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Prepared for avian bird flu? Professionals say no
Prepared for avian bird flu? Professionals say no
By BRANDON WILSON
Staff Reporter
There has not yet been a mutated human-to-human strain, nor has the avian bird flu upgraded to a pandemic.
But the risk is there, and that has prompted a handful of governors in the West to hear more information and discuss strategies regarding preparedness planning.
"Nobody's going to blame you for a pandemic, but nobody's going to forgive you for not planning now," said Quantum Leap Health Sciences President Dr. Stephen Prior at the Western Governors Association meeting in Sedona on Tuesday.
Governors from seven western states listened as four medical and pharmaceutical professionals gave updates on the flu and offered opinions on how to better prepare. The general consensus shared by these professionals was the concerning opinion that the western region, as well as all of the United States, is unprepared.
Prior said the disease is not going away anytime soon, and currently there is a "mixing bowl" of birds in Alaska that will be heading south. It is his opinion that the United States will see bird flu in the later part of this year. If mutated and upgraded to a pandemic, Prior said it could impact up to 40 percent of the population in some way.
He discussed how it would impact many more than just those who get infected. A pandemic would affect the economy and the "bottom line" by causing employees to be fearful of going to work and consumers staying home to avoid contact, he said.
U.S. Pharmaceuticals President Chris Viehbacher and Dr. Reed Tuckson, senior vice-president of consumer health and medical care advancement for the United Health Group, agreed.
Viehbacher said planning and preparing is an important step to ensure protection of people so they can continue to work.
This concept was the first point made by Prior to combat the situation if it were to arise. He stressed the importance of planning for continuity of government and operations. He also warned the governors not to rely on federal resources or the military due to unavailable funds and the United States' involvement in war.
Prior suggested building on the work of others -- and "expect the unexpected."
Tuckson added the importance of creating a national and local "mosaic" to better handle the situation. Dr. Michael Samoszuk, chief medical officer at Roche Diagnostics Corporation, informed the governors of the way state health departments will deal with an outbreak.
All of the professionals later discussed the issue of stockpiling vaccinations. Reed discussed the positives of government stockpiling and the problems associated with individual and private company stockpiling.
Although Viehbacher agreed that stockpiling is important, he discussed the uncertainty of a mutated strain. Vaccinations being produced now are based on the current strain.
"We are not to know if there will be a drift or a shift when it goes human to human," Viehbacher said.
He said that the current vaccination will be a good step, but ultimately, there will be a need for a modified vaccine to battle the mutated strain.
"Stockpiling allows us to build up quantities we need, but the downside is [the question as to] how these vaccines will work with the mutated strain," Viehbacher said.
By BRANDON WILSON
Staff Reporter
There has not yet been a mutated human-to-human strain, nor has the avian bird flu upgraded to a pandemic.
But the risk is there, and that has prompted a handful of governors in the West to hear more information and discuss strategies regarding preparedness planning.
"Nobody's going to blame you for a pandemic, but nobody's going to forgive you for not planning now," said Quantum Leap Health Sciences President Dr. Stephen Prior at the Western Governors Association meeting in Sedona on Tuesday.
Governors from seven western states listened as four medical and pharmaceutical professionals gave updates on the flu and offered opinions on how to better prepare. The general consensus shared by these professionals was the concerning opinion that the western region, as well as all of the United States, is unprepared.
Prior said the disease is not going away anytime soon, and currently there is a "mixing bowl" of birds in Alaska that will be heading south. It is his opinion that the United States will see bird flu in the later part of this year. If mutated and upgraded to a pandemic, Prior said it could impact up to 40 percent of the population in some way.
He discussed how it would impact many more than just those who get infected. A pandemic would affect the economy and the "bottom line" by causing employees to be fearful of going to work and consumers staying home to avoid contact, he said.
U.S. Pharmaceuticals President Chris Viehbacher and Dr. Reed Tuckson, senior vice-president of consumer health and medical care advancement for the United Health Group, agreed.
Viehbacher said planning and preparing is an important step to ensure protection of people so they can continue to work.
This concept was the first point made by Prior to combat the situation if it were to arise. He stressed the importance of planning for continuity of government and operations. He also warned the governors not to rely on federal resources or the military due to unavailable funds and the United States' involvement in war.
Prior suggested building on the work of others -- and "expect the unexpected."
Tuckson added the importance of creating a national and local "mosaic" to better handle the situation. Dr. Michael Samoszuk, chief medical officer at Roche Diagnostics Corporation, informed the governors of the way state health departments will deal with an outbreak.
All of the professionals later discussed the issue of stockpiling vaccinations. Reed discussed the positives of government stockpiling and the problems associated with individual and private company stockpiling.
Although Viehbacher agreed that stockpiling is important, he discussed the uncertainty of a mutated strain. Vaccinations being produced now are based on the current strain.
"We are not to know if there will be a drift or a shift when it goes human to human," Viehbacher said.
He said that the current vaccination will be a good step, but ultimately, there will be a need for a modified vaccine to battle the mutated strain.
"Stockpiling allows us to build up quantities we need, but the downside is [the question as to] how these vaccines will work with the mutated strain," Viehbacher said.
