Experts Urge Diverse Vaccine Strategies to Combat Potential Bird Flu Pandemic

Current reliance on egg-based vaccines may hinder rapid response; new technologies like mRNA show promise.

Australia's onshore mRNA and traditional vaccine manufacturing capabilities provide a head start in pandemic preparedness.
Recent studies emphasize the need for varied vaccine platforms to address the evolving threat of avian influenza.
Egg-based vaccines, while currently dominant, face challenges in scalability and efficacy against mutated strains.
The U.S. has stockpiled H5N1 vaccines but acknowledges gaps in matching current strains and production capacity.
Human cases of bird flu remain rare, but the potential for mutations necessitates proactive vaccine development.