Bird Flu Vaccine

The BBC reports today that it has been given exclusive “access” to a Belgian trial of a new bird flu vaccine.

400 volunteers signed up to receive either the new vaccine or a placebo in the randomised double-blind trial of the GlaxoSmithkline vaccine. 399 said they were doing it for humanitarian reasons, one admitted it was for the money (300 euros) and the experience. Let’s just hope the “experience” isn’t as interesting as that suffered by volunteers in another recent trial for a drug that also triggers changes in the body’s immune system.