[Ip-health] Avian Flu update - those southerners must just give us the damn virus!

[Miles Teg]

Developing countries are obliged (by disingenuous  reading of the
International Health Regulations) to share their Avian Flu viruses so
that vaccines can be made. They should not worry if the vaccines are
patented - and they cannot copy it, if the rich countries buy up all the
production space and whether their populations are at risk...

Wiki leaks has just released the latest Chairman's text on Avian Flu

(http://wikileaks.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization_Avian_Flu_draft_2008)

to be negotiated where developing countries are asked to share their
viruses without any discussion, while their access to benefits - like
life saving vaccines - is still being discussed. WHO labs have been
violating the WHO guidelines on virus sharing and apparently when this
was raised the WHO simply removed the Guidelines from their website. For
an evidence and science driven organisation the 'out of sight out of
mind' strategy is so transparently pandering to vested interests that
perhaps it is timely they did a report on what they mean about
'health'... err public health, darn can never really remember - these
things get sooo complicated.... as you well know...