EU draft deal on Britain not a euro zone veto: Tusk letter

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A letter sent by European Council President Donald Tusk to European Union (EU) leaders after it was released to the media, is seen in Brussels, Belgium February 2, 2016.

Reuters/Francois Lenoir

BRUSSELS Proposals to protect Britain and other non-euro zone countries from deeper euro zone integration do not grant London the right of veto over decisions, European Council President Donald Tusk told EU leaders in a letter on Tuesday.
Publishing the letter moments after he released the draft proposal to keep Britain in the EU, Tusk said EU ambassadors would meet on Friday to discuss the plans.
Tusk said that "giving necessary reassurances on the concerns of non-euro area member states cannot constitute a veto nor delay urgent decisions."

EU leaders hope to agree the proposals at a summit on Feb.18.



(Reporting by Robin Emmott and Jan Strupczewski; editing by Barbara Lewis)

Joint Declaration between India and Germany on the extension of the tenure of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC) from 2017 till 2022

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi was apprised about signing of a Joint Declaration between the Ministry of Science & Technology and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of Germany on the extension of the tenure of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC). The Declaration is for the extension of tenure of the bilateral IGSTC for a period of five years beyond 2017 till 2022. It provides for enhancement of funding allocation from 2 million Euros per year to a maximum of 4 million Euros per year by each side. The committed funding will be based on the principles of activity matching funding for supporting collaborative research partnerships of industrial relevance.

The joint research projects involving academia and industry from both countries will aim towards creation of new scientific knowledge base and the application of research results for technology development and application. This new declaration will enable IGSTC to further enhance, strengthen and improve research and technology cooperation of industrial relevance through cooperation between laboratories, academia and industry of both the countries. IGSTC will support and fund selected R&D projects linking research laboratories and industry (2+2 scheme) from India and Germany and assist in mobilizing resources to carry out collaborative industrial R&D projects.

Background:

The IGSTC was established under an agreement between the two Governments in October 2007 and started operation in 2011. Presently IGSTC is supporting joint industrial R&D projects in areas such as (a) advanced manufacturing (b) biomedical devices & healthcare (c) nanotechnology (d) automobile engineering (e) water sensors (f) clean energy technology and (g) information and computing technology.

Health Ministry issues guidelines on Zika Virus Disease

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued guidelines on the Zika virus disease, here today. The text of the guidelines is as follows.

Background

Zika virus disease is an emerging viral disease transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. This is the same mosquito that is known to transmit infections like dengue and chikungunya.  Zika virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947.

World Health Organization has reported 22 countries and territories in Americas¹ from where local transmission of Zika virus has been reported. Microcephaly in the newborn and other neurological syndromes (Guillain Barre Syndrome) have been found temporally associated with Zika virus infection. However, there are a number of genetic and other causes for microcephaly and neurological syndromes like Guillain Barre Syndrome.

Zika virus disease has the potential for further international spread given the wide geographical distribution of the mosquito vector, a lack of immunity among population in newly affected areas and the high volume of international travel. As of now, the disease has not been reported in India. However, the mosquito that transmits Zika virus, namely Aedes aegypti , that also transmits dengue virus,  is widely prevalent in India.

A majority of those infected with Zika virus disease either remain asymptomatic (up to 80%) or show mild symptoms of fever, rash, conjunctivitis, body ache, joint pains. Zika virus infection should be suspected in patients reporting with acute onset of fever, maculo-papular rash and arthralgia, among those individuals who travelled to areas with ongoing transmission during the two weeks preceding the onset of illness.

Based on the available information of previous outbreaks, severe forms of disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon and fatalities are rare. There is no vaccine or drug available to prevent/ treat Zika virus disease at present.

World Health Organization has declared Zika virus disease to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 1^st February, 2016.

[1] Zika virus disease has been reported so far in the following countries; Brazil, Barbados, Bolivia, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Equador, El Salvador, French Guyana. Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, St Martin, Suriname, Virgin Island  and Venezuela. It may be noted   that this list is likely to change with time. Hence, updated information should be checked periodically. 

In the light of the current disease trend, and its possible association with adverse pregnancy outcomes, the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare advises on the following:

1.            Enhanced Surveillance

 

1.1.      Community based Surveillance

 

·         Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) through its community and hospital based data gathering mechanism would track clustering of acute febrile illness   and seek  primary case, if any,  among those who travelled to areas with ongoing transmission in the 2 weeks preceding the onset of illness.

·         IDSP would also advise its State and District level units to look for clustering of cases of microcephaly among newborns and reporting of Gullian Barre Syndrome.

·         The Maternal and Child Health Division (under NHM) would also advise its field units to look for clustering of cases of microcephaly among new borns.

1.2       International Airports/ Ports

·         All the International Airports / Ports will display billboards/ signage providing information to travelers on Zika virus disease and to report to Custom authorities if they are returning from affected countries and suffering from febrile illness.

·         The Airport / Port Health Organization (APHO / PHO) would have quarantine / isolation facility in identified Airports.

·         Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Civil Aviation  will be asked to instruct all international airlines to follow the recommended aircraft disinsection guidelines

·         The APHOs shall circulate guidelines for aircraft disinsection (as per International Health Regulations) to all the international airlines and monitor appropriate vector control measures with the assistance from NVBDCP in airport premises and in the defined perimeter.  

1.3       Rapid Response Teams

·         Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) shall be activated at Central and State surveillance units. Each team would comprise an epidemiologist / public health specialist, microbiologist and a medical / paediatric specialist and other experts (entomologist  etc) to travel at short notice  to investigate suspected outbreak.

·         National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Delhi would be the nodal agency for investigation of outbreak in any part of the country.

1.4       Laboratory Diagnosis

·         NCDC, Delhi and National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, have the capacity to provide laboratory diagnosis of Zika virus disease in acute febrile stage. These two institutions would be the apex laboratories to support the outbreak investigation and for confirmation of laboratory diagnosis.  Ten additional laboratories  would be strengthened by ICMR to expand the scope of laboratory diagnosis.

·         RT- PCR test would remain the standard test. As of now there is no commercially available test for Zika virus disease. Serological tests are not recommended.

2.         Risk Communication

·         The States/ UT Administrations would create increased awareness among clinicians including obstetricians, paediatricians and neurologists about Zika virus disease and its possible link with adverse pregnancy outcome (foetal loss, microcephaly etc). There should be enhanced vigilance to take note of travel history to the affected countries in the preceding two weeks.

·         The public needs to be reassured that there is no cause for undue concern. The Central/ State Government shall take all necessary steps to address the challenge of this infection working closely with technical institutions, professionals and global health partners.

3.         Vector Control

·         There would be enhanced integrated vector management. The measures undertaken for control of dengue/ dengue hemorrhagic fever will be further augmented. The guidelines for the integrated vector control will stress on vector surveillance (both for adult and larvae), vector management through environmental modification/ manipulation; personal protection, biological and chemical control at household, community and institutional levels. Details are at Annexure-I.

·         States where dengue transmission is going on currently due to conducive weather conditions (Kerala, Tamil Nadu etc) should ensure extra vigil. 

4.         Travel Advisory

·         Non-essential travel to the affected countries to be deferred/ cancelled².

·         Pregnant women or women who are trying to become pregnant should defer/ cancel their travel to the affected areas.

·         All travelers to the affected countries/ areas should strictly follow individual protective measures, especially during day time, to prevent mosquito bites (use of mosquito repellant cream, electronic mosquito repellants, use of bed nets, and dress that appropriately covers most of the body parts).

·         Persons with co-morbid conditions (diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory illness, Immune disorders etc) should seek advice from the nearest health facility, prior to travel to an affected country.

·         Travelers having febrile illness within two weeks of return from an affected country should report to the nearest health facility.

·         Pregnant women who have travelled to areas with Zika virus transmission should mention about their travel during ante-natal visits in order to be assessed and monitored appropriately.

5.         Non-Governmental Organizations

·         Ministry of Health &FW / State Health Departments would work closely with Non-Governmental organizations such as Indian / State Medical Associations, Professional bodies etc to sensitize clinicians both in Government and private sector about Zika virus disease.

²  Based on available evidence, World Health Organization  is not recommending any  travel or trade restrictions.

6.         Co-ordination with International Agencies

·         National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, the Focal Point for International Health Regulations (IHR), would seek/ share information with the IHR focal points of the affected countries and be in constant touch with World Health Organization for updates on the evolving epidemic.

7.         Research

·         Indian Council of Medical Research would identify the research priorities and take appropriate action.

8.         Monitoring

·         The situation would be monitored by the Joint Monitoring group under Director General of Health Services on regular basis. The guidelines will be updated from time to time as the emerging situation demands.

Draft EU deal delivers 'substantial' reforms - Cameron

Prime Minister David Cameron says a draft deal aimed at keeping Britain in the EU will deliver the "substantial change" he has been demanding to how it is run.
But the UK prime minister said there was "detail to be worked on" before a crunch summit on 18-19 February.
The deal, published by European Council President Donald Tusk, allows for an "emergency brake" on migrant benefits.
But campaigners for an EU exit said the deal did not come close to the changes Mr Cameron had promised.

RBI keeps rates on hold; says budget key to more easing

MUMBAI : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept its policy rate on hold at 6.75 percent on Tuesday, as widely expected, opting to wait until after the government's annual budget statement at the end of February to decide on whether to cut interest rates further.
Having cut the policy repo rate by 125 basis points in 2015, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan warned on Friday against straying from the path of fiscal consolidation or relaxing the fight against inflation.
Rajan, in his statement on Tuesday, said the central bank would stay "accommodative" but would look forward to the government's budget on Feb. 29, saying it needed to be one that supports growth and controls spending.
How the government implements a planned 24 percent pay hike in salaries and pensions for some 10 million current and former government employees will also be key in determining the path of inflation, he noted.
"The Reserve Bank continues to be accommodative even as it leaves the policy rate unchanged in this review, while awaiting further data on the development of inflation," Rajan said in his statement.
"Structural reforms in the forthcoming Union Budget that boost growth while controlling spending will create more space for monetary policy to support growth."
Rajan also reiterated the central bank would ensure it is injecting sufficient liquidity into the banking system including conducting more open market operation bond purchases.


Banks have blamed the lack of cash in the financial system for their inability to match the RBI rate cuts last year, with most banks having lowered lending rates by only about 60 bps.
The 10-year bond yield rose around 5 basis points to 7.83 percent from levels before the decision, but the rupee and the NSE share index were broadly range-bound.
If the fiscal deficit is kept within reason, then inflation trends over coming months could also favour hopes for lower interest rates.
The RBI will have to keep watch over developments in global markets that began this year in a jumpy state.


Other major central banks, notably the Bank of Japan and Bank Indonesia have eased monetary policy, and the European Central Bank is expected to ease too, though the U.S. Federal Reserve is expected to raise rates later this year.
Oil prices near 13-year lows and seasonally subdued food price should help bring inflation down to the RBI's target of 5 percent by March 2017, after it hit a 15-month high of 5.61 percent in December.
Only 37 out 39 economists polled by Reuters had expected the RBI to leave the policy repo rate unchanged for now.


But more than half of them saw scope for at least a 25 bps rate cut by the end of June thanks to the reduced inflationary pressures, with some saying the reduction could come as early as March, before the next scheduled policy review in April.
"If the government's budget looks to boost growth through reforms and keeping spending under check, we expect an inter-meeting cut post the budget - 25 basis points, may be even 50 bps," said Arvind Chari, head of fixed income and alternatives at Quantum Advisors in Mumbai.
There is growing impatience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to deliver stronger growth, as vaunted economic reforms keep getting delayed.
The headline growth rate looks very creditable, with the RBI projecting 7.4 percent for the year ending in March, albeit with a downward bias, and 7.6 percent growth for 2016/17. But private sector investment remains weak, and India needs sustained growth of around 8 percent to generate jobs for its growing workforce.
Analysts expect India's budget to slightly raise fiscal deficit targets to free up money for investment in infrastructure projects, while keeping subsidies and other spending under control.

Trump's unorthodox campaign faces first test in Iowa

  

U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in the Orpheum Theatre during a campaign event in Sioux City, Iowa January 31 2016.

DES MOINES, Iowa | By John Whitesides : Republican front-runner Donald Trump puts his precedent-shattering campaign to the test on Monday when Iowa voters begin the nationwide process of choosing a new U.S. president, as polls show a tight battle with Ted Cruz that could hinge on turnout and a large bloc of undecided voters.Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton also faces a stiff challenge in Iowa from insurgent Bernie Sanders in the first contest in the state-by-state battle to pick candidates for the Nov. 8 election to succeed President Barack Obama.
Late polls showed Trump, a blunt-spoken billionaire businessman who has never before sought public office, with a small lead on Cruz, a conservative U.S. senator from Texas, while Clinton had a slight edge on Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont.
But uncertainty remained about who would turn up at the caucuses, and how successful Trump and Sanders would be at getting their supporters, many new to the process and disenchanted with politics as usual, to participate.
Adding to the unpredictability in Iowa was a large bloc of undecided or persuadable voters in both parties in a state where voters accustomed to a long courtship from candidates are traditionally in no rush to make a commitment.
The Des Moines Register/Bloomberg Iowa poll released on Saturday night showed three in 10 likely Democratic caucus-goers and 45 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers were still uncertain and could be persuaded to switch to another candidate.
The vast array of choices along with the ability to see the candidates up close over the course of the past year gives many Iowa voters little incentive to rush into a firm choice.
"I'm still checking them out. The field is large and it requires some thought," said Paul Albritton of Carlisle, Iowa, a training coordinator at Iowa State University, as he waited to see U.S. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida last week. "I'm thinking about who can win in November."
For the winners in Iowa, the prize will be valuable momentum in nominating battles that could stretch for months, while many of the losers on the Republican side quickly could begin dropping by the wayside.
Iowans will attend caucuses at schools, libraries and other public locations beginning at 7 p.m. CST (0100 GMT on Tuesday), with results expected within a few hours.
Dave Burggren of Asbury, Iowa, a precinct leader for his local Republican caucus, has been to seven or eight candidate events, checking out Trump, Rubio, former business executive Carly Fiorina, and even Sanders, but said he still did not have "any idea" which candidate he would support.
"My philosophy is this: Which piece of candy do I want today?" Burggren said at a Trump event in Dubuque on Saturday.

LATE DECISIONS
Iowans often make their decisions late. In 2012, nearly half of Republican caucus-goers, 46 percent, decided in "the last few days," according to entrance polls of the participants.
In 2008, almost one in five Republicans decided on the day of the caucus, and 13 percent decided in the final three days, the entrance polls showed.
Democrats were only slightly more decisive in 2008, when 11 percent decided the day of the caucus and 9 percent decided in the last three days, according to entrance polls.
"I won't make my final decision until I write the name down on that piece of paper," said Doug Gross, a Republican lawyer in Des Moines who chaired Mitt Romney's 2008 state campaign.
That sort of uncertainty has not led to huge upsets in the more than four-decade history of Iowa's caucuses, but the state has seen late shifts such as Republican conservative Pat Buchanan's charge into second place in 1996 and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean's plunge to third place in the 2004 Democratic race.
"Iowans take their role very seriously, and even in the last week we are learning new things and seeing new positions from the candidates," said Brad Anderson, an Iowa-based Democratic strategist who led Obama's 2012 state campaign.
Iowa will be the first time Trump, a real estate mogul and former reality TV star, puts his appeal to the test. A win could validate a campaign that has featured his call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and a wall on the Mexican border, and put him in a strong position for later contests.
A Trump loss would put a dent in his self-identity as a winner and create immense pressure for a better performance in
the next contests in New Hampshire on Feb. 9 and South Carolina on Feb. 20.
Polls also show Rubio pushing ahead of retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson in a critical fight for third place that could help Rubio consolidate support from mainstream Republicans not drawn to Trump or conservative Cruz.
For the Democrats, given Sanders' lead over Clinton in New Hampshire polls, the former secretary of state needs a win in Iowa to prevent a potential two-state opening losing streak that would set off alarm bells at her campaign headquarters and raise fresh questions about a candidate considered a prohibitive front-runner just two months ago.
It was in Iowa in 2008 that Clinton's last front-running presidential campaign went off the rails when she finished third behind Obama and former U.S. Senator John Edwards.

WHO meets to decide whether to declare Zika a global emergency

A municipal health worker fumigates a bus as part of the city's efforts to prevent the spread of the Zika virus vector, the Aedes aegypti mosquito, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, January 30, 2016.

GENEVA : Independent experts to the World Health Organization began deliberating on Monday whether to declare a global emergency over the Zika virus, which has been linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil.

The designation would fast-track international action and research priorities, following criticism of a hesitant response so far.
The United Nations agency said last week the Zika virus was "spreading explosively" and could infect as many as 4 million people in the Americas.
The WHO was criticized for reacting too slowly to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa which killed more than 10,000 people, and has promised to do better in future global health crises.
The 12 committee members, who are experts in epidemiology, public health and infectious diseases from the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa, discussed the issue in a telephone conference. A news briefing will be held on Tuesday afternoon at the earliest, the WHO said.

Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a co-discoverer of the Ebola virus, said the WHO had "dropped the ball" on Ebola, when it took five months for the epidemic to be declared an emergency.
He told BBC Radio he expected a rapid response this time.

"I have all confidence that they will declare this as a public health emergency," he said.
Brazil has reported around 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly, in which infants are born with smaller-than-usual brains. The health ministry has linked the condition to Zika, although the connection is not yet definitive.

As the virus spreads from Brazil, other countries in the Americas are also likely to see cases of babies with Zika-linked birth defects, experts believe.


(Writing by Ben Hirschler; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Dr Harsh Vardhan Urges Farmers to Adopt Cultivation of Improved Varieties of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants to Enhance their Income

The Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Harsh Vardhan, and Vice President, CSIR has urged the farmers and entrepreneurs engaged in cultivation, processing of medicinal and aromatic plants to adopt improved technologies and improved varieties for raising their income. Speaking at a Kisan Mela (farmers’ fair) organized at CSIR-Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants CSIR-CIMAP in Lucknow today, he said, this would also help in production of quality raw material demanded by user industries.

          The Minister said that medicinal and aromatic plants are the valuable green wealth of the country. These should be sustainably used for creating livelihood opportunities of poor people residing in rural areas. He also said that there are immense possibilities for promotion of production of medicinal and aromatic plants and industries by startups. Dr Harsh Vardhan called upon the scientists to develop improved technologies for conservation and cultivation of these plants keeping in view the changing climatic conditions and limited as well as diminishing agriculture resources. He said that farmers should be apprised regularly about the new developments being made in the research laboratories by organizing awareness meets, workshops and farmers fairs in different parts of the country.

 

                 Dr Harsh Vardhan lauded the efforts made by CSIR-CIMAP in reaching the unreached and said that these efforts be given a new push for making visible impact by creating new avenues for self-employment in rural sector. Expressing his satisfaction on development and release of improved varieties of essential oil bearing lemongrass and anti-malarial drug-producing artemisinin-rich Artemisia annua by CSIR-CIMAP, the Minister pointed out that participation of user industries should be ensured for promotion of each aromatic and medicinal plant so that poor farmers and entrepreneurs should not face difficulty in marketing of their produce. 

 

             Dr Harsh Vardhan further said that today people are inclined towards the use of drugs and cosmetics made from natural resources as ill effects have been reported from the use of synthetic drugs world over. It is also necessary to make initiatives to improve trust of the people towards herbal drugs he added. The Minister said that scientists should standardize the ayurvedic drugs so that their use can be increased in health care of the poor people. Dr Harsh Vardhan also emphasized the need for development of such plant varieties which can withstand vagaries of nature and can be grown in stressed soils ensuring utilization of large tracts of waste lands available in the country.

 

Other major events organized on the occasion of CIMAP Kisan Mela included interactive  meet  with farmers and entrepreneurs on the production and marketing of medicinal and aromatic plants,  sale of publications and high quality planting material of mint, aromatic grasses and other medicinal plant varieties developed by CIMAP, demonstration of improved plant varieties and herbal products,  live demonstration of distillation/ processing using CIMAP’s improved units,  training on rose water and flower-based agarbatti making,   demonstration of ‘Early Mint Technology’, integration of medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) in traditional cropping system. A unique pilot-scale herbal product manufacturing unit ‘Technology Business Incubator Centre (TBIC)’ was also inaugurated by the chief guest Dr Harsh Vardhan. In TBIC, various machines have been installed to facilitate manufacturing of creams, gels, shampoo, oils, face wash, floor mopping liquid in approx. 100 Kg batch size. The TBIC will help the technology users and entrepreneurs to manufacture the herbal products based on CIMAP technology. This will also serve as an incubator centre for the startups.

 

The Minister was accompanied by Shri Naveen Chandra  Bajpei, Deputy Chairman, State Planning Commission, UP and Shri Praveer Kumar, Agriculture Production Commissioner, UP, Dr. Sudeep Kumar, Head Planning and Performance Division of CSIR, Dr R. A Vishwakarma, Director, CSIR-IIIM, Dr(Mrs.) Madhu Dikshit, Director, CSIR-CDRI, Dr CS Nautiyal, Director, CSIR-NBRI, Dr Alok Dhawan, Director, CSIR-IITR and Prof. AK Tripathi, Director, CSIR-CIMAP.

 

  Representatives from various industries such as IPCA Laboratories, Jindal Drugs, Herbochem Industries, AIMIL Pharma, PIRINIC Pharma, AMORE Herbals, Ajmal Group, Essential Oil Association of India (EOAI), ICEOFF, and Spices Board, SIDBI, etc. and several buyers of medicinal and aromatic plants attended  the Kisan Mela. Different laboratories of CSIR such as NBRI, CDRI, IITR and IICT demonstrated their technologies relevant to rural areas. Beneficiaries of CSIR-CIMAP technologies and services together with other companies also exhibited their products by putting up stalls in the Kisan Mela and interacted with the Minister and other dignitaries present on the occasion.

 

About 4000 farmers and entrepreneurs from UP, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha and others states of the country participated  in the Kisan Mela. 

Race for Zika vaccine gathers momentum as virus spreads

Companies and scientists are racing to create a Zika vaccine as concern grows over the mosquito-borne virus that has been linked to severe birth defects and is spreading quickly through the Americas.
Zika is now present in 23 countries and territories in the Americas. Brazil, the hardest-hit country, has reported around 3,700 cases of the devastating birth defect called microcephaly that are strongly suspected to be related to Zika.
The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO), stung by criticism that it reacted too slowly to West Africa's Ebola epidemic, convenes an emergency meeting on Monday to help determine its response to the spread of the virus.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has activated an emergency operations centre staffed around the clock to address Zika, agency officials told Reuters.
On Thursday, the WHO said as many as 4 million people in the Americas may become infected by Zika, adding urgency to the research efforts. Vaccine developers made clear a vaccine for widespread public use is at least months, if not years, away.
The closest prospect may be from a consortium including drugmaker Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc  that could have a vaccine ready for emergency use before year-end, according to one of its lead developers. Inovio's share price gained more than 15 percent in Friday trading.
Canadian scientist Gary Kobinger told Reuters on Thursday the first stage of testing on humans could begin as early as August. If successful, the vaccine might be used during a public health emergency by October or November, said Kobinger, who helped develop a trial vaccine for the Ebola virus.
Privately owned vaccine developer Hawaii Biotech Inc said it began a formal programme to test a Zika vaccine last fall as the virus started to gain traction in Brazil, although it has no timetable yet for clinical trials.
"Right now, we are in the pre-clinical stage, as I suspect everyone is," Chief Executive Officer Dr. Elliot Parks told Reuters.

New ISO standard on probiotics and starter cultures

ISO 19344:2015(IDF 232)

Lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, present in yogurt and other dairy products, are well-known medical foods used as probiotics, or “friendly bacteria”, to maintain a healthy digestive tract. Flow cytometry, a cell-counting method for assessing the quality of cultures by determining the proportion of active cells, has met with a degree of skepticism. Now, a new ISO standard rubber-stamps the validity of this method, speeding up quality control and facilitating trade.
A recently published International Standard, ISO 19344 (IDF 232), provides a method for the quantification of lactic acid bacteria by flow cytometry in fermented products, starter cultures and probiotics used in dairy products. This publication is the result of the joint work of ISO and the International Dairy Federation (IDF).

Quantification of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is important in assessing the quality of starter cultures, probiotics and fermented milk products. Examination of LAB in these products can be carried out following different methods, with plate count techniques being the most traditional and widely used. Newer techniques include flow cytometry, which is able to determine the proportion of active cells and/or total units.

Dr. Sandra Casani, IDF/ISO Project Leader, says: “Advantages of the use of flow cytometry include low variation, reduction of testing time, differentiation between active and total cells and the possibility of high-throughput analysis. Furthermore, quantification of the fraction of active cells per total cells is a key feature of flow cytometry. This is of special relevance for certain applications, such as optimization of production processes and stability assessment during shelf life.”

This ISO/IDF project relied on the participation of producers and users of LAB as well as experts and users of flow cytometry from both industry and academia. This reflects the need and support for such a standard, which is crucial for obtaining general acceptance by the industry and for getting the recognition of this methodology by regulatory bodies.

Harrie van den Bijgaart, Chair of the ISO technical committee on milk and milk products (ISO/TC 34/SC 5) and Chair of the IDF Methods Standards Steering Group, explains: “Joint standards such as this one are important to avoid duplication of work and ensure optimal and harmonized procedures in analysis and sampling of milk and milk products around the globe. They also provide safeguards to the equivalence of testing results, whereas the availability of these well-respected joint standards also limits the required in-house validation efforts of the instrument users. The collaboration between IDF and ISO is key in achieving this.”

An international collaborative study of ISO 19344 (IDF 232) was conducted to determine precision figures, which validated that the method is fit for purpose.