Indian scientists develop bird flu vaccine
Sunday, July 16, 2006 (New Delhi):
The Indian Council of Agriculture Research says it has developed a vaccine against bird flu.
It said the Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal developed the vaccine in a record time of four months.
The vaccine is aimed at fighting H5N1 virus and the spread of bird flu within the same species, but independent scientists have not yet verified it.
If the vaccine is successful it will be cheaper than existing medicines.
"The vaccine is ready its now for the government to start producing it for commercial purposes," Director of the Animal Disease Lab Dr DK Pradhan said.
But the Agriculture Minister has not yet said how the vaccine will be used.
In February, a bird flu outbreak in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh prompted killing of 10 lakh chickens causing losses worth Rs 1700 crore.
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