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FAO warns China to stop vaccinating animals

Infection Control Monitor, June 24, 2005

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) warns that vaccinating animals across Asia for the bird flu virus could render the vaccine useless on humans in the future, reports Reuters.

China has used the anti-viral drug amantadine since the 1990s in an attempt to combat bird flu, and the Washington Post reports that the Chinese government encouraged farmers to use it on their poultry.

Chinese officials deny the claim, but evidence exists that the farmers used the vaccine on poultry. The FAO says use of the vaccine in this manner must stop or the strain could become resistant and more transferable to humans.

The FAO says the government should control the use of amantadine and distribute it only with prescriptions.

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