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Innovations
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Flu Vaccine Production Gets a Shot in the Arm Ernie Hood Abstract
Although the H5N1 avian flu currently affects only a relatively small number of people, scientists are worried that if it mutates--as flu strains often do--it could cause a global pandemic. In the event of a pandemic, rapid creation of a vaccine will be critical. Researchers have now perfected an advanced method of producing the “seed” virus used to produce influenza vaccines, a technique known as reverse genetics. This method is much quicker than the conventional vaccine production process, an advantage that could potentially save millions of lives.
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