November 2, 2007

UK's Defra to tender for 10 -20 million doses of Bluetongue vaccine

UK's Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs announced Thursday (November 2, 2007) plans to tender for 10 million-20 million doses of Bluetongue vaccine.

Final amounts will be subject to an assessment of anticipated demand.

Defra said no suitable vaccine is currently available for the strain of Bluetongue livestock disease circulating in eastern England, but that several companies had vaccines in development that are expected to be available next summer.

Secretary of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn, said the vaccine bank would be important in managing the disease should it re-appear next year.

As of Oct. 31, there were 60 confirmed premises affected by Bluetongue in eastern England.