H5N1 Human Vaccine Getting Closer To Reality

A big win for GlaxoSmithKline as they recently announced the clinical testing success of a low-dose H5N1 vaccine for humans. While this vaccine is still months away from mass production and regulatory filings have still not been completed, it is without doubt a positive signal in the ongoing fight against bird flu and pandemic preparation. Glaxo expects the vaccine to cost about the same as a conventional flu shot approx. $7.40 USD which is reasonable for developed countries but considerably too expensive for developing nations and thus some form of funding/subsidy will be required to get this vaccine out to the global masses.

However, the biggest question regarding any bird flu vaccine has to be focused on mutation. Will this vaccine offer cross-protection for mutated strains of H5N1? The company indicated that studies would be launched to see what variants of the strain may or may not be covered by this vaccine.

"This is very promising technology, but what is still not known is how well this vaccine will work on whatever the actual strain is that produces a pandemic," said Dr. Irwin Redlener, head of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University.

New Bird Flu Vaccine Appears More Effective in Drug Trials [PBS]

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H5N1 Human Vaccine Getting Closer To Reality

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