An international workshop on influenza was held at IVI from 26-27 March 2007 to discuss global preparedness against possible pandemic influenza and vaccine research.

"The U.K-Korea International Workshop on Vaccines for Influenza," sponsored by the British government and held at the IVI headquarters, drew about 100 people, including several leading scientists from Britain, Korea and other Asian countries.

IVI’s Director-General, Dr. John Clemens, delivered a keynote speech, entitled, “The IVI: Global Resource for New Vaccines for Developing Countries.” Byun Jae-jin, then Vice Minister (current Minister) of Health and Welfare in the Korean government, made congratulatory remarks at the opening session.

Scientists from Japan, China and Vietnam also joined experts from the UK and Korea. The workshop served as a forum to discuss global preparedness and effective means to control seasonal and pandemic influenza at the regional level, especially within Asian countries.

Participants reached a consensus that international research collaboration is essential to successfully deal with the threat of a potential flu pandemic.

The workshop came at a time when the IVI is about to take on research on influenza in the coming months. The Institute will complete a bio safety level 3 plus (BSL3+) laboratory at its headquarters later this year, and will launch work on vaccines against emerging respiratory viruses, including avian flu.

Explaining IVI’s rationale for entering the arena of influenza vaccines for least developed countries, Dr. Clemens said IVI is the world’s only international research organization with an exclusive focus on vaccines for developing countries where the majority of avian flu cases have occurred.

Other reasons for embarking on influenza vaccine research that Dr. Clemens cites include IVI’s strong linkages with the World Health Organization and the GAVI Alliance, its location in Asia – the focal point of avian flu – and the fact that IVI is located in Korea, a country that has a model system for detection and control of bird flu outbreaks.

“Close collaboration between public and private sectors has been put in place in Korea, which has helped effectively contain H5N1 outbreaks in poultry,” Dr. Clemens said. “Korea also has the second highest per capita use of seasonal flu vaccines in the world, and the government has made a major commitment to producing flu vaccines within its borders.”

He cites as other reasons for IVI’s move into avian flu: IVI’s strong capacities in transfer of vaccine production technologies, upstream development of improved influenza vaccines, more efficient vaccine production, and alternate routes of vaccine delivery, among other strengths of the Institute.