Quid Pro Quo

In January, Indonesia -- the country hit hardest by H5N1 avian influenza -- stopped sharing bird flu samples with the World Health Organization. The country was upset that the WHO works with commercial vaccine makers whose products would be too expensive for impoverished nations.

On Monday, the World Health Organization announced that it might guarantee vaccine access to Indonesia and other developing countries, possibly ending what could truly be a tragic standoff.

The cash-strapped country says the current system is unfair because it cannot afford vaccines produced using its strains.

"Thesystem places developing countries at potential disadvantages in termsof price, access and supply of vaccine," Health Minister Siti FadilahSupari said at a meeting of global health officials in Jakarta aimed atfinding a solution to the standoff. "The rules of the system must bechanged." [...]

Dr. David Heymann, WHO's top flu official, said one short-termsolution might be "stockpiles of pandemic vaccine in which industrywould set aside a percentage of pandemic vaccine for developing countryneeds, with a guarantee of purchase from WHO."

Later, the body might help Indonesia and other developing countries develop vaccine production facilities themselves, he said.

Hesaid Indonesia's demand that the world body not make virus strainsavailable to commercial vaccine makers was not a solution and wouldhinder global cooperation in the fight against the virus.

Poor Countries Battle WHO Over Bird Flu [Associated Press]