I’ve been told that through world wide research, an effective vaccine has been developed for H5N1 and that this research has also lead to better techniques for determining yearly influenza vaccines as well. Can anyone comment on whether this information is accurate? Thanks.
Bluesfan:
Did that person identify themselves as an anon gov worker?
Seriously, we monitor the news. If such a vaccine were developed it hasn’t been reported yet. Most everything we’re hearing is it is 3–5 years into the future pipeline.
Leo7,
I got that info from a doctor (health officer) and yes, I agree that I probably would hear news such as that here first…so am confused and wondering if it could possibly be accurate.
Does your country have anywhere to manufacture vaccine? I don’t think mine does, and I’d feel better if my state was taking steps to build its own vaccine manufacturing plants for its own population, and I don’t see it. (State could have started 2 years ago - I’d heard of scientists warning about H5N1 and pandemic by then, and knew we have an inadequate health care infrastructure, and I’m just a citizen.)
HHS Sec.Leavitt has basically said over and over at the US state pandemic summits that there will not be the ability to make enough vaccine soon enough, not even for all essential workers.
Did see this (with a disclaimer 1/3 the length of the article, things like, …”Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements”…)
…”our proprietary virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine technology”… Ouch! “Proprietary” doesn’t bode well for a global health emergency…
Bluesfan— I would contact that health officer and ask for more specifics, as it would be great news if accurate!
ACM,
I think this is a false alarm. As far as I know, there is no vaccine.
Yeah, I know — sorry if that didn’t come through. I would still contact and ask for specifics, as I feel any doctor/health officer giving such vague reassurances had better be able to back it up, or be called on it. Just my opinion.
I’ve been told that through world wide research, an effective vaccine has been developed for H5N1
It’s possible that the doc had heard in passing that there is a vaccine for poultry, and just assumed that it’s available for human use…
I posted this article on the Aug 13 News thread:
…Officials at the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have stockpiled new batches of H5N1 vaccine in an undisclosed location for safekeeping. But there is evidence the bird flu virus in circulation has mutated enough so that the vaccine supply may no longer provide protection, according to many scientists…The existing vaccine stockpile is also much too small to protect the general population. Of the 4 million doses available, one-third would be given to the military and the rest would be severely rationed…
Perhaps there is some sort of H5N1 vaccine available. Could this be what is being referenced?
I posted a link above; perhaps I should have included the cheery title; “Novavax Succeeds In Making Vaccine To Protect Against New Mutation Of Avian Influenza”
Still going to have a problem if a pandemic happens in the next 5 to 7 years, since all the manufacturing plants would have to be built first, eh?
Perhaps colleges and universities can start building their own vaccine plants, too. Supply chain problems still have to be prepared against by the public and municipalities, as currently there looks to be be no vaccine during the first 6 months of an influenza pandemic (except for the old strain vaxes already given to some essential personnel, which may not be very effective).
I don’t think I can obtain more specfics, that’s why I was asking here. Thanks, banshee I will try to find out if your posted article is what was being referred to.
Didn’t Mom 11 participate in a prototype vaccine testing project. Also afterwards she had problems, and possibly had Lupus, which could be caused by one of the components in the vaccine. They are testing various vaccines in various universities. Certainly a lot of work is going on, here, in France, China…I don’t think any of us is going to be rushing to be the first to have the vaccine if it does exist.
Bluesfan:
This is a website called drugresearcher .com. Vaccine info is sometimes reported here before MM gets it. http://tinyurl.com/fo5cb
Bluesfan,
There’s been quite a few threads on vaccines. If you are unfamiliar with the issues involved, this first series Vaccinations Strategies for Pandemic is a good place to start.
Then there is this series which started off on the the GSK claim of having made a major breakthrough, and went on to some very important debates about what is or is not available or what kind of strategic thinking is needed to produce a pandemic vaccine in time and in reasonble quantities.
Hope these are useful as background info.
Norway public scientists are right now testing on humans a vacine for H7N7. Its part of EU effort “FLUPAN” and its developed by french scientist from a strain from Italy 2003. Thay said it very exiting because all work has been full of setbacks.
http://interaktiv.vg.no/sok/s.asp?q=fugleinfluensa+vaksine
Prod capacity is not an issues for Norway since we have preorderd and prepaid a vacine for entire population from Belgium producer Solway. (but thats in theory..)
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