Vaxart raises $12.5M to advance Phase I clinical trials on Avian flu vaccine (News-Medical-Net) Vaxart, Inc., a San Francisco biotechnology company developing oral-delivery vaccines, has closed a $12.5 million Series B financing, led by Care Capital of Princeton NJ. The funding will be used to advance the Company's lead product, an oral vaccine for Avian influenza, through Phase I clinical trials. [News Source]

Are vaccines safe? Drug makers are projecting $21.5 billion in sales in 2012 from vaccines. To reach this target they need legislation passed that will make vaccinations compulsory. Any attempt to introduce legislation of this nature should be challenged as a violation of our constitutional rights. [News Source]

Tough lessons from Dutch Q fever outbreak. The chief veterinary officer of the Netherlands has defended the country's decision to cull thousands of goats in an effort to control an unprecedented outbreak of Q fever. [News Source]