Rotavirus vaccines at the threshold of implementation in India.

India is poised to introduce rotavirus vaccines into its routine childhood immunization programme. Substantial data ara available on disease and economic burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis and on circulating strains in India, which highlight the public health need for a rotavirus vaccine. A locally manufactured oral rotavirus vaccine has been licensed in India and it has been shown to be effective against severe rotavirus gastroenteritis in Indian children. The Government of India has announced that the vaccine will be included in the universal immunization n programme. Careful planning and preparation for post-licensure impact and safety evaluations will ensure that additional high quality benefit-risk data will be available for India.