Scientist Says Flu Drug Stockpiles Inadequate

09/10/2005| IslamWeb

U.S. stockpiles of drugs that could help in the fight against a feared human influenza pandemic are woefully inadequate, a viral disease specialist warned at a medical conference on Saturday.

"We still have a long way to go" to build up supplies of drugs that would reduce or prevent flu-related deaths and symptoms, Dr. Frederick Hayden said at the annual meeting in San Francisco of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. "I hope the virus will give us that time."

The United States has enough of the antiviral medication oseltamivir, marketed by Roche Laboratories as Tamiflu, to treat about 2.3 million people.

But some 90 million people would need the medication in the event of a flu pandemic, said Hayden, adding the nation should have enough for 4.3 million people by year's end.

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has killed millions of birds across Asia and infected 116 people, killing more than 60 of them. Scientists are concerned the virus, currently known to pass to humans from birds, could mutate and be passed among humans.

Nearly 2 million people in the United States could die, and a large outbreak that began in Asia would likely reach the United States within "a few months or even weeks," the Times cited the report as saying.

More than 25 countries have stockpiles of anti-flu drugs, Hayden said, and 10 either have enough or have ordered enough to treat 20 percent to 40 percent of their populations.

At current capacity, it would take about 10 years and cost about 14 billion euros to produce enough oseltamivir to treat 20 percent of the world's population, the flu specialist at the University of Virginia added.

Up to 30 percent of the population could come down with the flu, according to Hayden. "It would certainly cause a lot of hospitalizations and a lot of loss of life," he said.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America recommends that enough antiviral drugs be available to treat half of the population. Hayden said early treatment, preferably within two days of the onset of symptoms, was crucial to preventing complications and death.

PHOTO CAPTION

Chickens for sale are displayed at one of the main market in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, 08 October 2005. (AFP)