The Swiss drug make, Novartis just administered the first experimental dose of the swine flu vaccine to its residents.
In order for a vaccine to be successful, it has to undergo a year long trial period. In this year long trial period more than 6,000 people are to get a trial Swine Flu vaccine. The vaccine will be released in Britain, Germany, and the United States. And because the flu season is rapidly approaching, scientists estimate that the vaccine will hit the markets before the trial period is up.As with the seasonal flu vaccine, the Swine flu vaccine is being grown in chicken eggs, but just in case scientists are also using cell-based technology to create a vaccine that can be administered to people who are allergic to eggs.
The swine flu vaccine, unlike the seasonal flu vaccine is also incorporating adjuvant which is used to boost the body’s immune system.
The World Health Organization reported that the swine flu virus strain that was being used to create the vaccine was not growing fast enough, and that it was just producing half of what is normally produced in the seasonal flu vaccine. This low virus yield could mean major delays in the release of a Swine Flu vaccine.
Novartis is the key player in making the swine flu vaccine, and over 35 countries have placed orders with the company. The United States alone ordered $979 million worth of the vaccine.GlaxoSmithKline has not yet started testing its Swine Flu vaccine in humans, but to be safe, the United States also ordered $250 million worth of the vaccine from Glaxo.
The Swine Flu is a rapidly spreading disease that has claimed the lives of 1,154 people worldwide, and is responsible for infecting millions.
Some doctors offices’ in the United States offer a waiting list for the vaccine, check with your phhsician to see if you can get on the waiting list.
And although the vaccine is still in the testing phase, it is looking good enough to release by the time flu season rolls around.