The Chinese government announced in Beijing on December 5 that the world's first vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) emerged from the phase-one clinical test as both safe and effective.

The Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Health and the State Food and Drug Administration are organizing the joint research program to develop and possibly manufacture the inactivated SARS vaccine.

Wang Xiaofang, a senior official with the Ministry of Science and Technology, said at a news briefing that all 36 volunteers, after being injected with the vaccine 56 days ago, did not report any abnormal physical reactions. Antibodies were found in 24 volunteers.

Yin Weidong, director of the research program, said the clinical test was strictly secured. The phase-one test was aimed at verifying the safety of the vaccine.

He said his research team has already set technical standards for manufacturing the vaccine.

Lin Jiangtao, a professor at the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital who coordinated the clinical test, said that the test involved healthy people, 18 men and 18 women, who are aged from 21to 40.

The first four people were given the vaccine on May 22, 2004. On Sept. 29, medical observation of all 36 tested was completed.

The Chinese government began the research for a SARS vaccine last year. More than 100 scientists and researchers from Beijing Sinovac

Bio-products Company, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Sino-Japanese Friendship Hospital joined the program.

Phase-one clinical test was carried out after successful animal tests. Experts estimated that the drug will not be ready for commercial use until the completion of both phase-two and phase-three clinical tests.