Indonesia has stopped sending human bird flu samples to laboratories overseas ahead of a vaccine agreement with a US-based manufacturer of medical products, health ministry officials said on Tuesday. The country, which has suffered the largest number of human deaths due to bird flu in the world, has previously shared samples of infected human tissue with various laboratories as part of research efforts on the disease. But that process has now been halted ahead of the announcement on Wednesday of a deal with Baxter International Inc., the officials said. "Yes, we have temporarily halted the sending of such samples," said Endang from the health ministry's Research and Development Board. She declined to give a reason but said the ministry was scheduled to give a news conference on the issue on Wednesday. Health ministry spokeswoman Lily Sulistyawati said that it would announce the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Baxter. (Con't)

Source: AFP