Indonesia Inks Bird Flu Vaccine Deal With U.S. Firm Despite WHO Concern
 

The Indonesia government defended its decision to stop sharing bird flu samples with the WHO and argues it did not want the agency passing them on to drug companies to develop vaccines that the cash-strapped country could not afford.



Supari adds the WHO and other international organizations were welcome to the samples so long as they signed an agreement that they would not be used for commercial purposes. It was unclear whether this offer could be a solution to the standoff.



Under the agreement it signed with the Baxter International Inc., Indonesia would provide samples of the H5N1 strain of bird flu and pharmaceutical firm would develop a vaccine and help Indonesia set up its own production facilities.



The health minister said the deal would provide sufficient and affordable supply of vaccine should the country have a national emergency. Jakarta already reported 63 deaths because of bird flu, which is the highest number in the world.



Supari said, "It is for our own use. If in the near future we need it, we would be ready."



She said her government intends to sell the vaccine domestically as well as to foreign markets if the medicine was approved for licensing.



Baxter was also tasked by the Vietnamese government to develop a vaccine for human bird flu strain, but Supari said Indonesia wants to develop its own vaccine.



She said the agreement with Baxter is in line with WHO's direction of advising all countries to be prepared for any bird flu attack and to stockpile vaccines to fight the disease.



Baxter president Kim Bush said the agreement allows them to "continue to develop the vaccine to get it to a point where it can be used in humans and enable some of the manufacturing process to be done here in Indonesia."



But he stressed it would not prevent Indonesia from working with other firms.



Bush adds, "This in no ways precludes the government in working in parallel with other companies or other technologies. This in absolutely no way gives Baxter privileged access to any of the strains."



Kaynak: SağlıkHaber