A Celebration of 50 Years of Progress in Biological Standardization and Control at WHO
WHO Headquarters, Geneva, October 1998. "Developments in Biological Standardization", Vol. 100.
Published in 1999
Book
Paperback/Softback
VIII, 184 pages
978-3-8055-6952-1 (ISBN)
Description
Fifty years of progress in biological standardization and control at the World Health Organization were celebrated at a meeting in Geneva in October 1998. The meeting was opened with an address given by the Director-General Dr. D.G. Brundtland and was followed by a short talk by Dr. Charles Merieux, who has been an important figure in biological standardization. The first session, which was devoted mainly to historical aspects such as the eradication of smallpox and the standardization of insulin and antitoxins, also looked to the future with the prospect of the eradication of poliomyelitis. The need for standardization in endocrinology, plasma products, transfusion medicine and cell substrates was also emphasised. The remainder of the meeting was devoted to current problems and the need to provide methods which will allow products to be standardized without the use of animals. Several talks were given on methods which are based on the molecular revolution which has taken place during the past 50 years. The importance of standardization has increased in recent years with the publics expectation of zero-risk. Consequently, the role of the IABS assumes an ever-increasing importance.
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Content
Opening session: welcome address, F. Horaud; opening address, G.H. Brundtland; the IABS supporting the work of the World Health Organization - the eradication of poliomyelitis, C. Merieux; H.H. Dale and the London Centre for WHO standards - some milestones of the early years, D.R. Bangham. Session 1 Historical perspectives: international biological standardization in historic and contemporary perspective, M.R. Hilleman; standardization of smallpox vaccines and the eradication programme - a WHO perspective, I. Arita; from insulin to amylin - 75 years of biological standardization in endocrinology, S.L. Jeffcoate; biological standards in haemostasis and thrombosis, D.P. Thomas; cell substrates - lessons learned and challenges remaining, J.C. Petricciani. Session 2 New laboratory tools for standardization and control: molecular consistency monitoring of oral poliovirus vaccine and other live viral vaccines, K.M. Chumakov; alternatives to the use of animals for bacterial toxins and antitoxins, D. Sesardic; cytokine and growth factor standardization - the need for research to answer modern issues, A.R. Mire-Sluis; challenges for biological standardization and control in the 21st century, K.C. Zoon. Session 3 Future challenges: the transmissible spongiform encephalography agents - concerns and responses of United States regulatory agencies in maintaining the safety of biologics, D.M. Asher; development and standardization of DNA vaccines, K. Cichutek; control of foot-and-mouth disease by vaccination, F. Brown; standardization and licensing of combination vaccines based on DTP, I. Gust. Session 4 International perspectives: regulation of biologicals in the European Union, G. Vicari; assuring the safety of plasma products - a developing country's perspective (abstract), D. Armstrong; ICH activities on biotech topics, P. Zorzi-Morre; regulation of biologicals in China, H. Zhou; international challenges and public policy issues, N. Morris.