India's first indigenously developed and produced vaccine against H1N1 virus was launched Thursday by the health and family welfare minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi. The vaccine will be available in market from Friday.
The vaccines are expected to cost between 150 to 200 rupees. Indian vaccines have come after the US and China launched their vaccines. India had to import the vaccine to meet the domestic demand at the peak of the pandemic.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Azad said that his ministry had taken up the challenge in June last year after it was declared pandemic.
The minister added that this technological breakthrough in the indigenous manufacture of Influenza Vaccine has for the first time created a platform in the country which can be used for production of any pandemic influenza vaccine besides seasonal Influenza Vaccines at short notice to safeguard Public Health.
This Vaccine has proven capabilities of India to the Global Community in Researching, Developing and Manufacturing of Safe & efficacious Vaccines. Another vaccine against H1N1 is expected to be launched by the end of this month.
