The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday approved the first-ever bird flu vaccine. The vaccine will not be available commercially, but will be stockpiled by the government for use in the event of a bird flu pandemic.

The two-shot vaccine appears to provide protection to 45 percent of adults at the highest dose. By comparison, seasonal flu shots typically protect more than 90 percent of healthy adults.

Should an influenza pandemic emerge, the vaccine may provide early limited protection in the months before a vaccine tailored to the pandemic strain of the virus could be developed and produced. The government plans to buy and stockpile enough vaccine for 20 million people, including emergency and health care workers.

Contact: Sandra Bressler, 415/882-5171 or sbressler@cmanet.org.