| It's a race against time as international pharmaceutical | | | | toxicity studies in animals, and hope to work on |
| companies develop this life-saving vaccine for the | | | | human clinical trials by December. Their goal is to |
| deadly H1N1 influenza virus. The U.S. Food and Drug | | | | launch the vaccines before March in order to stay on |
| Administration recently approved four H1N1 vaccines. | | | | track with fellow international pharmaceutical |
| Pharmaceutical consulting firms point out that the | | | | companies. |
| H1NI vaccines are similar to the seasonal flu vaccines. | | | | Although, China has already beat out the U.S. and |
| However, the current seasonal flu vaccines on the | | | | India and already launched mass vaccinations in |
| market do not protect people from the H1N1 virus. | | | | Beijing. China is the first nation across the globe to |
| The FDA will continue to conduct clinical studies to | | | | inoculate against the H1N1 virus. China's health bureau |
| determine the proper vaccine dosage for children. | | | | states that 500 medical workers in 50 teams have |
| The vaccines have been tolerated well during clinical | | | | already been sent out to Beijing schools to inoculate |
| trials with adults and side effects are similar to the | | | | students. The H1N1 flu vaccination is free and |
| seasonal flu vaccine. FDA studies show that these | | | | voluntary. School children, teachers and those who |
| four approved vaccines induce a greater immune | | | | suffer from chronic lung and heart conditions are |
| response in healthy adults eight to ten days after | | | | given first priority to receive the shots. |
| they have been vaccinated (similar to how the | | | | China has already been hit hard by the virus. It |
| seasonal influenza vaccine works). | | | | already shipped vaccines out to eight provinces |
| The FDA is working closely with the U.S. Center for | | | | including: Shandong, Guangdong, Hunan and Sichuan. |
| Disease control and other non-governmental agencies | | | | These regions have seen the most severe |
| for further analysis and information sharing. The | | | | outbreaks. China reports that 31 provinces have |
| vaccines are expected to be available by | | | | already been affected by the virus. 95 percent of |
| mid-October and approximately 45 million doses of | | | | H1N1 cases in China have been transmitted |
| the vaccine will be made available for the public. | | | | domestically and not through international travelers |
| The FDA can't take all the credit for developing | | | | visiting China. |
| these much-needed, life-saving H1N1 vaccines. | | | | Australia and Britain aren't far behind China when it |
| International pharmaceutical companies in Australia, | | | | comes to launching their vaccines on the market. |
| Switzerland and France are valuable players in the | | | | Australian pharmaceutical companies will begin mass |
| development of the four vaccines. | | | | immunization programs by the end of September. |
| However, the United States isn't the only country | | | | Britain is scheduled to administer its 100,000 vaccine |
| working hard to develop H1N1 influenza vaccines. | | | | doses by October. Even the country of Jordan is |
| Pharmaceutical companies in India report they will | | | | jumping onboard and bought two million vaccines |
| launch their H1N1 vaccine before March. With funding | | | | from international pharmaceutical companies. Jordan's |
| provided by the World Health Organization, Indian | | | | Ministry of Health reports that the first back of |
| pharmaceutical companies are currently working on | | | | vaccines should be available by November. |