Tender Issued for BT Vaccine Bank
UK - A tender for a Bluetongue vaccine bank is to be issued by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
6 November 2007
2 minute read
We hope this tendering process will reassure the farming industry that we are committed to having a vaccine supply ready as soon as vaccine becomes available.
Secretary of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn.
Secretary of State for the Environment, Hilary Benn, said that DEFRA would tender for between 10 million and 20 million doses, subject to an assessment of the anticipated demand. Discussions on this are currently underway with the industry.
No suitable vaccine is currently available for the strain of Bluetongue circulating in England (serotype 8). However, several companies have vaccines in development and these are expected to be available from next summer.
In keeping with the principles set out in the Bluetongue Control Strategy, which was developed in partnership with the farming industry, livestock keepers will be offered the opportunity to purchase vaccine from the bank.
Hilary Benn said: "While we are at the early stages of this outbreak, it is sensible for us to plan ahead and tender for a vaccine bank given the potential benefits vaccination could provide in managing this disease should it re-appear next year.
"We hope this tendering process will reassure the farming industry that we are committed to having a vaccine supply ready as soon as vaccine becomes available. We will have a vaccine bank that farmers will be able to purchase from and I am sure the benefits of vaccination willmake real economic sense to many farmers.''
Source: Farming Life
