Jakarta –
The world’s major pharmaceutical manufacturers say they are ready to provide bird flu vaccines for humans if needed. This is one of the anticipations if there is a new strain of bird flu that can infect humans.
Not long ago, world experts were concerned that an outbreak of bird flu could become a pandemic, especially after the case of an 11-year-old girl who died as a result of being infected with the virus.
Reported Reuters, the three major vaccine manufacturers; GSK, Moderna and CSL Seqirus said they are developing or will be testing a sample-to-human avian influenza vaccine that is more suitable for circulating subtypes, as a precaution against future pandemics.
While Sanofi (SASY.PA), said they were ready to start mass production of bird flu vaccines if needed, with existing H5N1 vaccine stocks.
What’s less reassuring, though, is that most of the potential human dose is going to wealthy nations on long-term preparedness contracts, say global health experts and companies.
“We have potentially a much worse problem with vaccine stockpiling and vaccine nationalism in a flu outbreak than we saw with COVID,” said Dr Richard Hatchett, chief executive of the Epidemic Preparedness Innovation Coalition (CEPI), which helps fund vaccine research.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has yet to respond regarding the potential for vaccine hoarding related to the preparation of pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce bird flu vaccines.
In all, the WHO says there are nearly 20 licensed vaccines against the wider strain of H5N1 flu. The existing antiviral treatments for people who are already infected will also help reduce the impact.
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