{"id":3004,"date":"2026-06-11T16:36:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T09:36:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/?p=3004"},"modified":"2026-06-16T10:29:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-16T03:29:08","slug":"scientific-symposium-highlights-the-latest-recommendations-on-varicella-prevention-and-the-second-generation-mav-06-varicella-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/scientific-symposium-highlights-the-latest-recommendations-on-varicella-prevention-and-the-second-generation-mav-06-varicella-vaccine","title":{"rendered":"Scientific Symposium Highlights the Latest Recommendations on Varicella Prevention and the Second-Generation MAV\/06 Varicella Vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 06\/06\/2026, the Vietnam Association of Preventive Medicine, in collaboration with NAVIVA Group and GC Biopharma, organised a scientific symposium entitled\u202f\u201cVaricella – Second-Generation MAV\/06 Strain Vaccine and Updates from the World Health Organization (WHO)\u201d\u202fat JW Marriott Hanoi. The event brought together experts in infectious diseases, epidemiology, immunisation, and vaccine manufacturing to share the latest scientific evidence on varicella and discuss effective prevention strategies for the community.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Vaccination plays a vital role in the control of infectious diseases<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In his opening remarks, Prof. Phan Trong Lan, MD, PhD, President of the Vietnam Association of Preventive Medicine and Director of the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), underscored the critical role of vaccination in safeguarding public health. According to Prof. Lan, the benefits of vaccination extend beyond protecting vaccinated individuals; vaccines also help protect those who are ineligible for vaccination or have contraindications through the establishment of herd immunity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Prof. Phan Trong Lan, MD, PhD\u00a0 further cautioned that inadequate vaccination coverage increases the risk of disease outbreaks, resulting in significant socio-economic consequences and placing substantial pressure on healthcare systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Addressing varicella specifically, he noted that although varicella vaccines have been used worldwide for more than three decades, ongoing developments in vaccine manufacturing technologies, emerging data on vaccine effectiveness, and updated information regarding vaccine use and storage continue to attract considerable attention from the scientific and medical community. These topics constituted one of the key areas of discussion during the symposium.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Guests attending the Scientific Symposium on Varicella Prevention at JW Marriott Hanoi<\/span><\/p>\n

Varicella remains an infectious disease with the potential for serious <\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Speaking at the symposium, Dr. Do Thien Hai, MD, PhD, Deputy Director of the Center for Tropical Diseases, Vietnam National Children’s Hospital, noted that many parents continue to perceive varicella as a mild\u202fillness. In reality, however, the disease can result in a wide range of serious complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, secondary bacterial skin infections, and other severe clinical outcomes, particularly among young children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the experts, although the majority of patients recover fully, proactive prevention remains essential to minimise the risk of complications and reduce the overall disease burden on families and healthcare systems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The risk of outbreaks remains a public health concern<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Associate Professor Dr Pham Quang Thai, Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control at the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology (NIHE), highlighted that varicella is among the most highly transmissible infectious diseases. A single infected individual can transmit the virus to between 12 and 18 susceptible contacts in populations lacking protective immunity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The presented data during the symposium showed that varicella continues to rank among the most common communicable diseases in Vietnam. Following a decline in reported cases during the COVID-19 pandemic period, incidence has shown an upward trend since 2023, indicating that the risk of future outbreaks remains significant if high vaccination coverage is not sustained.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The experts also emphasised that children under 10 years of age, particularly those aged between 1 and 9 years, currently account for the highest incidence of disease and should therefore be prioritised for protection through vaccination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: The symposium was co-organized by NAVIVA Group, the Vietnam Association of Preventive Medicine, and GC Biopharma.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vaccination from 12 months of age optimises immune response<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the key topics discussed during the symposium was the optimal timing of varicella vaccination in children.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the experts, 12 months of age is considered the optimal time for administration of the first dose of varicella vaccine. At this stage, the child’s immune system has matured sufficiently and is less likely to be affected by maternally derived passive antibodies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Numerous studies have demonstrated that children vaccinated at 12 months of age or older are able to mount a stronger immune response compared with those vaccinated at an earlier age. In addition, a two-dose vaccination schedule is currently recommended by many international health authorities to enhance vaccine effectiveness and ensure long-term protection.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WHO updates on the second-generation MAV\/06 varicella vaccine<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During the symposium, Associate Professor Dr Hyun Mi Kang, Associate Professor at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, Visiting Scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard University, and member of the International Network of Special Immunization Services (INSIS), presented the latest updates from the World Health Organization regarding the second-generation MAV\/06 varicella vaccine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the published evidence, the MAV\/06-strain vaccine has demonstrated strong immunogenicity and a favourable safety profile. Notably, the WHO Position Paper published in November 2025 also included updated evidence supporting the safety of vaccine interchangeability between MAV\/06-strain and Oka-strain varicella vaccines.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: The symposium chair and speakers engage in discussion with attendees<\/span><\/p>\n

Advances in second-generation vaccine manufacturing technology<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Representing GC Biopharma, Jihyun Bae, PharmD, Medical Science Specialist, shared insights into the evolution of the MAV\/06 varicella vaccine from its first-generation formulation to the current second-generation vaccine.<\/span><\/p>\n

The vaccine has been used in more than 30 countries, with over 30 million doses distributed during the past three decades. The latest-generation vaccine is manufactured using a fully automated, closed-system production platform, incorporates WHO-recommended cell lines, and complies with stringent international quality standards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Importantly, the second-generation MAV\/06 varicella vaccine has achieved World Health Organization Prequalification (WHO PQ). The vaccine formulation is free from antibiotics, thereby eliminating the risk of antibiotic-related hypersensitivity reactions and making it suitable for individuals with heightened sensitivity concerns.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: The chair and speakers of the Scientific Symposium.<\/span><\/p>\n

Working together to strengthen varicella prevention<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The symposium provided a valuable scientific platform for sharing the latest evidence on varicella epidemiology, immunisation recommendations, and advances in vaccine manufacturing technologies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NAVIVA Group extends\u00a0 a sincere appreciation to the Vietnam Association of Preventive Medicine, GC Biopharma, all distinguished speakers, and participants for contributing to the success of the programme. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the healthcare community to advance scientific knowledge, strengthen disease prevention efforts, and safeguard public health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

NAVIVA Group – Community Health Is Our Happiness.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On 06\/06\/2026, the Vietnam Association of Preventive Medicine, in collaboration with NAVIVA Group and GC Biopharma, organised a scientific symposium entitled\u202f\u201cVaricella – Second-Generation MAV\/06 Strain Vaccine and Updates from the World Health Organization (WHO)\u201d\u202fat JW Marriott Hanoi. The event brought together experts in infectious diseases, epidemiology, immunisation, and vaccine manufacturing to share the latest scientific […] <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3000,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3004"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3004\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3006,"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3004\/revisions\/3006"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3000"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naviva.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}