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July 21, 2003

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

“England ‘Unprepared’ for Disease Outbreaks”

Financial Times (www.ft.com) (07/18/03) P. 3; Firn, David

The British House of Lords Science and Technology Committee reports that England does not have enough infection specialists, vaccines, testing facilities, or isolation wards to deal with an outbreak of infectious disease.  The report criticizes the government’s decision not to fund vaccine work at the biological defense establishment Porton Down, though the government is reviewing the choice.  There exists a pandemic plan to deal with a global outbreak of disease, but the report warns that the setup for collaboration between health departments is not good, and that accountability is not clear.  Inquiry chairman Lord Soulsby says that the United Kingdom was lucky, rather than efficient, in avoiding a severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak.  “The preparedness for vaccination in this country is not, I am afraid to say, a happy one,” he notes.  “The pandemic clock is ticking.”  The report recommends training more health workers to recognize potentially dangerous infections, and the appointment of infection specialists in every health authority.