#858
APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Conference) nations, in a meeting in Australia, agreed today to share samples of the H5N1 virus with the WHO and CDC. Two of the signatories to this agreement are China and Indonesia, both with a long history of withholding samples.
Hopefully, this agreement means that we will get full and complete sharing of samples, and not just `cherry picking' one or two samples every few months, as we've seen in the past. There is a huge backlog of virus data that scientists need in order to fill in the gaps in their knowledge.
Indonesia claims they are seeing mutations in the virus, but so far, the rest of the world hasn't seen that data. We have no idea what changes are occurring, or how serious they might be. Perhaps this agreement will help shed light on this mystery.
APEC agree to share bird flu samples
SYDNEY (AFP) - APEC health ministers agreed Friday to share samples of the bird flu virus to help develop effective vaccines, setting aside disputes over who "owns" the disease.
The 21-nation group wrapped up a meeting in Australia by signing a declaration committing them to share samples of the H5N1 virus, which the World Health Organisation says has killed 188 people worldwide since 2003.
Indonesia refused to share bird flu virus samples with foreign laboratories last December in a dispute over intellectual property rights.
While Jakarta resumed virus-sharing last month, it remains concerned about the possibility that multinational drug companies would use an Indonesian bird flu virus to develop vaccines that poor countries cannot afford.
Australian Health Minister Tony Abbott said he had considerable sympathy for Indonesia's position but that research should not be hindered because the possibility of a pandemic was "very real".
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