WHO Influenza Collaborating Centre, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Australia

Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Article Date: 18 Jun 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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The Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) will be the new host of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza.

VIDRL is one of Australia's most respected infectious diseases laboratories, providing a range of diagnostic services nationally and internationally. The Commonwealth Government will provide $23.2 million over four years to establish the WHO centre in state-of-the-art facilities at VIDRL.

The centre has had a long and distinguished history of work under its current host, CSL Ltd, at its Melbourne premises. It became a Regional WHO Influenza Centre in 1951 and was designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in 1992.

There are only five WHO collaborating centres for influenza worldwide. The centre is an important source of flu expertise in Australia and the southern hemisphere. The centre has direct access to the WHO global influenza network and early-warning systems and is regarded by the Government as a significant asset to our pandemic preparedness and response activities.

VIDRL, a division of Melbourne Health, is expected to take responsibility for the operation of the WHO centre on CSL premises later this year and it is anticipated that the centre will be relocated to the new, customised facilities at VIDRL in 2007.

The WHO centre will continue to work closely with institutions such as CSL and the Australian Animal Health Laboratory but will not have funding or administrative ties to them. These connections should ensure that vaccines are developed as expeditiously as possible. This is particularly important during a continued period of heightened pandemic risk.

http://www.health.gov.au

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