The Secretary

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The Secretarys Advisory Committee on Blood
Safety and AvailabilityUpdateJanuary 5 6, 2006

• www.hhs.gov/bloodsafety

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Dr. John O. Agwunobi, MD, MBA Assistant Secretary
for Health Admiral, Public Health Service Corps
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Avian Flu (H5N1)
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Pandemic Influenza Preparedness

• Potential human-to-human transmission of
  H5N1 virus
• Global surveillance
• Vaccine and anti-viral priority
• Local planning
• Communication
• AABB Task Force on Pandemic Preparedness

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Pandemic Influenza Preparedness

• Impact on blood supply
• 30 reduction in workforce
• Decrease in donor pool
• Demand ???
• Decrease elective surgeries
• Patients on ventilators
• Deferrals?
• Donor Call-back
• Communication messages

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Pandemic Influenza Recommendations

• Establish national recognition of the blood and
  plasma system as a key element of the critical
  infrastructure under the HHS plan.
• Funding for research to resolve critical
  scientific questions impact on blood, organ, and
  tissue safety and availability.

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Pandemic Influenza Recommendations

• Research to resolve critical scientific questions
• Foster collaboration with other countries to
  promote studies of possible viremia in
  asymptomatic persons.
• Support studies of H5N1 and other potential
  pandemic strains in suitable animal models,
  including non-human primates
• Viremia
• Organ localization
• Transfusion transmissibility
• Impact of infection and/or drug treatment on the
  accuracy of donor screening

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Pandemic Influenza Recommendations

• Research to resolve critical scientific questions
• Support sties of influenza viremia during annual
  outbreaks of non-pandemic strains, including
  studies on blood and plasma donors and product
  recipients.
• Support development and validation of
  quantitative models for blood availability and
  utilization and potential value of candidate
  interventions to prevent shortage.

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Pandemic Influenza Recommendations

• Provide target federal support to enhance global
  and domestic surveillance for seasonal and
  pandemic influenza.
• Recognize the central role of the AABB TF on
  Domestic Disasters and Acts of Terrorism in the
  development and implementation of a national
  strategy to address potentially massive blood and
  blood product shortages during a pandemic by
• Assuring blood and plasma systems input into key
  federal policy making and communication.
• Promoting communication and cooperation amongst
  state and local public health authorities and
  appropriate blood collection organizations,
  hospitals, medical professional organizations and
  patient advocacy organizations.

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Pandemic Influenza Recommendations

• Develop national principles under which state and
  local public health authorities and health care
  providers can prioritize allocation of and
  minimize disparities in blood and blood products
  availability and use during critical shortages.