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U.S. H7N9 vaccine could be ready in the fall

April 26, 2013 1:04 AM UTC

Even under a "best case" scenario, a vaccine to protect against the new H7N9 avian influenza virus will not be available in the U.S. until the fall, Robin Robinson, director of HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), told BioCentury This Week television. Clinical trials of vaccine candidates could start this summer, he said.

Robinson stressed that a decision has not been made to order mass production of an H7N9 vaccine. President Barack Obama and HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius could order a vaccination program if evidence emerges of human-to-human transmission of H7N9. ...