The Chinese Government has branded as "rootless" foreign reports that the country's farmers used human anti-viral drugs to inoculate chickens against bird flu.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, China has an abundant supply of three kinds of vaccine for birds which have been produced at 10 medical plants since 2004.

In a statement responding to claims the government had encouraged farmers to use the human vaccine amantadine to inoculate chickens, the Ministry of Agriculture said:

"We have never allowed the drug (amantadine) to be used to prevent bird flu and other veterinary diseases and it is not included in the government's list of veterinary medicines."

The human anti-viral drug has to be used every day, and the cost would be very high for farmers, said the ministry. "So it's unnecessary for farmers to use it," said the statement.

According to the ministry, China has taken the lead in vaccine research against the highly lethal H5N1 and H5N2 strains of the flu, and the ministry has pledged to supply farmers with cheap and effective vaccines.

The ministry has taken responsibility for purchasing vaccines and has asked local animal quarantine organizations across the country not to charge farmers whose chickens are given compulsory vaccinations.

"For those farmers who voluntarily vaccinate their chickens, the government will pay half the cost," the statement said.

Source: China Daily