January 10, 2007

Thailand mulling approval of bird flu vaccine use for poultry

Thai experts need to jointly decide whether to approve bird flu vaccine use for Thailand's poultry, according to Public Health Minister Dr. Mongkol Na Songkhla.

The Thai government decided to prohibit use of bird flu vaccine fearing, a widespread vaccination programme could cause the virus to mutate and hamper future containment measures.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is responsible for enforcement of the ban while the vaccine for human use is under the control of the Public Health Ministry's Food and Drug Administration, he said.

The issue came to light after police seized 1,800 bottles of contraband H5N1 bird flu vaccine worth over THB 20 million (US$550,000) on Koh Samui in the southern province of Surat Thani.

Dr. Mongkol also said that Thailand must be prepared to boost its capacity to produce influenza vaccine for human use to prepare to face the possibility of the spread of the deadly virus.

He said the Ministry of Public Health was coordinating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to improve the country's poultry vaccine laboratory.