Administration mobilizes to prepare U.S. against possible pandemic

[Guest guest]

http://tinyurl.com/dj8bb

...... " The federal government also should order a crash program to

develop, mass-produce, license and distribute an influenza vaccine,

which can be designed only when a lethal virus is isolated, experts

said. But only three companies produce conventional influenza

vaccines for sale in the United States and only 50 million to 60

million doses per year.

" This is probably the biggest gaping hole in all of this, " said Kim

Elliott, deputy director of Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit

health policy organization. She said it would probably require 600

million doses - two for every American - to protect the population

against avian flu.

The federal government, she said, should provide incentives such as

tax breaks and the guaranteed purchase of a set amount of vaccine to

encourage drug companies to expand their manufacturing capacity.

The Bush administration also should push legislation to protect

vaccine producers and health care workers from liability lawsuits in

case a rapidly produced and tested vaccine causes adverse reactions

in people, experts said....... "