Indonesia Nears Agreement On Giving Bird Flu Strain To WHO
This article was originally published in PharmAsia News
Executive Summary
Indonesian authorities hope to release soon the country's long-awaited specimens of bird-flu virus to world health authorities in November. Meetings between the World Health Organization and the Health Ministry have led to addressing Indonesia's concerns its specimen would be used to develop private drugs unaffordable in the developing world. Details remain to be worked out, but Minister Siti Fadillah Supari said she wants a simple agreement that can safeguard the interests of developing nations. That would include being able to track the movements of a viral strain and how it is handled, sharing financial and other benefits and open access to it. (Click here for more