Niko
Editor, Senior Moderator
Lawmakers OK $870M for Bird Flu Vaccine
Associated Press 03.22.07, 12:03 PM ET
The Department of Health and Human Services would get $870 million this year to fund vaccine development and prepare for a bird flu epidemic under a bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee.
The committee, chaired by David Obey, D-Wis., approved the bird flu funds by a 36-28 vote late last week as part of a supplemental fiscal 2007 spending bill for the Defense Department and other agencies.
In 2006, the government awarded more than $1 billion to drug companies to research and develop bird flu vaccines. In January this year, HHS awarded $132.5 million in bird flu program contracts to British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (nyse: GSK - news - people ) PLC, Novartis (nyse: NVS - news - people ) AG and Iomai Corp. (nasdaq: IOMI - news - people )
Vote for the spending bill have yet to be scheduled. The bill must be approved by the full House and then the Senate before becoming law.
Lawmakers OK $870M for Bird Flu Vaccine
Associated Press 03.22.07, 12:03 PM ET
The Department of Health and Human Services would get $870 million this year to fund vaccine development and prepare for a bird flu epidemic under a bill approved by the House Appropriations Committee.
The committee, chaired by David Obey, D-Wis., approved the bird flu funds by a 36-28 vote late last week as part of a supplemental fiscal 2007 spending bill for the Defense Department and other agencies.
In 2006, the government awarded more than $1 billion to drug companies to research and develop bird flu vaccines. In January this year, HHS awarded $132.5 million in bird flu program contracts to British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (nyse: GSK - news - people ) PLC, Novartis (nyse: NVS - news - people ) AG and Iomai Corp. (nasdaq: IOMI - news - people )
Vote for the spending bill have yet to be scheduled. The bill must be approved by the full House and then the Senate before becoming law.
Lawmakers OK $870M for Bird Flu Vaccine