News

16 May 2007

1. Federal Budget Initiative: Influenza pandemic - managing the social and community impacts
2. Department of Health’s pandemic priorities
3. Relenza available in pharmacies
4. CSMF Working Group
5. USA Department of Defense releases pandemic plan
6. NZ tests pandemic plan
7. Biota pays royalties to CSIRO

Federal Budget Initiative: Influenza pandemic - managing the social and community impacts

In the 2007-08 Budget, the Government will provide $10.5 million over four years to undertake preparations to manage the social and community impacts in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Preparations will include developing a pandemic awareness training programme for social workers, a national volunteer database to match volunteer skills with opportunities and a framework to maintain critical social services provided by not-for-profit organisations.

This measure includes funding for Centrelink of $2.9 million in 2007-08, $0.9 million in 2008-09, $0.8 million in 2009-10 and $0.8 million in 2010-11. It also includes capital funding of $2.5 million in 2007-08 for computer system enhancements.

Department of Health’s pandemic priorities

The 2007-08 Portfolio Budget Statement of the Department of Health contained a number of pandemic related initiatives. In the Department’s Biosecurity and Emergency Response Outcome area, it noted that its key strategic directions for 2007-08, the Australian Government will:

• build on the capabilities for national health emergency response, tested through Exercise Cumpston ’06, and enhance existing capacity to ensure Australia’s health system can respond to mass casualty events;
• ensure pandemic influenza preparedness plans, policy, communications and reporting are based on the latest evidence and the lessons of Exercise Cumpston ’06;
• refine communicable disease surveillance systems to detect, assess and respond to communicable disease threats in Australia and overseas;
• support effective communicable disease control and national biosecurity initiatives through policy, legislative and regulatory measures; and
• facilitate strategic approaches to environmental threats to human health.

In the area of Pandemic Influenza Preparedness, it noted that

In 2007-08, the Government will continue to ensure arrangements are in place to deal with the event of pandemic influenza. A priority will be to refine and revise the Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza, in consultation with the states and territories, through the Australian Health Protection Committee. The plan will be updated to reflect clinical and scientific evidence emerging since its last issue in May 2006, and to build on the lessons from Exercise Cumpston ’06. As part of the Government’s commitment to purchasing the H5N1 vaccine as soon as it proves safe and effective, the Department will continue in 2007-08 to monitor the global market for pandemic and pre-pandemic vaccine. The Department will particularly monitor the status and outcomes of vaccine trials globally, and the consideration by regulators of pre-pandemic vaccines and core pandemic dossiers, with a view to advising the Government on options for supply of these vaccines. It will also monitor its stockpile of antiviral medicines and other pandemic related supplies in the National Medical Stockpile. In 2007-08, the Government will provide funding to the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza to move to state of the art new facilities at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory. The Australian hosted centre is the only World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in the southern hemisphere. The centre is a hub for influenza expertise in Australia and contributes significantly to pandemic influenza policy and preparedness.

Relenza available in pharmacies

Relenza, an anti-influenza inhalant, was made available for pharmacy and pandemic stockpiling purchases in Australia on 30th April.

Relenza is a medicine inhaled through a Diskhaler to reduce the risk of getting influenza and help recover from the symptoms of influenza.

It was anticipated to be released in the 3rd quarter of 2007 by GlaxoSmithKline, but production exceeded expectations.

For information on purchasing contact:
Samantha Winter
Market Development - Relenza
GlaxoSmithKline Australia
Phone: +61 3 9721 8715

CSMF Working Group

The Commonwealth Safety Management Forum (CSMF) is organising a Personal Protective Practices Working Group to discuss the application of the Hierarchy of Controls to a pandemic scenario.

The working group will contribute to a paper on Personal Pandemic Preventative Practices which will be integral to the composition of pandemic people management guidelines.

Subcommittee members with specialist knowledge and experience researching, drafting and reviewing papers for publication are strongly encouraged to contribute to this working group. Members of the working group will be required to attend a discussion and brainstorming session in early June. Expressions of interest should be directed to Brian Ewert by Friday 18th May on brian.ewert@ag.gov.au

USA Department of Defense releases pandemic plan

The United States of America Department of Defense announced the release of a pandemic influenza implementation plan on May 9th.

The National Pandemic Influenza Strategy Implementation Plan was compiled in August 2006, but only released last week.

It provides strategic guidance to all components of the Department of Defense to prepare for and respond to a pandemic influenza outbreak.

A copy of the plan can be accessed here.

Ensuring your organisation and staff are prepared for a pandemic influenza outbeak. For a demonstration, please contact Lee Stewart on 0410 559 625 or email lee.stewart@pandemic.net.au or Keanne Stephenson on 0412 472 766 or email keanne.stephenson@pandemic.net.au

NZ tests pandemic plan
The New Zealand Government is holding a nationwide test of its Influenza Pandemic Action Plan (NZIPAP) throughout May.

Exercise Cruickshank, led by the Ministry of Health, will involve more than 30 government agencies and 21 district health boards in a four day simulation.

It will test New Zealand’s pandemic preparedness on a variety of levels including border control measures, disease containment, antiviral distribution, and the establishment of Community Based Assessment Centres to assess and treat potential patients.

“We want to exercise the plans to the fullest extent possible as our ability to work across government agencies and the health sector is essential if we are to cope at all with an influenza pandemic,” National Pandemic Planning Coordinator Steve Brazier said.

May 10 involved keeping the virus out, on May 16 cases were found in the community and the government moved to stamp it out, on May 17 the government will be in the middle of the pandemic managing phase, and on May 23 and 30 the recovery phase will be implemented.

Biota pays royalties to CSIRO
Biotechnology company Biota Holdings has agreed to pre-pay its royalty rights to anti-influenza drug Relenza which is currently held by the CSIRO.

The CSIRO will receive a cash payment, $2 million in Biota shares, and further payments once Relenza sales reach a target value.

“This agreement provides clarity for both parties and enables each organisation to focus on their core activities,” Biota CEO Peter Cook said.

The CSIRO also welcomed the move.

“Relenza was the outcome of a first class, Australian scientific drug discovery program and CSIRO remains justifiably proud of its contribution to the discovery of this groundbreaking product,” CSIRO Chief of Molecular & Health Technologies Dr Graeme Woodrow said.

“The agreement will enable CSIRO to move ahead with our priority R&D programs, whilst retaining a future benefit from Biota’s commercial performance.”
Relenza was discovered by Biota scientists based on research conducted by the CSIRO. It is now licensed to GlaxoSmithKline which has a royalty arrangement with Biota.