Iran to produce flu vaccine next year

Iran will start manufacturing the influenza vaccine, starting from next year (starts on March 21), ISNA reported.

The influenza vaccination, also known as a flu shot, is an annual vaccination using a vaccine specific for a given year to protect against the highly variable influenza virus.

Head of Food and Drug Organization under Iran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Mohammad Qeysarzadeh said that Iran currently collaborates with a foreign company that is preparing the necessary infrastructure for manufacturing the vaccine.

"The influenza vaccine costs a lot, so for Iran it would be mor beneficial to manufacture it domestically, rather than importing it," Qeysarzadeh said.

He added that Iran currently is able to cover about 60 percent of various vaccines that the country needs, such as vaccines from poliomyelitis, diphtheria, whooping cough, and tetanus.

Due to imposed sanctions on Iran, the country experiences lack and shortages of drugs and medicines, although the restrictions do not target food and drug imports.


/Trend/