A French maker of the H1N1 vaccine has opened its doors for public viewing. The plant manufactures millions of swine flu vaccines each week. We have more on this story in this report.

Sanofi Pasteur, part of Sanofi-Aventis group, is giving people a chance to tour its France-based production facility.

Clinical trials of the vaccines Panenza and Humenza held in Europe show that one dose of the drug company’s H1N1 flu vaccine can trigger a robust immune response.

One dose of Panenza or Humenza protects at least 93 percent of adults aged 18 to 59 years. It is 83 percent effective for those older.

In children, the response was 94 percent. Because of its low dosage, Humenza allows for more production capacity, raising the number of doses available and people who can be immunized.

Panenza could be seen by European authorities as a vaccine to protect people who are most vulnerable.

[Jean-Yves Mutricy, Sanofi Pasteur]: (French, Male)
"The facility here at Val-de-Reuil has the capacity to prepare 170 million vaccines per year. The line that you're visiting today has the capacity to manufacture ten million doses each week."

The World Health Organization calls the H1N1 flu vaccine the most important tool against the pandemic.

Sanofi has a contract to provide 75.3 million doses of the vaccine to the U.S. government. It began shipments to the U.S. ahead of schedule, in September.

However, the facility in France provides to countries all over the world as the company has a separate manufacturing site within U.S. borders.

[Dominique Maugeais, Sanofi Pasteur Director]: (French, Female)
"We have requests from Latin American countries and Central American countries. As well, we have requests from Asia and so, more or less all over the world."

Earlier this month, the European Commission cleared Baxter International's Celvapan vaccine against swine flu, after green lights were given for vaccines from GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis.