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VIET NAM TO PRODUCE
HEPATITIS A VACCINE
Ha Noi, July 30 (VNA) -- Viet Nam will start producing a vaccine
for Hepatitis A in 2003, said Ms. Thu Van, Director of the Viet Nam
Institute of Vaccines and Bio-products.
The Institute, the producer of the vaccine, will initially turn
out 100,000 doses of the vaccine per year by using locally-available
materials.
In Viet Nam, 30 percent of hospitalised chronical Hepatitis
patients are affected by Hepatitis A.
The Institute annually produces around 1 million doses of the
vaccine for Hepatitis B. This vaccine, known as a first generation
vaccine, is made by using blood plasma from infected people.
This year, the Institute will produce 100,000 doses of the new
vaccine for Hepatitis B, the recombinant Hepatitis B vaccine, to
replace the first-generation Hepatitis B vaccine. Yeast and animal
cells available in the country will be used for production of the
vaccine.
In coming years, the Institute will cooperate with foreign
partners to produce Hib vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type
B. Epidemiological investigations have been ongoing for the
production of Hib vaccine.
The Institute of Vaccines and Bio-products currently produces
vaccines to prevent hepatitis, encephalitis, and cholera, as well as
numerous other bio-products.--Enditem
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August 8, 2002
