Russian Scientists Test Bird Flu Vaccine

Text of report by Russian NTV on 4 February

[Presenter] Russian scientists claim that they have developed a vaccine against the H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu. So far there has been no effective cure from this fatal disease. Experts in many countries are working on the problem. The vaccine created by Irkutsk researchers has already been successfully tested on animals. A test on humans is to be conducted.

[Aleksandr Gelfand, captioned as director of the Irkutsk division of the Mikrogen scientific and production amalgamation, speaking to camera] Now clinical testing, involving a limited number of volunteers, has to be conducted. Then the vaccine will be available as means of prevention of bird flu among the whole population of the country.

[Presenter] The vaccine exists in the form of nasal drops and a solution for intramuscular injections. The medicine is also supposed to prevent the usual flu and keep its effect for one year. If the tests are successful, its mass production will begin soon.

[Video shows a medical lab and test tubes filled with pink liquid]