Can The U.S. Afford A Shortage Of Respirator Masks To Fight Flu Pandemic?

Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Article Date: 20 Sep 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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The Coalition for Breathing Safety, a group of U.S. respirator manufacturers, warned of a shortage of N95 masks, a crucial component of the U.S. government's pandemic emergency response plans. A World Bank report released this week projected the global economic impact of an avian flu pandemic to be as much as two trillion dollars, underscoring concerns over the devastating potential of an epidemic in the United States.

The Coalition for Breathing Safety issued the following statement regarding the report:

"The World Bank study demonstrates that the avian flu threat has by no means diminished. U.S. emergency planners and first responders will need every weapon at their disposal to control the disease if it hits our shores, including vast stocks of N95 respirators, which are key to the government's strategy for 'social distancing.' If we fail to meet this challenge, we run the risk of multiplying the social costs of a pandemic.

"Both public and private sector health experts have concluded that the first line of defense if avian flu begins infecting humans, 'social distancing,' depends on access to respirators approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) if it is to succeed.

"Without federal protection from thousands of frivolous silica and asbestos lawsuits filed against respirator manufacturers, U.S. mask production capacity may fall well short of meeting demand for N95 masks. In 2004 alone, U.S. respirator manufacturers spent 90% of net income from respirator sales on litigation costs.

"There are some larger manufacturers who are ramping up N95 mask production in the U.S. However, members of our Coalition, representing half of N95 mask production capacity in the U.S., cannot invest in additional U.S. capacity because of the deluge of lawsuits.

"U.S. production capacity is critical because during the SARS epidemic, countries around the world embargoed all exports of respirator masks just as demand skyrocketed.

"NIOSH tightly regulates the respirator industry by setting strict design standards, conducting tests to ensure they are met, and approving each and every respirator model as well as the warning labels that accompany the product. Trial lawyers have included respirator manufacturers in thousands of silica and asbestos lawsuits claiming defective mask design or failure to warn users -- despite the fact that manufacturers cannot affect how or when the respirators are used."

The Coalition for Breathing Safety supports bi-partisan legislation introduced by Senators John Cornyn (RTX) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) in the Senate (S. 1406) and Representatives Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Tim Holden (D-PA) in the House (H.R. 2357) that would preempt lawsuits claiming defective design or insufficient warning if a respirator is NIOSH approved.

The Coalition for Breathing Safety was formed in 2004 to ensure that millions of emergency responders, workers and citizens across the globe continue to have access to respiratory safety products.

Coalition for Breathing Safety
http://www.breathingsafety.org/index.htm

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