Vaccine makers urge speedy accord on pandemic plan

By Laura MacInnis

GENEVA (Reuters) - Governments need to overcome their "pandemic fatigue" and act quickly to finalize a response plan to potential flu threats, leading drugmakers said on Thursday.

The pharmaceutical industry is "very close to ready" to respond to a potential outbreak by shifting seasonal flu vaccine production to more targeted pandemic ones, said Stephen Gardner of GSK Biologics.

But Gardner told a news briefing that countries needed to stop stalling and craft an accord on sharing samples of virus strains with pandemic potential for tests that accelerate efforts to formulate effective vaccines.

"We don't have time to negotiate a new agreement when a pandemic arises. We need to get on with manufacturing quickly," he said. "Time is of the essence to ensure good vaccine supply."

The World Health Organization (WHO) will host an inter-governmental meeting next week where the United Nations agency's member states will discuss sensitive questions about virus sample sharing and access to vaccines in case of a flu pandemic.

Indonesia, the country most affected by H5N1 bird flu, has resisted providing viral samples to the international community because it argues that material is then used by big drugmakers to create vaccines that poorer countries cannot afford or use.

TRANSFER AGREEMENT

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) wants to be included in WHO-hosted negotiations about a "material transfer agreement" covering the strains of viruses companies need to develop pandemic vaccines.  Continued...