U.S. unprepared for super-flu pandemic

The U.S. is unprepared for the next flu pandemic, lacking the manufacturing capacity to provide 300 million doses of a vaccine for three to five more years, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said Sunday.

"What we all learned from (Hurricane) Katrina is that sometimes we have to think very clearly about the unthinkable," Leavitt said. "We're not as prepared as we need to be. ...We will not have enough for everyone."

A strain of a bird flu that has killed 67 people in Asia has sparked concerns of a super-flu that could kill millions worldwide, and U.S. officials acknowledge that the strain in its current form could reach here through a migratory bird.

While stressing that chances remain slight, health experts say it could lead to a global pandemic if the bird flu mutates to start spreading easily among people.

"We can't put a number on how probable that's going to be," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the infectious disease division of the National Institutes of Health. "It's a low probability. When the consequences are unimaginable, you must assume the worst-case scenario."

Added Dr. Michael Ryan of the World Health Organization: "This is certainly a dangerous virus, and it has crossed the species barrier now in 130 cases. We're probably closer to a pandemic at any time in the last 37 years."

The U.S., which has not seen any signs of the strain in birds or people, has only enough doses now for 4.3 million people.

President Bush has proposed stockpiling enough of the anti-flu drugs Tamiflu and Relenza for 81 million people, a goal drug manufacturers believe they can reach by mid-2007, said Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


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Yup, just what they said during the so-called smallpox scare. When most involved in THAT hoax received the cash benefits on that scare, the whole smallpox scenario disappeared, didn't it.

Gilead, Inc., located in Foster City, CA, will make over one billion dollars off of Tamiflu. Rummy sits on that Board...so does Schultz (remember him?) Once the scare takes hold (and it already has, apparently, for some folks)...once the stockpiles pile up, and money has exchanged hands...the bird flu hype will be no more. JMHO, of course.

I suggest we send Mike Brown over there to attack the problem and stand by the chicken coops, hatchet ready. I don't think he has anything else to do right now.

At least we're recognizing that there might be a problem this time....

If you read between the lines, though, these things should have been begun 2 or 3 years ago.

Heck, I can't even find a doctor that has received the regular flu vaccines for this season...

Sherri J. Tenpenny received her medical training at Kirksville College of
Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri. She is board certified in
emergency medicine and osteopathic manipulative medicine, and is a
respected expert in the area of integrative and alternative medicine.

"New Concerns About Tamiflu"

By Sherri J. Tenpenny, DO

"With countries around the world spending billions of dollars for billions
of doses of Tamiflu, new concerns have surfaced regarding its safety -
particularly for children."

"Today, the pediatric advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration
met to discuss new reports of serious skin reactions, neuropsychiatric
events and deaths associated with taking Tamiflu, Roche's drug for treating
influenza. According to IMS Health, approximately 24.4 million
prescriptions for Tamiflu (oseltamivir) were dispensed in Japan between
2001 and 2005; about one-fifth that number - 5.5 million - were filled in
the U.S. during the same period. Pediatric prescriptions accounted for 11.6
million in Japan versus 872,386 in the U.S."

"As part of its post-marketing surveillance efforts, the FDA assessed
reports in the adverse events reporting system (AERS) database, searching
for serious and non-serious reactions associated with taking Tamiflu. The
FDA approved Tamiflu oral capsules on Oct. 27, 1999 for the treatment of
uncomplicated acute influenza in patients aged one year and older, who have
had symptoms for no more than two days. A new indication for prevention of
influenza in adults and children 13 years and older was approved on Nov.
20, 2000. The oral suspension was approved on Dec. 14, 2000. (1) Pediatric
exclusivity was granted to Roche for Tamiflu on March 22, 2004. (2)"

"The adverse events query covered the period from March 22, 2004 through
April 22, 2005 - the 13 months post-release. There were 1,184 case reports
for adverse reactions posted from sources both domestic and abroad. Nearly
16 percent of the events occurred in children (n = 190). It should be noted
that the AERS is widely underutilized by physicians and the actual number
of adverse events is likely to have been much higher. (3)"

You can read the rest of this article at RED FLAGS DAILY (started by Nicholas Regush) with paid subscription only.

Just read an article (have to re-locate it), written by Tim O'Shea, that states HN51 is detected is most birds, however, it has not been determined in all these stats they keep flying at us, if these birds really did die of the so-called bird flu, or if it was something else. The only way to determine what these birds died from is to do cultures...most of these birds have not been cultured.

You should be able to google "Tim O'Shea, bird flu," and access the article I'm speaking of. It's one of the best pieces I've read re: this topic, filled with common sense and logic, which is something I've not seen much of in all this bird-flu hype.

Anyone know about how people who are allergic to anitbiotics react to Tamiful?

All I know is that an antibiotic fights against bacteria - some some people are sensitive (intestinal reaction) because the good bacteria is destroyed as well as bad. Some people are allergic tho' to like Penicillin, and can get hives or severe reaction.

Tamiflu tho' is an anti-viral agent. I believe the main ingredient is star anise, a natural herb or spice I guess.

Well apparently this type of H5 bird flu has been around for some 40 odd years.

But the question is: Since it has been around for 40 years, one would think
that it would have mutated by now and infected humans with a mutated human to human contact.

I read an article that said that it is a bird problem and will not mutate and affect Humans. I read another article that said that human to human transmission is possible and expected.

So there has been cases in China where the bird flu has infected humans, but they caught the flu because of the way Chickens are housed and handled. Chicken live with humans.

But the flu has not mutated and there has never been a human to human infection.

So until there is a human to humans transmission and the infections has mutated and crossed species barriers, I do think there is a lot of profit for companies preparing for this flu.

There is zero evidence that Tamiflu will even work or is valuable in treating any human to human transmission, as it has not been tested and the "new" strain has yet to mutate or develop.

You have to know what you are dealing with, before you can treat it.

If this bird flu does develop, it will make natural diasters like Katrina seems like a walk in the park and I fully expect whomever is in Government at that time to screw up. It just seems par for the course........

....wash your hands after you come back home after being out in public...wash before eatng anything, anywhere, and...(my pediatrician taught me this...)...one of the main transmission routes for germs is the eyes....People will think about not putting their fingers in their mouths (because they have not washed their hands), but will, e.g., scratch their eye after having been out in public for a billion hours...

Cover your mouth when you are sneezing and coughing also, as well as washing your hands.

Also make sure that you wash your hand properly......