News & Perspective

(CIDRAP News) – A human isolate of the novel H7N9 influenza virus from China—needed for the development of diagnostic test kits and related efforts—is expected to arrive at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within 2 days, a CDC official said today.

(CIDRAP News) – A year-long voluntary moratorium on research involving transmissible H5N1 avian flu viruses ended today with a letter from a group of scientists that supports resuming the work in countries that have addressed the biosafety issues involved.

(CIDRAP News) – A new report from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offers a few predictions on when certain new countermeasures against biological threats will become available, including a forecast for two novel influenza drugs and possibly a next-generation anthrax vaccine within the next 5 years.

(CIDRAP News) – During the second day of the World Health Assembly (WHA), Microsoft chairman Bill Gates urged delegates to commit their leadership and resources to vaccines, and members heard updates on radiation issues in Japan and plans for World Health Organization (WHO) reforms.

The 64th session of the WHO opened in Geneva yesterday and meets through May 24. The WHA, the WHO's decision-making group, is made up of delegates from 193 countries.