Bird Flu :: Indonesia signs a deal with Baxter for human bird flu samples

Indonesia signs a deal with U.S. vaccine manufacturer Baxter International Inc. for human bird flu samples and the development of vaccine to combat human bird flu.

Indonesia, which has had more human cases of avian flu than any other country, had stopped sending samples of the virus to the World Health Organization and other international authorities for last couple of months. Now it is clear that Indonesia negotiated a contract to sell the samples to an American vaccine company Baxter International.

The strains of the H5N1 virus circulating in Indonesia are considered crucial to developing up-to-date vaccines and following mutations in the virus. With human cases breaking out in Egypt, Nigeria and elsewhere, new pandemic flu vaccines could be produced from other strains.

U.S. vaccine manufacturer Baxter International Inc. said a vaccine agreement it signed with Indonesia on Wednesday will not give it exclusive access to H5N1 viruses from that country. Agreement will chart a course for negotiations over a possible purchase of Baxter vaccine by Indonesia.


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