Governments to fast-track tests of swine flu vaccine

IN a drive to inoculate people against swine flu before winter, many European governments say they will fast-track the testing of a new flu vaccine, arousing concern among some experts about safety issues and proper vaccine doses.

The European Medicines Agency, the EU’s top drug regulatory body, is accelerating the approval process for swine flu vaccine, and countries such as Britain, Greece, France and Sweden say they will start using the vaccine after it gets the green light – possibly within weeks.

Dr Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s flu chief, warned about the potential dangers of untested vaccines, although he stopped short of criticising Europe’s approach outright.