Vietnam puts its own African Swine Fever vaccine on ice
In a move that’s leaving farmers clutching their pigpens and the public scratching their heads, Vietnam has decided to temporarily halt the use of the first home‑grown vaccine for the deadly African swine fever (ASF). The decision came after a swarm of pigs—about 600 farmed in the central province of Phu Yen—came down just after receiving the shots.
What went wrong?
- PH — Pigs at several farms in Phu Yen were inoculated with the NAVET‑ASFVAC vaccine, developed by Navetco, a company owned by Vietnam’s agriculture ministry.
- THE PIECE OF POPIC – Roughly 30 pigs died this month after the injections, prompting immediate concern.
- THE TAILORED— The ministry set up a special working group to inspect the deaths; the official involved chose to keep anonymity.
- THE SILENCE— Navetco hasn’t yet responded to external inquiries on the matter.
Why this vaccine mattered in the first place
Vietnam’s first ASF outbreak surfaced way back in 2019. The disease, which has decimated pig populations worldwide, forced the country to cull almost 20 % of its hog herd the following year. Fast forward to 2024, and the government had built a vaccine aimed at controlling the virus and hoped to be the first country to commercialise and export it.
A flood of ASF cases
So far this year, the disease has spread to 753 affected areas across 47 provinces, with a staggering 36,500 pigs culled under the ministry’s management.
Looking forward
The agriculture ministry had earmarked 600,000 doses for domestic use starting in July. With the pause, they’re likely to reassess the vaccine’s safety, possibly revisit research or bring in a different strategy to keep those swine under control.
All in all
At a glance, this is a reminder that science is a delicate dance – one wrong step, or even a misstep in dosing, could have an unfortunate outcome. And while these three‑month trials can feel like a recipe for doom, they’re also a crucial part of finding the right ingredients for a safe, effective shot that would protect Vietnam’s pig herds long into the future.
