On Monday, October 23, the São Paulo government announced an acceleration in the delivery of 1.3 million doses of the dengue vaccine developed by the Butantan Institute to Brazil's Ministry of Health. This decision was announced by Governor Tarcísio de Freitas during an event commemorating the 125th anniversary of the institute. Originally, these doses were scheduled for delivery in the second half of the year, but the timeline has been moved forward significantly, with 200,000 doses expected to be sent by the end of February 2024 and the remainder distributed over the coming months.

The Butantan-DV vaccine is notable for being the only single-dose dengue vaccine currently under development globally, and it is not yet available for the general public. Presently, a pilot study is being conducted in Botucatu, São Paulo, to evaluate the vaccine's administration in local residents. The anticipation of this study's outcomes is significant as it could lead to broader vaccination campaigns once regulatory steps are completed, paving the way for expanded access to this important health intervention.

As Brazil faces challenges related to dengue outbreaks, the expedited delivery and development of the Butantan vaccine represent a proactive approach by state health authorities to mitigate the disease's impact. Stakeholders hope that the new vaccine will play a critical role in controlling future dengue fever cases, thereby improving public health outcomes across the region.