Russia could develop Swine flu vaccine in 3 months: scientist

Russia could develop virulent swine flu vaccine in three months to counter the deadly disease which is fast turning into a global pandemic, a top scientist has claimed.        

Director of National Flu Research Institute Dr Oleg Kiselyov said that scientists of his institute develop vaccine for seasonal influenza every year and the current task is to "adjust it to a new highly pathogenic strain."        

"Russian specialists will try to create the vaccine in three months," Kiselyov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.        

He also said Russian tablets to counter the global swine flu outbreak could appear in early 2010.        

"I don't think that we will be ready by October-November, although production is underway. But next year they will appear for sure," he said.        

According to earlier reports, Russia has sought strain of H1N1 swine flu from the United States to speed up the development of an effective vaccine.