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ISSUE 3 JUNE
Letters to the Editor

Influenza immunisation

  • Peter Lake, Robert Hall

The Editorial Executive Committee welcomes letters, which should be less than 250 words. Before a decision to publish is made, letters which refer to a published article may be sent to the author for a response. Any letter may be sent to an expert for comment. When letters are published, they are usually accompanied in the same issue by their responses or comments. The Committee screens out discourteous, inaccurate or libellous statements. The letters are sub-edited before publication. Authors are required to declare any conflicts of interest. The Committee's decision on publication is final.

 

Letter to the editor

Editor, – In an otherwise excellent article ('Influenza immunisation' Aust Prescr 2002;25:5-7) Dr Robert Hall dismisses antiviral drugs as 'conferring little public health benefit'. While this may be true under normal circumstances, it may not be so during an influenza pandemic which could strike with little warning and at any time of the year. The long lead time necessary for large-scale vaccine production against a pandemic influenza virus implies that at least in the initial stages we will have to rely on organisational strategies and antiviral drugs. A pandemic virus of high virulence would constitute a public health emergency with potentially severe consequences including breakdown of social order. Selective antiviral prophylaxis then becomes a very important public health measure. To quote the World Health Organization influenza pandemic preparedness plan1 'it would be appropriate... to maintain a supply [of anti-influenza drugs] adequate for critical needs which might arise, such as protection of health care staff and laboratory workers'.

Peter Lake
Senior Medical Officer
Port Adelaide Community Health Service
Port Adelaide, SA

 

References

  1. World Health Organization. Influenza pandemic preparedness plan: the role of WHO and guidelines for national and regional planning. Annex E. Geneva: WHO; 1999 Apr. http://www.who.int/emc-documents/influenza/docs/index.htm

Peter Lake

Senior Medical Officer, Port Adelaide Community Health Service, Port Adelaide, SA

Robert Hall

Communicable Disease Control, South Australian Department of Human Services, Adelaide