WHO to send strains of the virus for city-based institute to begin work on the swine flu vaccine
WHO to send strains of the virus for city-based institute to begin work on the swine flu vaccineThe first batch of sample strains of H1N1 virus, taken from swine flu patients, will arrive at Pune's Serum Institute of India Ltd (SIIL) by June 7, marking the beginning of research work on an H1N1 vaccine.
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Masked: The sample strains of the H1N1 virus will arrive at Pune's Serum Institute of India by June 7. File Pic |
Dr Suresh Jadhav, executive director, SIIL, confirmed this to MiD DAY and said that the samples were initially expected in May, but got delayed. A team of eight scientists will work on the vaccine and hope to start actual production next year.
In an earlier telephonic conversation with World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Margaret Chan, the two had decided that the vaccine will be made in the form of an injectable solution and each dose will contain half ml to one ml.
Jadhav, who attended the meeting in WHO's headquarters in Geneva on May 19, said that the total quantity of the vaccine produced will depend on WHO directives. "Ten per cent of the vaccine stock will be reserved for developing countries," added Jadhav, who is the past president of the Developing Countries Drug Manufacturing Association.
Describing the meeting, which was attended by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Margaret Chan as "fruitful" and "successful", Jadhav said, "We categorically assured to cooperate to make supplies available to the developing countries and to also produce the vaccine when requested."
He added that 25 drug manufacturers from developed and developing countries were present at the meeting and all of them expressed their willingness to make the supply available to the needy developing countries.
Chan assured those present in the meeting that she has spoken to the World Bank to release the necessary funds.
