Swine Flu Vaccine Months Away, FDA Says

Scientists Working "100 Miles An Hour," But Process Takes Time, Agency Says

(CBS/AP)  U.S. scientists hope to have a key ingredient for a swine flu vaccine ready in early May, but tell The Associated Press that the novel virus grows slowly in eggs - the chief way flu vaccines are made.

Even if all goes well, it still will take months before any shots are available for the necessary safety testing in volunteers.

Dr. Jesse Goodman, the Food and Drug Administration's swine flu chief, said Tuesday that scientists are working, in his words, "at 100 miles an hour" to create good raw material to deliver to vaccine manufacturers.

The researchers must engineer a strain that could trigger the immune system without causing illness. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu vaccine chief Dr. Ruben Donis says that work is about a third completed.

Meanwhile, health officials said the number of confirmed swine flu cases has jumped to 64 in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday that the new count includes "a number of hospitalizations" but they did not say how many. CDC officials had said there had been just one person hospitalized.

The cases are still only in the five states where they previously were reported. There are 17 new cases in New York City, four more in Texas and three additional cases in California.

That brings the total confirmed cases to 45 in New York City, 10 in California, six in Texas, two in Kansas and one in Ohio.

[incog-nito]

Why are we creating flu vaccines using eggs? That's why it is taking months.

Posted by pugster at 11:25 AM : Apr 28, 2009

Right. They should use your body as incubator instead. It should work a lot faster.

[ivehadit9]

That's why I say, it's time to secure the border and let Mexico deal with their own problems. They have the Mexican drug wars to deal with over there, the kidnappings that's been going on in selected cities close to the border like Phoenix, the gun and drug smuggling between the US and Mexico, and now we have the pig flu emanating from Mexico to deal with. What's next, the cattle flu or hordes of terrorists coming into the US via Mexico????

[ivehadit9]

That?s why I say, it?s time to secure the border and let Mexico deal with their own problems. They have the Mexican drug wars to deal with over there, the gun and drug smuggling that's been going on between the US and Mexico, the kidnappings that?s been going on in selected cities close to the border like Phoenix, and now we have the pig flu emanating from Mexico to deal with. What?s next, the cattle flu or hordes of terrorists coming into the US via Mexico????

Post Reply

[mnamolina]

Does anybody remember back in 1976 when there was a similar swine flu panic? 1 person ended up dieing from the swine flu. There was a rush to get a vaccine that ended up killing close to 30 people. Yeah, you go ahead and get that shot. I'll take my chances with the flu. No thanks, big bro.

[BethPie]

This is so ridiculously overblown. People can die from the flu, swine or otherwise. Death is part of life. And to the guy that said the medical industry needs to cure something for once.... are you out of your mind?!?! Do you have any idea how far we've come in the US? Go to Haiti you moron. Kids are dying there left and right from illnesses that we TREAT AND CURE here in the US. You sound like a selfish, spoiled, liberal baby. You should be grateful that you even have access to medical care. The poorest in the US are so much better off than so many others in the world and yet you STILL find a reason to complain.

[hgarner2000]

With concerns about a hereto non-disproven connection between the mecury by-product of the preservative for multi-dose vials and certain develpmental disorders, such as autism, I hope that parents of small children will be given the option of a single-dose vial as a safeguard for those who may have a possible, genetic vulnerability.

[pugster]

Why are we creating flu vaccines using eggs? That's why it is taking months.

[erasmus111]

Just think - when the National Healthcare System goes into effect - we're all dead.
Posted by USA_Constitution at 9:49 AM : Apr 28, 2009

There will be more dead because you don't have it.

[pearsonh]

We have a vaccine now, its called prayer. this can save the hold world's as we await for month for this new produced vaccine to come to save the world but all it take is to look up in the sky.

[jjlewis2000]

mankind needs humbled-whats the surprise? Tell your loved ones good-bye!

[didserve]

Medical industry

Cure something

Anything

Quit making money off treating illness!

Cure them!

Prove to the world you are worth the billions we spend on you each year!

[USA_Constitution]

Just think - when the National Healthcare System goes into effect - we're all dead.

[USA_Constitution]

The Swine Flu - sounds like something Obama and Company started - to kill off people, so HE and make himself look like the wonderful almighty again. I wouldn't put it past him or his adminstration.

[truthmom]

1976 swine flu outbreak: 1 flu related death & 25 Flu vaccine related deaths.

[mrs_entity]

We have a vaccine now, its called prayer.