Avian flu pandemic news from FierceHealthcare

> Despite being flooded with media coverage about the threat of an avian flu pandemic, the average American is not planning for an outbreak of the disease, a new poll finds. Article (WSJ sub. req.)

> Cerner and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have announced a joint partnership to develop and commercialize new healthcare IT products. …

> Rumor Mill: First Consulting Group president Steve Heck will be named CEO in the next week. Blog

> Nationwide Health, a trust that invests in healthcare real estate, priced its public offering. Article

> The National Institute of Standards and Technology proposes to tag …

The Harvard School of Public Health released the results of a poll by Bob Blendon and his team that asked Americans about their views on avian flu. The results are not particularly surprising. The majority (57 percent) say they are worried about the possibility of an avian flu pandemic. An equally large number (68 percent) say they would stay at home with their children if a pandemic did break out. That, the polls authors concede, would likely be bad news for the economy. The …

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine warns that Tamiflu, the drug many governments and organizations are stockpiling to guard against a possible avian flu pandemic, may not work as well as some have predicted. The study, which was led by Oxford's Dr. Menno de Jong, looks at the case of two Vietnamese girls who died of the virus despite receiving the recommended dose of the antiviral. The finding also appears to throw into question suggestions that it might be possible …

In a separate vote, Congress approved $3.78 billion in funding to prepare for possible avian flu pandemic, about half of what the Bush administration had requested. The money is scheduled for new vaccines, antiviral drugs, training for healthcare workers and surveillance programs intended to stop a possible outbreak of the disease.

Controversial language in the appropriations bill grants pharma, biotech and medical device companies full immunity from lawsuits in the event of a …

> The Department of Health and Human Services said it will collect and monitor data on hospitals, clinics and doctors offices in the areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama struck by Hurricane Katrina. Article

> Dramatic evidence to support public smoking bans: A study that examined the effects of a ban in Pueblo, CO, restaurants and bars finds a sharp drop in heart attacks after …

Makers of personal health records (PHRs) are using the chaos and fear created by this year's hurricane season to try to win the public over to their products, a logical strategy which could win over customers if handled properly. Supporters of electronic medical records are pursuing a similar strategy in Washington, arguing that EMR technology could help play a major role in shaping a government response to future disasters or potential national security threats like a biological attack …

A series of articles in major media outlets warn of the possible economic damage an avian flu pandemic could cause, adding to already high tensions. Things are unlikely to calm down anytime soon. Some analysts are cautioning that a pandemic could cause as much as $100 billion of economic damage due to lost worker productivity, decreased air travel and diminished international trade. Pandemic experts have been issuing such warnings for a long time, of course. Many Wall Street estimates …

> Can bigger, more modern emergency rooms boost profitability? Many hospitals are rethinking old theories. Article

> Genentech reports net income up 56 percent on strong sales of Avastin and Herceptin. Article

> Health Affairs examines the issue of race-based medicines, revisiting the BiDil story. …

The potential for an avian flu pandemic remains a major national story. President Bush today meets with pharma company representatives to discuss ways to increase production. Unconfirmed reports suggest the administration is making plans to raise the nation's stockpile of Tamiflu from 12 million doses to 81 million doses. Critics say the move comes too late as other countries have already placed major orders with Roche, the antiviral's manufacturer. According to some estimates, the …