New Vaccine Joins the Fight

A new drug has joined the fight against bird flu, also known as the avian flu: Prepandix. The European Commission has granted pharmaceutical giant, GlaxoSmithKlein a marketing license for the pre-pandemic vaccine .

According to the World Health Organization, vaccines are important for preventing influenza and the reduction of health consequences during a pandemic.

A pre-pandemic vaccine is produced in advance of a pandemic, based on the currently circulating avian H5N1 influenza virus likely to cause a pandemic, and has the ability to raise immune protection against potential drift H5N1 strains.

Pandemic vaccines won’t be available four to six months after a pandemic.

Source