WHO Consultation on the Composition of Influenza Vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere 2006-2007

WHO meeting to prepare WHO recommendations of the composition of influenza vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere 2006-2007

13 - 14 February 2006: WHO meeting (by invitation only)

Table of contents 13 - 14 February 2006: WHO meeting (by invitation only) 15 February 2006: WHO information meeting (morning only)

WHO headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland

Background

Twice annually, the WHO Global Influenza Programme analyses the global data on circulating influenza strains and issues recommendations on the formulation of the influenza vaccine for the following influenza season. These recommendations are used by the pharmaceutical companies to update the content of the influenza vaccines they produce. An annual adjustment of the vaccine content is necessary to match the vaccine with the ever changing characteristics (antigenic, genetic) of circulating influenza viruses.

Objectives

• Analyze the antigenic and genetic characteristics of influenza strains circulating globally, taking into consideration epidemiological data on influenza obtained from individual countries and regions.
• Make recommendations on the composition of the influenza vaccine for the northern hemisphere 2006-2007.

Participants

• Directors from four WHO Collaborating Centres on Reference and Research on Influenza in Atlanta, United States, London, United Kingdom, Melbourne, Australia and Tokyo, Japan.
• Representatives of national vaccine licensing agencies involved in the preparation of vaccine prototype strains and vaccine testing reagents.

Agenda

• Analysis of antigenic and genetic characterization of seasonal influenza viruses investigated in the WHO Collaborating Centers for Reference and Research on Influenza
• Summary of global seasonal influenza activity
• Analysis of serological studies with inactivated influenza vaccine Recommendations for influenza vaccine composition for use in Northern Hemisphere 2006-2007
• Discussion of topics of common interest

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