Indian Scientists Develop Vaccine for Bird Flu 145
William Robinson writes "Indian Scientists have succeeded in developing a vaccine against the bird flu disease that has affected poultry business in many parts of the world. This was formally announced, and ICAR Director-General Mangala Rai described this as a big step forward in tackling the highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called the bird flu. Indonesia, who has recently reported their 42nd victim of bird flu, will now have one less thing to worry about."
One less thing to worry about; True (Score:4, Insightful)
Are we to believe that they'll just give it out to the world?
Over-stating the case (Score:5, Insightful)
Let's not jump the gun here. The big threat to humans is a mutated strain of something like H5N1 that does the damage of the original bird flu but spreads through humans as fast as a human flu. Developing a vaccine for this threat requires knowing what the threat is, and as yet, there have been no confirmed cases of human-human transmission.
Even with recent advances, developing and mass-producing vaccines takes several weeks, by which time the vaccine will be irrelevant for many people if the mutated strain starts to spread. This is the nightmare scenario, and is why so much research is currently being done into improving vaccine development, and so much planning focusses on identifying human-human transmission as early as possible.
Of course anything to reduce the spread of the original bird flu also reduces the opportunity for a mutated strain to develop, and is therefore a good thing. But let's not misunderstand what's been achieved here.
Re:Over-stating the case (Score:4, Insightful)
But that is exactly what makes it important. India having it's own vaccine means that she can do a much better job of innoculating her own chickens, which dramatically reduces the likelihood that a mutated human-to-human-contagious form of the disease would come from India.
Being that India is the 2nd most populated country in the world, I'd say that this is very significant.
Re:Did you even read the article? (Score:5, Insightful)
From the article:
Your comment reminds me of the large US hi-tech companies accusing the Chinese of "stealing their IP" [ffii.org] and then getting caught with their pants down when it turns out they were not delivering the "IP" they promised in their contracts.
The "all the Chinese, Indians and other Asians can do is copy our great Western inventions" story is getting old very quickly, and more untrue every day. It would surprise me if they don't soon overtake the Western companies concerning the amount of awarded patents and things like that.
Glass half empty and full (Score:5, Insightful)
Whatever vaccine they made today is not going to be greatly effective when a bird flu mutates and becomes transmittable from person-to-person.
Re:Excellent! (Score:1, Insightful)
Remember - George Bush is not exactly a great diplomat.
Re:Excellent! (Score:2, Insightful)
The worry comes from how the rest of the world reacts to this (and of course the worry in the effected area is very real and worth noting!). If Syria, and Iran, and Afghanistan can coerce Pakistan (or some other sizable ally) then World War is not far away. This was unlikely before. But after questionable actsperformedin the area, committed by Israeli allies, this is more likely. If Pakistan were to 'join in' then it means two opposing aggressors have Nuclear 'deterrents'.
As for Bird flu. Great news!
Re:Excellent! (Score:2, Insightful)
Maybe once the Israelis decimate Hezbollah, they can take some real control of their country.
Or maybe Hezbollah really does represent the country, at least the south? Kinda like Hamas really does represent Palestine? The inconvenient truth may be that you may not actually like your neighbor's governments, but you still have to learn to get along. Decimating them doesn't change how your neighbors feel. In any case, Israel hasn't been able to decimate them in almost 20 years despite their best efforts, what makes you think they can now?
...and it's a bit crass of him to ignore his own countrymen.
I think it's a bit crass to let lines on a map change your empathy for another human being.Re:Excellent! (Score:3, Insightful)
The reason they may be able to decimate them now is that their foolish, unprovoked declaration of war on Israel may have finally lost them the popular support that every guerilla group needs to survive.
-Erwos
Re:Did you even read the article? (Score:3, Insightful)
That's not what I got out of the comment. What I read was that they do copy "our great western" innovations. And, it's true. In exchange, we patent their folk remedies. Isn't global trade wonderful?
China is especially guilty of this. They have never had any regard for anyone's IP (good or ill.)