International Updates On Swine Flu Vaccine

Three medical institutes in Delhi, Chandigarh and Pune will test the H1N1 vaccine made by French vaccine manufacturer Sanofi Pasteur in a three-week bridging study on 100 Indians.Experts say no vaccine is 100% safe for everyone. People with allergies to eggs, for example, can’t take flu vaccines because eggs are involved in the manufacturing process.Three other Indian companies — Serum Institute (Pune), Bharat Biotech International (Hyderabad) and Panacea Biotec (New Delhi) have also been given clearance by the DCGI to conduct human trials, which are expected to start soon.Despite the decrease in swine flu numbers,in U.K, it remains important that people in at-risk groups are vaccinated.In U.K, these people are under vigilance, or rather prospective vaccinate receivers,

• People aged between six months and 65 years in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups.
• All pregnant women. The European Medicines Agency has indicated the vaccine can be given to pregnant women regardless of their stage of pregnancy.
• People who live with those whose immune systems are compromised, such as cancer patients or people with HIV/AIDS.
• People aged 65 and over in the seasonal flu vaccine at-risk groups.
• Healthy children aged over six months and under five years old.

Meanwhile Thailand had two more death cases from the A/H1N1 influenza, bringing that country’s death toll from the new flu to 198, a senior official disclosed Wednesday.

Last year the FDA had approved four vaccines for the prevention of swine flu.

Approximately 44% of participants reported mild side effects within 7 days of receiving the first dose of CSL’s swine flu vaccine last year, which scientists shrugged off as local side –effects.

There is irony from the western reliance on the vaccine for swine flu, as USD 10,000 reward for any person, company or institution who can provide trusted, scientific evidence proving that any of the FDA-approved H1N1 vaccines is being offered to Americans right now are both safe and effective.