A senior government advisor is seeking to reassure the public over ‘untested’ swine-flu vaccine claims.

Professor Sir Gordon Duff claimed the potential risks posed by the vaccine, which is expected in the UK next month, are far outweighed by the benefits.

He spoke out after concerns were raised over a lack of clinical trial data being provided by the vaccine’s manufacturers - pharmaceutical giants Baxter International and GlaxoSmithKline.

Sir Gordon, who is co-chairman of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, said these companies were working on “core” vaccines which had been tested on 6,000 people.

“In a pandemic, you can’t predict what the virus is going to be, so to make a vaccine you use a similar virus. These core vaccines have been tested on 5,000-6,000 people already, with no serious adverse effects.

“It is inconceivable that in the UK we would consider a vaccine without giving a full scientific appraisal of its benefits and theoretical risks. That is just what these risks are.

Sir Gordon, who is also chairman of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Advisory Committee, added: “We are content that benefits far outweigh the risks.”

However the European Medicines Agency are concerned that the vaccine is being rushed out before the manufacturers have fully tested it.

A spokesman said: “What the manufacturers will be submitting will not have any clinical trial data.

“We expect the interim adult data from September and the first paediatric data from October onwards.”

There are already concerns over whether the contracts to supply the UK with these drugs could be jeopardised if the global pandemic worsens.

Two pharmaceutical experts told the Times that foreign governments could ban the exports of drug to safeguard their own supplies.

Both the companies the UK is depending on are manufacturing abroad - Baxter in the Czech Republic and GlaxoSmithKline in Germany.

Explore Health News

• Swine flu

Times Recommends

• Fern Britton: 'I still can't see that I was wrong'
• Extreme cooking
• Easy French: Tarte Tatin