Preliminary clinical tests show that a bird flu vaccine for human use developed by Chinese researchers is safe and effective, the researchers said Monday.

The Beijing Sinovac Biotech Co. and the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention released the results of the first phase of clinical tests of the vaccine which they jointly developed.

Six volunteers took part in the clinical tests conducted between November 2005 and June 6 this year at the Beijing China-Japan Friendship Hospital.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2006)