EU MUST STEP UP EFFORTS TO PREPARE FOR FLU PANDEMIC

The European Union (EU)is still at least two years away from being prepared for an influenza pandemic, according to areport prepared by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and published today. The report was prepared with information from 25 EU member states plus Iceland and Norway.

"Since 2005 health authorities across the EU have put major efforts into improving their preparedness against a pandemic," ECDC Director Zsuzsanna Jakab said. "The challenge now is for governments and EU bodies to sustain the momentum for a further two or three years to do the work identified in this report. If this is done, then EU countries will be in a position to respond well to a pandemic."

According to the report, the EU needs to conduct more research on influenza and increase government response to seasonal influenza.

The report also calls on EU member states to develop criteria for the types and amounts of antivirals needed, including a prioritized list of the different types. Governments should also consider drug combinations, decide on the proportion of the population that may need treatment, and consider ways to monitor the effectiveness of these drugs, as well as side-effects and drug resistance, in real time.

The EU should also provide background scientific information on the use of antivirals for public health purposes.

To view the report, go to www.ecdc.eu.int/pdf/Pandemic_preparedness.pdf.