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Biosecurity BriefingIndonesia Restricts H5N1 Case Reporting to Once Every 6 Months, Accuses Baxter of Delaying Vaccine By Crystal Franco, June 13, 2008 A June 6, 2008 Reuters article describes Indonesia’s new avian influenza reporting policy, which will now require human cases of avian influenza to be reported once every six months rather than immediately upon recognition. Indonesia Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari, did not specify whether this policy includes semi-annual reporting to the World Health Organization (WHO) or if reporting to WHO will be more frequent.1 Scientists emphasized to Reuters that the new policy is “irresponsible and could lead to delays in containing outbreaks of [H5N1].”1 Gusti Ngurah Mahardika, a bird flu researcher at Bali's Udayana University commented that disease reporting is “an obligation not only every day, but every minute if there's a new development.” He added, “if [Indonesia] only report[s] to WHO every six months, it will be too late to recognize if there's a new development towards a pandemic."1 The Indonesia Health Ministry has been criticized in the past for its avian flu policies, in particular, its stance on sharing H5N1 flu sample data. The Ministry has been reluctant to share flu samples internationally without a guarantee of equal access to affordable vaccines. However, the Biosecurity Briefing reported on May 16th that Indonesia plans to begin sharing H5N1 virus data with the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID), a free online database not affiliated with WHO’s influenza database.2 In related H5N1 news, the Associated Press (AP) reported Indonesia’s allegation that U.S. drug manufacturer Baxter Healthcare Corp. “is moving too slowly in developing a bird flu vaccine using [the country’s] virus strain.” According to the AP, Indonesia “signed a memorandum of understanding with Baxter early last year,” for expertise in affordable vaccine production.3 Indonesia Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari commented that she hasn’t been able to “get Baxter to live up to their promises.” She added that clinical trials for a Baxter vaccine are “overdue” and that she had not heard from Baxter “for months.”3 Baxter spokesman Chris Bona’s response to the accusation is that Baxter’s “deal” for vaccine production with Indonesia is only a “framework for future discussions,” which does not include any “financial aspects or arrangements.” Additionally, the virus samples being used for the vaccine were obtained from the WHO and not from Indonesia. According to AP, Baxter continues to share information about research and development of its vaccine with the World Health Organization (WHO).3 References
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