Polio vaccines: WHO position paper – March, 2016

This position paper on polio vaccines replaces the 2014 WHO position paper, and summarizes recent developments in the field. The recommendations from the 2014 WHO position paper on the use of polio vaccine, in particular on the addition of at least one dose of IPV for countries using exclusively OPV, remain valid. This position paper reflects the global switch from trivalent to bivalent OPV scheduled to take place in April 2016. Recommendations on the use of polio vaccines have been discussed on multiple occasions by SAGE, most recently in October 2015; evidence presented at these meetings can be accessed at: http://www.who.int/immunization/sage/previous/en/index.html.