The Department of Health and Human Services is expected to release new details of the administration's plans to respond to the threat of an H5N1 epidemic. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt returned from a fact-finding trip to Asia on Friday alarmed by the facts that he found. All signs point to a containment strategy, with officials hoping to catch any outbreak on the ground in Asia before it spreads by encouraging local governments to increase transparency and step up efforts to inoculate local poultry populations. Expect more pressure on drug manufacturers like Roche to share access to their vaccines.
- see this release from Newsweek
ALSO: Public health officials are worried that Indonesia may be mishandling its outbreak of the disease, leading to potentially grave consequences. Article
PLUS: Meanwhile, Tamiflu continues to look a lot like the Cipro of 2005. Doctors in this country report an "alarming" increase in requests for prescriptions. Article
FINALLY: "Would everybody please calm down?," writes Wendy Orent. "Sure it kills birds, but it won't kill you." Article