Abscess in rat delays human vaccine tests

       H1N1
       An abscess found in a rat injected with a Thai-made trial H1N1 vaccine has prompted the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation to delay vaccine testing in humans for three more days.
       The GPO has postponed the start of the human trial from Sept 21 to 24, Vichai Chokewiwat, GPO board chairman, said yesterday.
       The decision was made after the Thai team detected an abscess in a lung of the vaccinated rat.
       Scientists were studying a lung sample from the animal to find out what caused it, Dr Vichai said.
       The Russian H1N1 flu vaccine development team found a similar problem when they tested their vaccine, he said.
       "Initial tests found the abscess has nothing to do with the trial vaccine. But we must look at it in detail before going ahead with the human trial," he said.
       Another problem to emerge was the number of volunteers available for vaccine testing.
       Dr Vichai said the GPO planned to conduct vaccine tests on 24 volunteers,but only two people had joined the list as most of the applicants did not meet the testing requirements.
       The problems would not affect the vaccine production process, he said.