The World Health Organization has prequalified a new version of the oral polio vaccine designed to be more genetically stable and less likely to cause vaccine-derived outbreaks. This milestone enables UNICEF and partners to distribute the vaccine widely in countries still at risk. The new vaccine’s approval is paired with a renewed global pledge to protect hundreds of millions of children and accelerate eradication efforts — particularly in regions where polio still circulates.
Source: Reuters (Feb 2026)
