Polio Eradication: Global Experts Discuss Vaccine Strategies to Protect Children
The Polio Working Group of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization recently met in Geneva to review progress toward global polio eradication and to plan strategies for the final phase of the fight against the disease.
During the February 2026 meeting, experts discussed how to maintain strong immunity among children while minimizing risks from vaccine-derived polioviruses as oral vaccines are gradually phased out. Key topics included the phased withdrawal of the bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV), updates on the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV), and developments in next-generation inactivated polio vaccines (IPV).
Recommendations on integrating IPV and bOPV into routine immunization schedules were also highlighted.
Since the 2016 global switch from trivalent OPV, which included types 1, 2, and 3, to bOPV, type 2 has been removed from routine use. The nOPV2, designed to reduce the risk of reverting to a virulent form, has been administered over two billion times since its emergency use listing in 2020 and fully licensed in 2023, providing a safer option for type 2 containment.
Although polio vaccines have prevented an estimated 20 million cases of paralysis globally, reports show that outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) continue in under-immunized areas. The U.S. CDC continues to issue travel alerts for around 30 countries at risk.
The Working Group emphasized that the final push against polio will require unwavering political commitment, consistent high coverage in remaining hotspots, and careful planning for the eventual cessation of all oral vaccines.
Their recommendations will directly inform the full SAGE meeting in March 2026, which is expected to set the roadmap for achieving a permanent, polio-free world.
