sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
The Global Consultation on Addressing Ethical Issues in Pandemic Influenza Planning brought
together representatives of international organizations, government ministries, academic institutions
and WHO Secretariat to consider a broad range of ethical issues related to the development and
implementation of pandemic influenza preparedness and response plans. On the first day of the
consultation, the results of the deliberations of four technical working groups were presented and
discussed.
This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from day one of the consultation. On the
second day of the consultation, a draft set of ethical considerations based on the previous day's
discussions was presented and the floor was opened for discussion. The results of the second day's
discussions are being incorporated into the WHO document Ethical considerations in pandemic
influenza planning (forthcoming).
The consultation was opened by Dr David L. Heymann, Acting Assistant Director-General,
Communicable Diseases Cluster. Dr Heymann emphasized that, during a pandemic, it is essential to
protect both personal well being as well as the welfare of a community. Dr. Heymann referred to
ethics as being the "invisible glue" that holds the technical elements of pandemic planning together.
His comments were followed by remarks from Mrs Susanne Weber-Mosdorf, Assistant Director-
General, Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments Cluster. Mrs Weber-Mosdorf stressed
the importance of citizen engagement in pandemic planning. She reminded participants that the
objective of the consultation was to develop a general set of ethical considerations that could then be
adapted to specific national contexts. Dr Andreas Reis from the Department of Ethics, Trade, Human
Rights and Health Law then outlined the process that had led up to the consultation, including the
deliberations of the four working groups. He noted that the focus of the consultation was to identify
those areas on which agreement existed as well as those requiring further consideration, rather than to
reach consensus on all issues.....
together representatives of international organizations, government ministries, academic institutions
and WHO Secretariat to consider a broad range of ethical issues related to the development and
implementation of pandemic influenza preparedness and response plans. On the first day of the
consultation, the results of the deliberations of four technical working groups were presented and
discussed.
This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from day one of the consultation. On the
second day of the consultation, a draft set of ethical considerations based on the previous day's
discussions was presented and the floor was opened for discussion. The results of the second day's
discussions are being incorporated into the WHO document Ethical considerations in pandemic
influenza planning (forthcoming).
The consultation was opened by Dr David L. Heymann, Acting Assistant Director-General,
Communicable Diseases Cluster. Dr Heymann emphasized that, during a pandemic, it is essential to
protect both personal well being as well as the welfare of a community. Dr. Heymann referred to
ethics as being the "invisible glue" that holds the technical elements of pandemic planning together.
His comments were followed by remarks from Mrs Susanne Weber-Mosdorf, Assistant Director-
General, Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments Cluster. Mrs Weber-Mosdorf stressed
the importance of citizen engagement in pandemic planning. She reminded participants that the
objective of the consultation was to develop a general set of ethical considerations that could then be
adapted to specific national contexts. Dr Andreas Reis from the Department of Ethics, Trade, Human
Rights and Health Law then outlined the process that had led up to the consultation, including the
deliberations of the four working groups. He noted that the focus of the consultation was to identify
those areas on which agreement existed as well as those requiring further consideration, rather than to
reach consensus on all issues.....