Finally the much talked about vaccines for H1N1 are here in India and the mass vaccination against this deadly disease is expected to begin next week. Indian Government has imported 1.5 million doses of vaccines from Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi Aventis Group.

The vaccine doses have passed the safety tests successfully. Reports of Clinical bridge study were submitted by Sanofi Pasteur to the Drug Controller General of India on Wednesday. The study was conducted at Kalavati Saran Hospital in Delhi and Bharatiya Vidyapith in Pune on 100 adults.

Steps have been taken to assure the safety of these vaccines such as testing the vaccine profile twice- first for seven days and then for 21 days. It is believed that no vaccine is safe for everyone and may lead to side effects in some people. Dr Singh said, "We didn't want it to cause side-effects like the Guillain-Barri syndrome (GBS) -- a rare disease in which the body damages its own nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. The company will, however, continue to check the vaccine's immunogenicity results, which will come in six weeks time."

Throwing more light on the issue, DCGI Dr Surinder Singh said, "The trials of the vaccine have proven its safety profile. By Friday, we will vet the results and give its clearance for use on humans in India. By next week, the vaccination should begin."

Going by the information provided by Union health ministry officials, 10 lakh doses of the vaccine will be sent to all Central government hospitals so that the vaccine is administered on all front line health workers and those at the highest risk of getting infected.

Rest of the doses would be given to the armed forces while some would be retained by the ministry.

Meanwhile Indian based Pharma companies are in the process of producing the vaccine indigenously. Companies such and Ahmedabad-based Zydus Cadila, Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech International and Panacea Biotec are engaged in this process. These vaccines are expected to be priced between Rs 150-200 and would be administered as a single dose.

Dr Singh said, "If all goes well with the Indian vaccines and they prove safe and effective, they should be available commercially between April 15 and 30.

"Don't get the flu. Don't spread the flu. Get Vaccinated."