Bird Flu- US preparations for

U.S.: Billions to fight avian flu

Government is stepping up spending as fears about new pandemic grow; Roche, Sanofi seen as winners.
October 6, 2005: 2:17 PM EDT By Aaron Smith, CNN/Money staff writer

NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - The U.S. government is getting set to add billions of dollars to its budget to build a stockpile of drugs to fight the threat of a deadly avian flu virus, and European drugmakers are considered the top candidates for federal funds.
But White House officials will meet with representatives from the U.S. pharmaceutical industry Friday to encourage them to get involved in making flu vaccine amid fears of an avian flu pandemic, CNN has learned.
Most U.S. drugmakers have stopped making flu vaccines for a variety of reasons, but many public health advocates believe having a reliable supply of the vaccine may be the best way to contain a "bird flu" pandemic in humans.
The avian flu, also known as H5N1, has killed more than 60 people in Asia. Some public health experts are concerned that it could surface here, particularly after scientists announced Wednesday they had reconstructed the influenza virus that killed up to 50 million people in 1918 -- and discovered that it was a bird flu that had jumped to humans.
The Senate has approved nearly $4 billion to stockpile medications to protect the populace against avian flu, said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat who's one of the lead sponsors for the budget amendment.
The amendment, which needs to be reconciled with a similar measure passed by the House, is in addition to the $5.6 billion Bioshield budget that's being used to stockpile drugs in preparation for the threat of terrorist attack.
The funding would be added to the Department of Defense budget "to stockpile anti-virals and necessary medical supplies" and "expand global surveillance and domestic vaccine infrastructure," according to Sen. Reid's Oct. 4 letter to President Bush seeking his support.
The additional money would also be used to improve emergency preparedness centers and hospitals, as well as "risk communication" to the American public.