Businesses Gather To Prepare For Pandemic Influenza

Main Category: Bird Flu / Avian Flu
Also Included In: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Public Health
Article Date: 12 Jan 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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Scientists cannot yet determine whether the H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) strain -- which has ravaged the poultry industry in Asia, infected birds in Africa and Europe and sickened more than 260 people, killing 158 -- will cause the next human influenza pandemic. It is certain, though, that another human influenza pandemic will occur. In response to this eventuality, the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) is hosting its second national summit to gather and advise business and industry leaders on planning for pandemic influenza. The Business Preparedness for Pandemic Influenza: Second National Summit is scheduled for February 5-6, 2007, in Orlando, Florida.

The 2007 summit will feature presentations by the nation's leading experts on pandemic influenza, business preparedness and international security, including former US Secretary of State Dr. Madeleine Albright; World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan; Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of CIDRAP; Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; John Barry, author of The Great Influenza and Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Tulane University; and Dr. Peter Sandman, Risk Communication Consultant.

"Last year's summit was widely acclaimed as a seminal event in facilitating preparedness within the private sector. Since then, more than half of America's 100 largest businesses have turned to CIDRAP for information on business preparedness for pandemic influenza," said Michael Osterholm, CIDRAP director. "The 2007 summit is another opportunity to join an elite group of business and government leaders to review progress -- or lack thereof -- during the past year in both the private and public sectors. Attendees will also delve into the specific tools necessary for the particular preparedness responsibilities within their organizations."

More information about the summit, including registration, can found at http://www.cidrapsummit.com.

Summit attendees will:

-- Discover risk communication techniques to help combat "pandemic fatigue"

-- Learn how to run meaningful business preparedness tabletop scenario exercises

-- Gain access to the scientific and business facts necessary to gain "buy in" with internal and external constituents

-- Benchmark their organizations' pandemic preparedness against other organizations

-- Personally connect with other industry leaders grappling with the same issues in preparing for an influenza pandemic

About the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy

CIDRAP was created in September 2001 as an interdisciplinary center in the University of Minnesota's Academic Health Center. Its mission is to prevent illness and death from infectious diseases through epidemiologic research and the rapid translation of scientific information into real-world, practical applications and solutions. CIDRAP is the only nonprofit organization providing current, comprehensive and authoritative subscription-based information to the business community on critical infectious disease topics. For more information, go to http://www.cidrap.umn.edu.

University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease & Research
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu

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