Transfer of technology for production of rabies vaccine: memorandum from a WHO meeting.

The important challenge of prevention and control of rabies in the world will require international efforts to increase the availability and use of high quality cell-culture rabies vaccines for use in man and animals. An important aspect of activities to ensure such availability is transfer of technologies to developing countries for production of these vaccines. This article, which is based on the report of a WHO Consultation, outlines the technical options for vaccine production. The principles and economic aspects of technology transfer are considered, and a WHO assistance programme is outlined. It is concluded that technology transfer should be mediated through a framework of national institutes, expert panels, WHO collaborating centres, production and control laboratories, and other relevant institutions. On this basis, recommendations are made concerning the mechanisms of technology transfer for production of cell-culture rabies vaccines.