Australia has approved a locally made bird flu vaccine for humans that researchers hope will provide some protection if the current virus mutates into a new form that triggers a pandemic, the government said Tuesday. Panvax, produced by Australian-based CSL Ltd., is the latest pre-pandemic vaccine that shows effectiveness in humans against the current H5N1 bird flu virus, Health Minister Nicole Roxon said. The government contributed more than 7 million Australian dollars (US$6.6 million) to the vaccine's development and Australia's drug regulator, Therapeutic Goods Administration, has registered its use within the country, Roxon said in a statement quoted by the Associated Press.
