"That is still to be determined, as it is based on how the production goes",said Dr Kon.The scientists will also be keeping a very close eye on whether the virus mutates.
"The vaccine will be based on certain parts of the virus, so they'll need to see whether those parts change."The detailed scientific work is being done at GSK's plant in Belgium, while executives in London negotiate global contracts.
Health experts are monitoring H1N1 cases in countries like Brazil, where winter and normal "seasonal" flu is just beginning.
Professor Ab Osterhaus, who is based in Rotterdam, has studied flu viruses for half of his 30-year career, and predicts various tensions in the months ahead.
He said: "If you start to produce the pandemic flu vaccine, it will go at the cost of the seasonal flu vaccine. Seasonal flu kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people around the world every year - so we still have a responsibility there as well. The production capacity is limited, and vaccines have to be produced within six months. There is likely to be competition between countries. The richer countries have ordered pre-pandemic vaccine. That is not the case for countries that don't have so many resources.So if we have a pandemic, there'll be a problem with equitable distribution of these protective measures. It's a major issue for the World Health Organisation to consider."
"The vaccine will be based on certain parts of the virus, so they'll need to see whether those parts change."The detailed scientific work is being done at GSK's plant in Belgium, while executives in London negotiate global contracts.
Health experts are monitoring H1N1 cases in countries like Brazil, where winter and normal "seasonal" flu is just beginning.
Professor Ab Osterhaus, who is based in Rotterdam, has studied flu viruses for half of his 30-year career, and predicts various tensions in the months ahead.
He said: "If you start to produce the pandemic flu vaccine, it will go at the cost of the seasonal flu vaccine. Seasonal flu kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people around the world every year - so we still have a responsibility there as well. The production capacity is limited, and vaccines have to be produced within six months. There is likely to be competition between countries. The richer countries have ordered pre-pandemic vaccine. That is not the case for countries that don't have so many resources.So if we have a pandemic, there'll be a problem with equitable distribution of these protective measures. It's a major issue for the World Health Organisation to consider."
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