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Review
. 2015 Feb 5;3(1):90-104.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines3010090.

Assaying the Potency of Influenza Vaccines

Philip D Minor  1
Affiliations
Review

Assaying the Potency of Influenza Vaccines

Philip D Minor. Vaccines (Basel). .

Abstract

The potency of vaccines must be determined to ensure that the appropriate dose is given. The manufacture and assessment of influenza vaccines are complicated by the continuously changing nature of the pathogen, which makes efficacy estimates difficult but also confounds attempts to produce a well-validated, consistent potency assay. Single radial diffusion has been used for decades and provides a relatively simple way to measure the amount of biologically active materials present in the vaccine. It requires reagents, which are updated on a regular, frequently yearly, basis and alternative methods continue to be sought.

Keywords: Essential Regulatory Laboratories; Influenza Collaborating Centres; SRD; influenza vaccine; potency; reagent calibration.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Calendar of influenza vaccine production in the European Union showing roles of the public sector bodies and vaccine manufacturers and the interactions between them.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Single Radial Diffusion assay of influenza haemagglutinin. Stained plate showing zones and plot of zone size against dilution of analyte illustrating slope ratio statistical method for measuring potency.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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