March 22, 2006

China agrees to give bird flu samples

China has agreed to give the World Health Organization bird flu samples from infected animals following criticism Beijing was hampering the search for a possible vaccine by withholding such samples, WHO officials said Wednesday (Mar 22).

The agency expects to receive about 20 virus samples within a few weeks, said Dr Julie Hall, an official of the WHO office in Beijing.

Experts have criticised China's Agriculture Ministry for withholding bird flu samples taken from animals, saying they are critical to research on diagnostic tools and vaccines.

Chinese agriculture officials have been accused of withholding the samples in order to boost the status of its own scientists and possibly increase chances that China might develop a potentially lucrative vaccine.