China leads in A/H1N1 flu vaccine research

As the first country in the world to issue a production license for an A/H1N1 flu vaccine, China is reporting few bad reactions. More than 13,000 volunteers were involved in the clinical trial of the vaccine. No serious adverse reaction has been reported.

In September, the vaccine was approved and the mass production was launched. China then became the first country in the world to complete research, production and use of the vaccine.

Relying on domestic technology, China was capable of developing and manufacturing the vaccine at least 6 months ahead of other countries. To ensure the safety, health authorities applied a strict safety protocol. To date, 11 companies in China have the capability in vaccine research and manufacturing.

Wang Junzhi, Deputy Director of National Pharmaceutical Institute, said, "A/H1N1 flu challenged our capability in contingency research and manufacturing of pharmacy. The result shows that China is competitive."