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Health officials weigh supply of global flu vaccines
Tue May 19, 2009 10:26am EDT
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By Katie Reid and Laura MacInnis
GENEVA (Reuters) - Health officials sought on Tuesday to find ways to increase the global supply of vaccines that could be used to protect the world's most vulnerable people against H1N1 flu.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged executives from 30 pharmaceutical companies to work to boost production of seasonal vaccines while also developing an injection for possible use against the newly-discovered strain.
In remarks later to the World Health Organization's annual congress, he said it was essential that drugmakers work together with governments to shield the world from the worst impacts of the flu, which has killed 79 people and infected nearly 10,000.
"Partnerships with the private sector are absolutely vital," Ban told representatives of the WHO's 193 member governments, urging them to think beyond their borders in their response to H1N1, which is a genetic mix of swine, bird and human viruses.
Most of the people catching the flu so far have experienced mild symptoms like fever and nausea, but pregnant women and those with other health problems such as HIV/AIDS and diabetes could be at high risk from severe effects from the strain.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said aggressive steps were being taken to boost production of seasonal flu vaccines, which could later be shifted into pandemic injections "if that is necessary."
But she told a news briefing the United States has not placed advance orders for H1N1 flu vaccines, as have France, Britain, Belgium, Finland and others.
"There is still so much uncertainty about this virus that it is really premature for us to even make a determination about how many people would appropriately be vaccinated, in what order, how many doses will be required, at what point. All those discussions are still very much underway," Sebelius said.
FINITE SUPPLIES
Rich and poor countries are seeking at the week-long World Health Assembly to settle their differences about how samples of viruses should be shared with pharmaceutical makers, who will use them to develop and sell vaccines to fight the H1N1 flu.
Developing nations including Indonesia have previously called for restrictions on the powers of drugmakers to patent virus samples and then offer vaccines at an unaffordable price.
In his remarks to the World Health Assembly, Ban said poor states with weak medical services could be at particular threat from the flu and will need help from richer countries to reduce the world's exposure to its risks.
"Global solidarity must be at the heart of the world's response to crisis. Solidarity in the face of this particular outbreak must mean that all have access to drugs and vaccines.
"It means that virus samples and data are shared. It means that self-defeating restrictions on trade and travel are avoided," he stressed.
But one international official said there would be battles ahead as governments try to secure finite supplies of antiviral drugs and vaccines to protect their populations. Continued...
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