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Government claims that a swine flu vaccine will be ready in Britain by next month have been challenged by the head of the World Health Organisation.
Ministers have tried to reassure the public by saying that the first stocks would arrive next month.
Parents of children at the west London school attended by six-year-old Chloe Buckley, who became the 16th British swine flu fatality, were told on Monday that a vaccine would be available
within a few weeks.
However Dr Margaret Chan, WHO director general, said it would be two to three months at the earliest before a vaccine could start being rolled out on a national scale.
“There's no vaccine,” she said. “One should be available soon, in August. But having a vaccine available is not the same as having a vaccine that has been proven safe. Clinical trial data will not be available for another two to three months.”
Pharmaceutical companies around the world have been trying to produce a vaccine. The Department for Health signed contracts with two major drug
companies last month for supplies that were said to be sufficient for the entire UK population.
But trials on preliminary batches only began in the past fortnight. The drugs require rigorous testing before they are deemed safe.
Responding to Dr Chan's comments, chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “She may be commenting from a global perspective, but as far as the UK is concerned, we are still expecting to get 60 million doses of vaccine by the end of the calendar year and for the first supplies to arrive in the early autumn.
“There is some uncertainty because vaccine manufacture involves a complex process of testing biological products, so it can sometimes go wrong and cause delays.
"We then have to license it properly and that may take a little time, but we still will be one of the first countries in the world to get vaccine.”
Sir Liam said that the estimated one in 200 mortality rate for swine flu was “probably” too high, but added that there was a lot of uncertainty about how the disease would develop.
“Later this week, I will be putting out some planning assumptions to the NHS,” he said. “They need to know broadly what numbers of patients
might be hospitalised, what sort of pressure will be put on the NHS.”
Chloe was the first case in Britain of an apparently healthy person dying from swine flu. A post-mortem examination revealed that Bedfordshire GP Michael Day died from natural causes and not swine flu as initially believed.
At least 335 people have been treated in hospital after contracting the virus but tens of thousands have reported symptoms.
Reader views (13)
Err thanks but no thanks.
No injection for me, I've had enough since I was born in 1990.
So no more. My mind has already been dumbed down enough, I want to at least retain some mental faculty before I become another controlled drone.
If I wanted mercury I would eat it.
- Jane, Essex, England
Does anyone know why the UK seems to be getting more affected that other EU countries?
do you think it could be baked beans or mushy peas? peas let me know
- Thierry, Annecy, France
So "new" Labours spin doctors have been caught out yet again this time by the WHO. Surprise surprise!!I would rather believe the WHO than the UK government. Someone was extending the truth I fear. Whats the odd month or two during an epidemic.
- Jim, London
The biggest lie of all may be this Government's claim that the UK was better prepared for a 'flu epidemic than any other country. Now the situation seems to have slid away with rising levels of infection, higher than anticipated mortality rates and an admission by Liam Donaldson (on BBC TV last night) that an easement in the normal rules for recording deaths was under consideration as part of a developing a package of counter-epidemic measures to ease the load on coroners. Just how much is the epidemic under control? Earlier this week Andy Burnham warned of up to 100 thousnd new cases a week by next month: that is a scary acceleration, especially when 500 of those infected could die according to Donaldson's calculations - no wonder he prefers to express mortality rates as 1 in 200 - sounds a bit better that way. We are being treated like children.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK
As I said yesterday; ask your doctor where is the swine vaccine?
You have all been lead to believe that we already have it; by our loving and caring Government, but we don’t have it in reality.
Remember thalidomide; don’t trust untested and unproven drugs or medication etc; sometimes you are better off letting your own body defend you, than a risking a shot in the dark clouded with hope and pot luck.
The nation would be a lot healthier it they shut down Heathrow Airport permanently and everyone holidayed in the UK instead of abroad etc; Sun isn’t everything you know; there is a lot to be said for rain and wind, it makes you feel fresh and clean, and it gives you a rugged feeling of being close to nature in the wild.
I love the wind, rain, and snow; stuff the sun, its only for posers and the lazy to bask in.
- Mickinlondon, london.
I have to admit to some confusion as regards the vaccine. I seem to recall reading on various web sites including the BBC, Telegraph, Evening Standard and others earlier this year ,that these innoculations were already available in this country and were ready for use!!?? In the novel 1984, Winston had to alter the news historically depending on the prevailing political climate at that moment. Is this Govt. employing similar tactics or am I the only one who realises the anomalies that are becoming systemic??
- Alan, Romney Marsh UK
Don't take the vaccine - it is biowarfare designed to reduce the population and enrich big pharma.
- Neil, London, London UK
Interesting. The Government had no reason to lie about this but they did lie anyway. Because lying is all they know.
- Andrew, London
I thought there was no cure for influenza? Now they are saying they'll have it sorted in a few months! Its one rule for us and another for pigs...
- Mr Opinion, london
'Human race extinct' ... in 3 mths ... from swine flu? I can tell you're something of a hypocondriac, Graham.
- John, London
But President Gordichov told us we were ready. Surely he wasn't misleading us!
- Bj, London
If the Governments Chief Medical Officer, Sir Liam Donaldsons, had his way no doubt he would double the amount of tax on alcohol. This seems to be his only answer for everything else that is wrong in British society today. At a stroke he would force people to stay at home, and could then claim that such a move would be in their best interests as the risk of catching Swine Flu from total strangers in public places would be dramatically reduced!!.
- Paddy, Croydon Uk
Vaccine three months away? Why bother? If the government wait a few more months the human race will likely be extinct!
- Graham Rodhouse, Helmond, Netherlands
