Call for increased effort on vaccines

May 9, 2006

Representatives of Europe's top scientists have called for better

collaboration and fewer obstacles to aid vaccine research.

A report by Easac, an umbrella body for the national science academies of

the EU, including the Royal Society, also called for better leadership to

develop and distribute vaccines.

" Vaccines are a crucial part of the armoury for dealing with infectious

diseases, " said Dr Volker ter Meulen, chairman of the working group. " The

European Commission, parliament and centre for disease control need to give

better leadership in developing and implementing the strategies for

producing and distributing vaccines.

" And the commission should find ways of reducing obstacles to the commercial

manufacture of vaccines. As the threat of infectious diseases grows, these

matters will become more and more urgent. "

Vaccine research and distribution is likely to become a higher priority due

to current concerns over bird flu and a potential crossover into humans.

Inside the report were calls for states to work together to identify

potential outbreaks, agree what to do in advance and share crucial

information.

However, it added that development of vaccines was not usually financially

rewarding to pharmaceutical companies which meant that there should be

incentives to overcome this obstacle.

It was also deemed that there was a lack of trials by the public sector due

to " current strategic weaknesses " that also needed to be addressed.

Only by increasing Europe's efforts over research and countering public

fears over vaccines could growing threats from influenza and other diseases

be said to be properly tackled.

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