Worldwide influenza pandemics have occurred at irregular and unpredictable
intervals throughout history and it is confidently expected that they will
continue to occur in the future. It is now recognised that these pandemics
result when avian influenza A viruses succeed in adaption to and transmissi
on between humans. The impact of pandemic influenza is substantial in terms
of morbidity, mortality and economic cost and there is the potential for s
erious social disruption. Influenza vaccines remain the most effective defe
nce against influenza but will be in short supply during a pandemic, as wil
l the new specific anti-influenza drugs, due to the lead-time required for
production and rapid spread of the virus. To minimise the impact of pandemi
cs it is imperative to maximise the availability of both vaccines and antiv
irals and to ensure that they are used optimally. This requires planning at
both the international and national levels, The World Health Organization
has, therefore, developed a staged plan for responding to a pandemic threat
which is based principally on its surveillance program. It has also prepar
ed guidelines to assist national agencies in their planning. However, there
may be further options for increasing our preparedness which should also b
e considered. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.