22/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 21 February, the European Medicines Agency recommended the authorisation of the first pre-pandemic vaccine for human use. The vaccine in question is for the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus, which is considered at risk of developing into a viral strain which may trigger a flu pandemic in the future. The vaccine (Prepandrix) was developed by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals. (O.J.)