Thailand Decides Against Bird Flu Vaccine

Thailand Decides Against Bird Flu Vaccine

BANGKOK: -- Thailand, faced with a second outbreak of bird flu, said Wednesday its poultry would not be inoculated against the disease because vaccines offer no guarantee of safety.

A panel from the ministries of health, agriculture and commerce met for more than three hours before arriving at the decision. The issue has triggered heated debate in the country among those who favor mass culls and others who advocate vaccinating poultry.

"The panel thoroughly debated the pros and cons of using vaccination. The committee has resolved not to allow the use of vaccines among poultry in Thailand," Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisang told a news conference.

Thailand, among the top four poultry exporters in the world, has been badly hit by two outbreaks of avian influenza this year that killed 28 people in Asia, including nine in Thailand. Tens of millions of chickens have died or been culled.

The Thai poultry industry depends on sales to Europe and other countries where importers are loath to buy vaccinated chickens because vaccines have not been universally certified.

With no guarantee that vaccinated chickens are completely virus free, it could jeopardize human health, Chaturon said.

"The committee has given priority to the health of humans in deciding not to use vaccines," he said.

Chaturon said vaccines will not even be allowed for fighting cocks, as suggested by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra earlier this month.

Also Wednesday, the government said a total of 11 people were under observation in hospitals on suspicion they were suffering from the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza.

The health ministry said that from July 1 to Sept. 14, 80 people in 24 provinces were listed as suspected cases, including an 18-year-old man who died last week. Of the rest, 68 were cleared of the disease after laboratory tests, and tests are still pending for the last 11, it said.

--AP 2004-09-15