Nature: Special Influenza Supplement

 

 

 

# 5995

 

 

The journal Nature has released a special, freely accessible, influenza-centric supplement on their website today. 

 

 

You’ll find articles on antiviral drugs, vaccines, epidemiology, and viral evolution. While I’ve only just quickly scanned a couple of the articles, it looks very much worth perusing.

 

Follow the link below to read:

 

Influenza

 

Vol. 480, No. 7376 (08 December 2011)

Produced with support from Sanofi Pasteur, Crucell and Baxter.

 

Our centuries-old battle against influenza occasionally erupts into mass death – the 1918 pandemic alone killed at least 50 million people. What makes this virus such a tough foe is its ability to mutate so that vaccines and drugs quickly become obsolete. Can new research offer hope for defeating this pathogen for good?

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Nature Editorial: After The Pandemic

 

 

# 4819

 

 

The respected Journal Nature has published a brief editorial on the WHO’s (World Health Organization’s) handling of the pandemic.

 

 

After the pandemic

Date published: (19 August 2010)

DOI:10.1038/466903b

Despite some mistakes, the World Health Organization handled the flu outbreak well.

 

A hat tip to Ironorehopper on FluTrackers for posting this link.

 

In early June Nature published a detailed rebuttal of many of the outrageous conflict-of-interest allegations that have been cast in the WHO’s direction, so it isn’t terribly surprising to see this editorial stance.

 

(See Experts Weigh In On Allegations Against The WHO)

 

After months of the media reporting on unsubstantiated accusations of impropriety on the part of the WHO, I’m heartened to hear some reasonable and respected voices speaking out.

 

A few of my essays on this `blame game’ directed at the WHO, the CDC, and vaccine manufacturers includes:

 

WHO To Review Their Pandemic Response

Hubris And The Flu

Before We Ride Down And Shoot The Survivors.

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