'Not enough vaccine' for flu pandemic: WHO official

Last Updated: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 | 1:30 PM ET

The world's supply of influenza vaccine would only protect a quarter of the population if a pandemic occurred, a senior official with the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

"The world is not prepared for a pandemic should it occur today," David Heymann, head of communicable diseases for WHO, told journalists at the conclusion of the agency's annual meeting in Geneva.

About 500 million units of vaccine containing three virus strains can currently be produced, according to WHO.

"In a world of 6.2 billion, that's not enough vaccine," Heymann said.

Also on Wednesday, the agency's 193 member states approved a resolution on sharing samples of flu virus.

Last week, Indonesia's health minister complained poor countries provide samples that are used to develop expensive commercial vaccines, and called for a fairer deal.

Scientists need up-to-date virus samples to check if global stockpiles of antiviral medications and current vaccines will work against a pandemic strain, stressed the head of WHO, Dr. Margaret Chan.

"Countries have agreed to share viruses until another mechanism is set up," Heymann said.

The resolution commits countries to share virus samples with "transparent, fair and equitable sharing of benefits."
 
A committee has to work out the details, such as the terms for sharing samples, how it will be done, and how developing countries will be supported to buy flu vaccine.

The H5N1 strain of flu has killed 185 people since 2003. Researchers are looking for any signs that the disease, largely found in birds, has mutated into a pandemic-triggering form that can spread easily between people, or has become resistant to drugs.

Also on Wednesday, Indonesian health officials said a five-year-old girl from Central Java province died last week after chickens died suddenly near her home. If confirmed, the case would raise total fatalities in the country to 77, the highest in the world.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/05/23/bird-flu.html