Indonesia Still Holding Back Bird Flu Samples

Indonesia is still withholding some bird flu samples...

The controversy regarding the sharing of bird flu samples so that research can be done for a bird flu vaccine continues. Indonesia which has had 75 people dying from the H5N1 bird flu virus feel that they should not simply handover bird flu samples unless they have clear assurances from the World Health Organization that the samples will not be used to enable drug companies to make a bird flu vaccine that Indonesia will then have to buy for millions of pounds.

The arguments have been continuing since February 2007 and despite extensive progress being made the Indonesian government is still not 100 percent sure whether they should hand over all of their bird flu samples. The problem first arose when an Australian drug company started to develop a bird flu vaccine using the samples which had been given to the World Health Organization and no credit or benefit was discussed in favour of Indonesia. According to the Department of Health in Indonesia international guidelines clearly state that a nation must give its consent when medical samples coming from that country are then utilised in patented medicines and vaccines.

It does seem unfair that Indonesia may have to pay millions of pounds to buy vaccines that were made with their own help but at the same time the drug companies that spend millions of pounds researching and developing the new flu vaccines will have to make sure that they get a sufficient return on their investments. The Indonesian government have signed agreements with the World Health Organization but nevertheless is still withholding some bird flu samples unless it gets more concrete assurances and guarantees from the world community that the Indonesian people will be sold bird flu vaccines at a very low price that will not put a big strain on the finances of the country.

It is hoped that very soon at a meeting of health officials from all around the world in Geneva that a fair and sensible agreement will be concluded for the benefit of all parties involved.