May 04, 2006
Avian Flu - What's New (ish)
What's a lame duck (how perfect) to do to fluff up his sodden poll numbers? Scare the masses, of course. Therefore, it's a fabulous time to release a New (ish) National Pandemic Response Strategy. At the risk of getting on the Hindenberg, right behind the Decider, I too shall, once again, discuss what's new in bird flu.
Let's see, the Newish Plan is to sink big bucks into the pharmaceutical industry, so that they will develop a vaccine, that they can sell to us when we get the flu. "Out of the $7.1 billion allocated, more than 95 percent has been directed to vaccine development and stockpiling Tamiflu and antivirals". Otherwise, folks, you're on your own. One thing you gotta say about this administration, they really know how to turn a profit out of any kind of disaster. It's impressive.
In my own preparednessness, I have stumbled across a nifty personal wind turbine that would make a perfect Mother's Day gift. I also happened to capture an excellent illustrative photo, that you see above, the domestic bird, looking pathetically at his migratory counterpart. Those of you who have finished your disaster preparations may feel free to look at the picture and move on.
Still there?
In the media, on May 9th, a two hour epic "Bird Flu in America" will be screened by ABC. The Richmond Times Dispatch reports "Bird-flu expert Michael Osterholm said the movie realistically portrays the shortages of goods and services, and some of the ensuing panic, that could occur in a pandemic.
But Osterholm frets that the blurring of information and entertainment could do the public a disservice and hopes to arrange a conference call with television critics before the movie airs to set the record straight.
He singled out for criticism how the movie shows Virginia officials using barbed wire to fence off and quarantine entire neighborhoods. 'This is far too important an issue to create further confusion in the public's mind,' said Osterholm, who directs the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota."
A handsome graphic slide show entitled How Bird Flu Kills, is now available on line for anyone who is a visual learner. A perfect moment to remind you that printing out paper copies of information you gather from the net (like how to make a solar oven, what to cook in it, how to filter water with old socks and leaves, and Dr. Grattan Woodson's popular caregiver's manual "Preparing for the Coming Influenza Pandemic") will be important, since there may not be much of an internet in an emergency.
A "mild" case of avian flu has popped up in New Jersey Everyone's favorite epidemiologist Revere, over at Effect Measure, explains why milder forms of the virus might not be so benign.
There are fingers beginning to point at agribusiness. Inhumane treatment, the use of antibiotics, genetic altering and questionable labor practices are squeezing out the small farmer, and threatening biodiversity, not just in the US, but in other countries who are adopting "modern " farming techniques. The big five (Tyson, Perdue etc), are taking the bird flu advantage and selling their chickens in this country and abroad as "safe" on the basis of the despicable way they are raised. The overcrowded, inhumane and unsanitary conditions inside their coops are breeding grounds for nasty microbes, which is why their chickens are loaded with antibiotics, and lay salmonella eggs..
Revere also directs us to the Wise Man of Jamaica who is thinking like we need to think.
And finally, there is a bit of Good news. Tamiflu production was always long and complicated, hindering mass production. "Now Corey [Elias J. of Harvard, Chemistry Nobel Prize winner] has devised a way to make oseltamivir [Tamiflu] without these complex starting materials and without hazardous intermediates. A second alternative route by Japanese researcher, Masakatsu Shibasaki, is also said to have inexpensive starting materials and no hazardous steps, but smaller yield...... the more important part of the announcement is that Corey has placed his method in the public domain. Shibasaki, by contrast, has applied for a patent, although this wouldn't prevent him from allowing no cost licensing if he wished. However, given the situation, Corey's move is highly significant and should be considered a model for others." What, someone who doesn't want to "capitalize" on the misfortune, an altruist who would like to help bird and humankind? He'll probably have trouble getting his method adopted since there are no profits to be made.
Enough.
Photo note: What ho! Yet another shop window, this time with a birdish duo. As I wrote earlier, the domestic duck is looking up, I think in a pleading way, but that's just my projection, to the larger migratory bird, thus illustrating the cycle that has brought H5N1 to forty two countries, so far. In the background, if you look carefully, you will see a man leaning into the window of a police car. Whatever that means.
Posted by Dakota at May 4, 2006 06:24 AM