American Senate Agrees to $4 billion to prepare for influenza pandemic

Featured Article
Main Category: Flu / Cold / SARS
Article Date: 03 Oct 2005 - 21:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions

The US Senate has agreed to spend four billion dollars towards preparing for the possible flu pandemic which is threatening the world. Now, the bill has to go to Congress.

About $3 billion will go towards stockpiling Tamiflu (oseltamivir), a prescription antiviral medication. The rest of the funds will go towards flu surveillance (worldwide), research and development for novel vaccines, and helping local authorities prepare themselves. The aim will be to have a stockpile of 20 million vaccines.

There is disagreement within the American house as to how serious a threat avian influenza is. Some say it is the biggest challenge to human health ever, while others say the evidence is not yet compelling.

Many have written to us at Medical News Today surprised at the attitude of some politicians. One e-mailer from Texas wrote, 'How compelling does it have to be? When does it have to be compelling? The evidence used to invade Iraq because it had weapons of mass destruction was rather flimsy. The whole operation cost a great deal more than $4 billion.'

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today


Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today