Thai Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine to be tested in August

BANGKOK, 19 July 2009 (NNT) – Influenza A (H1N1) produced in Thailand will be ready for a test in August, according to the Public Health Ministry.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of Public Health Ministry, Doctor Siriwat Thiptharadon talked about the progress of Influenza A (H1N1) vaccine production in Thailand that the vaccine production would provide safety and security for the Thai people. Meanwhile the Public Health Ministry had set up three committees to take care of the efficiency of vaccine production according to the standard of the World Health Organization (WHO). They are a sub- committee on vaccination test in human, a sub-committee on vaccine registration, and a sub-committee on vaccine production promotion.

These committees comprise experts from WHO, the Faculty of Pharmacy from many universities, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) and the Department of Medical Science.

The first lot of pilot vaccine was expected to be launched during August, then it would be tested in animal and human according to the international standard, if it did not work, it would not be used definitely.

Regarding the confusion over the approved budget of 600 million baht, he explained that it was not used for the vaccine production investment, but it was used to buy 2 million doses of vaccine, which would be imported from the big vaccine producer in France. The vaccine would reach Thailand in December 2009.