The Government risks not being properly prepared if a future outbreak of avian flu were to result in a human influenza pandemic the Royal Society warned today (6 February 2007).
The Royal Society said that the Government has still not taken onboard the recommendations of last year's joint Royal Society and Academy of Medical Science report on preparing for a potential influenza pandemic. According to the report, "Pandemic influenza: science to policy", the Government is not making the best use of independent scientific advice when making critical decisions on issues such as the stockpiling of antiviral drugs.
Dr John McCauley, a member of the Royal Society/ Academy of Medical Science working group on pandemic influenza, said: "Hopefully this particular outbreak has been contained and it is important to stress that the risk of the virus spreading to humans is minimal. However, should a bird flu virus become able to adapt to humans, it could leave us facing a flu pandemic. There have been three pandemics in the last 100 years, one of which killed 40 million people in 1918. It is important that everything possible is done to ensure that doesn't happen"
The Royal Society and Academy of Medical Sciences report recommended that:
- DEFRA should set up a vaccination committee to advise the department on the development of its vaccination strategies across all animal diseases, including avian influenza.
- The virus must be carefully monitored so we can understand how minor changes or mutations to the virus can potentially affect its ability to spread. As the virus mutates its ability to be transmitted between animals, animals and humans or potentially between humans may also increase.
- A leading influenza specialist should be appointed as a high-level adviser to government ensure that its monitoring and response to such outbreaks is based on the best scientific advice
- The Department of Health and the vaccine industry should continue to evaluate the use of whole virus vaccines and monitor the results of ongoing trials of whole virus vaccines against H5N1
- The Department of Health should revisit it its decision to stockpile only one anti-viral Tamiflu in light of emerging scientific evidence that H5N1 can develop resistance to this drug
reposted from: http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/news.asp?id=5883
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