May 7, 2009
Experts weighing vaccine switch to AH1N1 development
The World Health Organisation's head of vaccine research said Wednesday (May 6) experts were still deciding whether to switch existing flu vaccine production capacity into work for a A/H1N1 flu vaccine.
With WHO experts meeting in coming weeks to discuss the possible shift in manufacturing capacity, it is too early to decide, Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny said at the WHO's daily media briefing. Kieny is director of the WHO's initiative for vaccine research.
Kieny said the decision to focus on a AH1N1 vaccine at the expense of seasonal flu is a difficult one for the WHO because traditional flu is a dangerous disease, killing about 500,000 people a year.
The WHO said 1,658 people worldwide had AH1N1, and the virus has caused 30 deaths.
