Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

As "Swine Coughs" World Health Organization Raises Pandemic Alert Level to Phase 6

The past few months have been marred by global fears of the spread of the H1N1 virus. As the novel Influenza A (H1N1), or swine flu virus, spread across the globe, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6 in June 2009. The outbreak began in Mexico, with evidence that Mexico was already in the midst of an epidemic for months before the outbreak was recognized. The WHO recently indicated that more than 2,800 people had died globally from the swine flu virus. Quoting the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, CNN reported that the H1N1 flu virus could infect between 30% and 50% of the American population during fall and winter, respectively, and lead to as many as 1.8 million U.S. hospital admissions. With nearly three times the number of confirmed cases now present in the U.S., officials continue to express concern that the virus may be far more widespread than has been indicated.

Authorities in Mexico, the U.S., and Canada have been persistently proactive and collaborative in preparing to confront outbreaks of the virus and combat the pandemic, although the WHO says its global spread is “unstoppable.” Across the globe, government orders for large amounts of new H1N1 vaccines are quickly rising. According to the WHO, more than 50 governments have reportedly placed orders for significant doses of H1N1 vaccines. Britain, France, Belgium, and Finland have combined to place orders for close to 120 million doses of the vaccine, which could generate additional sales of $912 million to $1.2 billion this year. The U.S. hopes to vaccinate 160 million Americans by the beginning of December 2009. The pharmaceutical industry is expected to post major sales this year from vaccine and anti-viral drugs, despite the global economic downturn.