France, Thailand to jointly produce DTP-HB vaccine

BANGKOK, February 9 (TNA) - France and Thailand have agreed to jointly produce vaccine which cures four diseases including diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and hepatitis B (DTP-HB) and to construct a plant to produce hepatitis B vaccine in Thailand, according to Public Health Minister Doctor Pradit Sintavanarong. He said the agreement was made during an official visit to Thailand by French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on Tuesday. Under the agreement, the GPO (Government Pharmaceutical Organisation) – Merieux Biological Products Co., Ltd. and France’s Sanofi Pasteur Co. would manufacture the vaccine treating the four diseases in Thailand, said Dr. Pradit. It will help Thailand save foreign exchange from importing vaccines. It will be the first time for Thailand in manufacturing a vaccine which could cure four diseases at the same time and the vaccine will be injected to about 800,000 newly born babies in Thailand annually, he said. Besides transferring such technology, Dr. Pradit said Sanofi Pasteur Co. would jointly invest with GPO in building the plant producing hepatitis B vaccine in Thailand. Total investment is about 700 million baht and the agreement is worthwhile because the kingdom could export vaccines, starting with its fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. (TNA)