A number of large, important drug companies have announced major cuts to the cost of the vaccines that they provide to people in the developing world. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Sanofi-Aventis have all said that they will cut prices for Gavi, an international vaccine alliance. For example, GSK will cut the price for its rotavirus vaccine by 67% to just $2.50 per dose.

The price will be subsidized by the higher prices that are charged in richer, more developed nations. In the United States, for example, the vaccine costs around $50 per dose.

This cut in price will save thousands of lives annually. Each year, more than 500,000 children die of rotavirus-related diarrhea. “I’m very excited”, said Dr. Freddie Coker, a pediatrician in Freetown, Sierra Leone. “As a doctor, I usually spend sleepless nights trying to see how much I can contribute to reducing the infant mortality rate among under-fives in my country. I’m quite happy”.

Dr. Coker said that around 40% of his cases involve diarrhea, and that the mortality rate can reach 50%. Andrew Witty, the chief executive of GSK said in an interview with BBC that we needed to invest in the next generation by providing them with new drugs and vaccines necessary to keep them alive and healthy.