FDA stresses safety of flu vaccine

As the A/H1N1 virus continues to spread, and Americans flock to get vaccinated, the US Food and Drug Administration says the vaccine is safe and effective.

Fang Guodong has been working for the FDA for seven years. His job is to give the final check for new drug products before they go to pharmacies. He says for the A/H1N1 flu vaccine, safety must come first.

Fang Guodong, FDA Official, said, "We must guarantee the vaccine is safe for people. After that we observe and research its effectiveness."

The US has increased production of its vaccine since the country declared a state of emergency over the flu outbreak. Fang says quality control is of great importance.

Fang Guodong, FDA Official, said, "The FDA keeps sending officials to the vaccine producers for quality check. And the production license won't be effective permanently."

Fang says about 47 percent of Americans think the vaccine is safe and effective, and have agreed to have it. Two out of five people say no, mostly due to concerns about its safety. But so far tests on millions of people have shown no severe adverse reactions.

Fang Guodong, FDA Official, said, "It's not unusual if there are some side effects. Some people do feel uncomfortable after receiving the vaccine. Others may have a light fever. But I haven't seen any severe cases so far."

Fang says it generally takes about two weeks for the vaccine to work. The FDA will publish a survey on its effectiveness once the scale of vaccination is large enough.