EU regulators may allow national governments to vaccinate poultry flocks as a precaution against the spread of dangerous strains of bird flu, officials said today.
The European Commission, which monitors national programmes to fight the H5N1 virus, has shied away from generalised preventive vaccination, saying the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.
"With H5N1 on Europe's borders for several months now, there is an ongoing risk. It's a new situation, and in a new situation, new approaches may have to be considered," a Commission official said, adding that this was still an internal discussion.
"Until now, it (vaccination) has been allowed for emergency vaccination but not preventive. Now, preventive vaccination could be allowed based on the risk and an analysis of the risk. It's an option that could be considered," he said.
Preventive vaccination is being used in a pilot project in certain areas of Italy where low pathogenic bird flu viruses often recur. But the Commission has said it would be impossible to maintain the strict checks necessary to vaccinate the billions of poultry kept for farming purposes across the EU.
Bird flu is endemic in poultry across parts of Asia and has spread to flocks in eastern Europe. The virus can infect people who have close contact with infected birds and has killed at least 83 people since it reemerged in late 2003.
A number of EU governments, such as the Netherlands, have expressed interest in vaccination as a precautionary measure.