Domestic Vaccine Production

Following an agreement signed by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Health Ministry, domestic production of all human vaccines will henceforth be the function of the Pasteur Institute of Iran.

In the past the vaccines were partly produced by Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute and partly imported. Pasteur Institute only produced two types of human vaccines, Mostafa Qane’i, head of Pasteur Institute said, IRNA reported.

“From now on all research on domestic production of human vaccines will be conducted by Pasteur Institute,” he said, adding that, the institute has already begun studies to produce pentavalent, injectable polio and rotavirus vaccines.

These three human vaccines are currently imported and the institute plans to start their local production within five years.  Pentavalent vaccine, which combines five vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), was added to the national immunization program since November 2014. The ministry also plans to add production of rotavirus vaccine, which protects babies against rotavirus illness, to the national program.