Safety of GSK flu vaccine in doubt. Health minister Akira Nagatsuma said Monday he will send a fact-finding team to Canada by early December to "thoroughly investigate" allergic reactions to a new swine flu vaccine that Japan plans to import. [News Source]

Hackensack hospital doctor on the front lines of war against H1N1. Like a meteorologist bracing for a Category 5 hurricane, the chief virologist for New Jersey’s busiest hospital faces the H1N1 flu epidemic with a mixed sense of awe, curiosity and weariness. [News Source]

Hackensack hospital doctor on the front lines of war against H1N1. Like a meteorologist bracing for a Category 5 hurricane, the chief virologist for New Jersey’s busiest hospital faces the H1N1 flu epidemic with a mixed sense of awe, curiosity and weariness. [News Source]

Next-generation flu vaccine plant to open in US. Novartis will officially open the first next-generation flu vaccine plant in the United States on Tuesday, but it will be years before it makes its first vaccine. [News Source]

WHO warns of bird flu resurgence (Thailandnews.net) Manila, Nov 24 (DPA) The World Health Organisation (WHO) warned Tuesday of a possible resurgence of bird flu amid new cases of the disease in poultry in Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. [News Source]

WHO warns of resurgence of avian flu virus (EARTHtimes.org) Manila - The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday of a possible resurgence of bird flu amid new cases of the disease in poultry in Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The Manila-based WHO Western Pacific Office said the presence of the ... [News Source]

New Wave of Bird Flu Outbreaks Shows Threat to Humans, WHO Say (Bloomberg) Nov. 24 (Bloomberg) -- A fresh wave of bird flu outbreaks in Egypt, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand highlights the threat to public health caused by the H5N1 virus, which risks swapping genes with other influenza strains to spawn new variants, the World Health Organization in Manila said in a statement today. [News Source]

Vaccine makers are slow to perfect new techniques (Washington Post) After a lethal bird flu virus emerged in Asia, U.S. officials launched an intense effort to build new defenses against a pandemic, including replacing an antiquated vaccine system, which depends on millions of chicken eggs. [News Source]