U.S., CANADA TO SUPPORT WHO PANDEMIC FLU ACTION PLAN

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new Global Action Plan to increase pandemic influenza vaccine supply that requires immediate action and funding from developed countries, and the U.S. and Canada have already promised to help.

"We are presently several billion doses short of the amount of pandemic influenza vaccine we would need to protect the global population. This situation could lead to a public health crisis," said Marie-Paule Kieny, director of the WHO's Initiative for Vaccine Research. "The Global Action Plan sets the course for what needs to be done, starting now, to increase vaccine production capacity and close the gap. In just three to five years we could begin to see results that could save many lives in case of a pandemic."

The U.S. announced a $10 million contribution to the WHO to support influenza vaccine development and manufacturing infrastructure in other countries. Canada is also supporting the Global Action Plan. "Canada has placed a high priority on its own capacity to manufacture a pandemic influenza vaccine, but we can't just focus on our needs. The global community has a responsibility to work together to narrow the supply gap," said Tony Clement, Canada's health minister.

The Global Action Plan includes strategies to increase seasonal flu vaccine use, increase vaccine production capacity, build new vaccine plants and research new ways to quickly produce more potent and effective vaccines.