parents' communicative disease perception and their protection levels affect their vaccination attitudes and vaccine hesitancy. Sociodemographic characteristics, vaccine knowledge and the sources from which they obtain information have both positive and negative relationships on vaccine attitude and vaccine hesitancy. In order to prevent the increasing vaccine refusal in the society, it is recommended that health professionals inform parents through individualized trainings on immunization.

PMID 43015717
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PubMedRevista paulista de pediatria : orgao oficial da Sociedade de Pediatria de Sao Paulo2026-11-12

Comparative safety of the 20-valent and the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccines in infants and toddlers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Ubaldo Helena Beckhäuser HB, Braga Maria Clara Abreu Vianna MCAV, Silva Elisama da Costa EDC, Lima Lenita de Melo LM

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the safety of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine versus the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine in healthy infants and toddlers. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane on January 20, 2026, for randomized controlled trials comparing the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in healthy infants and toddlers (0-3 years). We computed risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals for all outcomes, using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics. Five randomized clinical trials were included, comprising 5,604 patients, of whom 3,059 received the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. There were no significant differences between the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine and the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in adverse event incidence after doses 1-3 (risk ratio 1.00; 95%CI 0.92-1.10; p=0.952; I2=0%), or after dose 4 (risk ratio 0.90; 95%CI 0.76-1.07; p=0.238; I2=36%). Similarly, no significant differences were observed in serious adverse events, fever, irritability, and injection site pain. The 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was associated with a higher incidence of decreased appetite after doses 2 (risk ratio 1.13, 95%CI 1.02-1.24; p=0.019) and 3 (risk ratio 1.34, 95%CI 1.14-1.58; p<0.001). In contrast, a significantly lower risk of local redness was observed with the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine after dose 2 (risk ratio 0.93; 95%CI 0.86-0.99; p=0.034). The 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine demonstrated a safety profile largely comparable to the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, supporting its use in routine pediatric immunization programs.

PMID 43017995
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PubMedBMC infectious diseases2026-11-12

Human papillomavirus vaccine acceptability in Cameroon: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cheuyem Fabrice Zobel Lekeumo FZL, Achangwa Chabeja C, Tchamani Rick R, Tsapi Armand Tiotsia AT et al.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is a key strategy for cervical cancer elimination. In Cameroon, HPV vaccine was introduced into the expanded program on immunization in 2020. However, synthesized evidence on vaccine acceptability is needed to guide policy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of HPV vaccine knowledge, willingness to vaccinate, recommendation practices, and actual uptake in Cameroon, and to identify determinants of vaccine hesitancy. We searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, and African Journals Online from studies to January 2025. Studies reporting willingness to vaccinate, knowledge, recommendation, and uptake of HPV vaccine were included. Pooled prevalence estimates and odds ratios were calculated using random-effects models. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. The study was reported following PRISMA 2020 guidelines and registered in PROSPERO ID: CRD420261301213. Thirty-three studies were included. Among 4,993 participants, who were mainly healthcare workers (n = 1,739) and parents (n = 2,419), the pooled prevalence of willingness to vaccinate was 68.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 57.4-77.2; 12 studies; I² = 98%). The pooled prevalence of HPV vaccine knowledge was 41.3% (95% CI: 28.7-55.1; 33 studies; n = 8,175 participants; I² = 98%). Approximately two-thirds of participants (67.7%; 95% CI: 50.7-81.0; 8 studies; n = 1,617) reported recommending the vaccine, but actual uptake was 22.9% (95% CI: 6.9-54.5; 9 studies; n = 9,686). The vaccine coverage ranged from 1.6% to 90.6%. Willingness significantly declined from 74.2% before 2014 to 57.5% after 2021. Healthcare workers had the highest knowledge (74.5%) and willingness (77.8%) among included participant groups. Lack of HPV knowledge was associated with nearly three-fold higher hesitancy (odds ratio [OR]: 2.58; 95% CI: 2.06-3.22). High heterogeneity was observed for all pooled estimates, suggesting that they should be interpreted as average estimates rather than precise values. Despite moderate willingness, HPV vaccine knowledge and uptake remain low in Cameroon, with marked disparities across regions and populations. Addressing knowledge gaps and strengthening context-specific vaccination strategies are needed to improve coverage.

PMID 43015661
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PubMedBMC public health2026-11-12

Horizontal inequity of infant healthcare service utilization in Ethiopia using performance monitoring for action data.

Angaw Dessie Abebaw DA, Alemu Kassahun K, Tilahun Binyam B, Shiferaw Solomon S et al.

Despite Ethiopia's progress in reducing infant morbidity and mortality, significant socioeconomic inequity in essential infant health service utilization hinders equitable Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goal targets. This study aimed to quantify horizontal inequity in infant healthcare service utilization in Ethiopia using performance monitoring for action data. This secondary analysis used data from Performance Monitoring for Action Ethiopia (October 2021 to November 2023). The source population comprised infants aged 12 months born to mothers aged 15-49 years. A total of 1801 births were followed from birth to twelve months using two-stage stratified cluster sampling. Utilization was defined across nutrition and supplementation, vaccination, and treatment domains. A comprehensive set of inequity metrics (absolute difference, relative ratio, Slope Index, Concentration Index) was used. Horizontal inequity was measured using indirect standardization, subtracting need-predicted from actual utilization. The equity analysis was performed at the end of the one-year follow-up period. Preventive coverage was highest for exclusive breastfeeding (71.2%) and BCG vaccination (77.4%), but lowest for minimum dietary diversity (21.5%). Significant pro-rich inequity was observed across most services. Complete immunization coverage was nearly five times higher among the richest compared to the poorest (62.2% vs. 12.7), followed by minimum dietary diversity (3.5-fold;7.2% vs. 10.6%). Curative coverage was suboptimal for febrile illness (29.4%) and acute respiratory infection symptoms (33.6%), with marked pro-rich inequities (Concentration index = 20% and 15%, SII = 32.5 and 25.4%, respectively). The largest absolute gap (50.97%) and highest SII (67.3%) occurred for the pentavalent vaccine. Non-socioeconomic factors (infant sex and illness) explained only 1.3%-3.90% of preventive services inequity. Horizontal inequity contributed over 95% to all services and exceeded 100% for curative care, indicating that need is concentrated among the poor, but care is concentrated among the rich. Infant healthcare utilization in Ethiopia was driven by horizontal inequity rather than health need differences, reflecting systemic unfairness. All routine immunizations, minimum dietary diversity, and treatment for febrile and respiratory illnesses favored socioeconomically advantaged households. Policies must prioritize pro-poor resource allocation for immunization, dietary diversity, and febrile or ARI treatment.

PMID 43015715
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PubMedHealth information management : journal of the Health Information Management Association of Australia2026-11-12

Quality of routine health facility data for monitoring maternal, newborn and child health indicators: A desk review of District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) data in Somalia.

Osman Nor Haji NH, Mohamed Dahir Osman DO, Ahmed Ismail Dahir ID, Moallim Aweis Ahmed AA et al.

Reliable routine health information is essential for tracking maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services and informing programme decisions. In Somalia, District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) has expanded routine reporting, but national evidence on the quality of MNCH data remains limited. To assess the quality of routine MNCH facility data in Somalia using a desk review of DHIS2 data. This descriptive desk review analysed monthly aggregated DHIS2 data submitted by 704 health facilities across 6 administrative areas and 17 reporting regions. Eleven MNCH data items were assessed using the Frequent Assessments and System Tools for Resilience routine health management information system data-analysis approach. Data quality was examined in terms of reporting completeness, reporting timeliness, internal consistency between related indicators, outlier occurrence and the overall data-quality assessment (DQA) score. National reporting completeness was 85%, below the 90% benchmark, while timeliness was 90%. Five of the 17 regions achieved overall completeness of at least 90%. Internal consistency was strong for antenatal care indicators: more than 99% of facilities reported more first antenatal care visits (ANC1) than fourth-or-later visits (ANC4), and 90.3% reported first-dose pentavalent vaccination (Penta1) values greater than third-dose values (Penta3). In contrast, concordance between institutional delivery and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination was observed in only 28.2% of facilities. Outlier rates were generally low, although Puntland had comparatively higher rates for Penta1 and Penta3. The overall national DQA score was 67.1%. Routine MNCH data in Somalia showed acceptable timeliness, but completeness and internal consistency remained uneven. Weak agreement between institutional delivery and BCG vaccination, together with subnational variation in outlier rates, indicates continuing reliability challenges in routine reporting.Implications for health information management practice:Improving routine data quality will require stronger verification procedures, regular supervisory review, automated validation checks in DHIS2 and consistent feedback at district, state and federal levels.

PMID 43017833
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PubMedAIDS reviews2026-11-12

Herpes zoster vaccination in people living with HIV: from evidence to implementation - A narrative review.

Van Nguyen Hung H, Thi Diem Le Trinh T

Herpes zoster (HZ) remains a significant, preventable cause of morbidity among people living with HIV (PLWH), who face increased risks of HZ, recurrence, and complications despite effective antiretroviral therapy. The recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV), a non-live, adjuvanted vaccine, is currently the preferred strategy for HZ prevention in immunocompromised adults. This narrative review synthesizes the evidence on the burden and pathogenesis of HZ in PLWH, RZV immunogenicity and safety, present vaccination recommendations, clinical considerations, and implementation challenges, with particular emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. Available evidence indicates that RZV induces robust humoral and cellular immune responses and has a favorable safety profile in PLWH; however, HIV-specific evidence regarding clinical effectiveness, long-term durability of protection, and optimal timing of vaccination in the setting of advanced immunosuppression remains limited. International guidelines consistently recommend a two-dose RZV series for adults with HIV, without requiring a specific CD4+ T-cell threshold or virological suppression. Nevertheless, vaccine uptake remains constrained by cost, limited availability, inadequate patient and healthcare-provider awareness, vaccine hesitancy, and fragmented vaccination services. Future research should prioritize real-world effectiveness, durability of protection, cost-effectiveness, and determinants of vaccine acceptance, including behavioral factors, such as perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers. Integrating RZV into routine HIV care and strengthening implementation strategies, particularly across the Asia-Pacific region and other resourcelimited settings, will be critical to translating guideline recommendations into equitable vaccination coverage and reducing HZ-related morbidity among PLWH.

PMID 43018275
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