187 ESC 05 E Original: English NAT O   Pa rl ia me n ta ry  As s e mb l y DRAFT RESOLUTION on MOUNTING AN INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE AGAINST AVIAN INFLUENZA presented by Jos van GENNIP (Netherlands) General Rapporteur The Assembly, 1. Recognizing  that avian influenza poses a global threat with possible severe consequences for  human  health,  the  global  economy  and  stability,  partly,  because  little  is  known  about  human immunity in the face of a mutated H5N1 strain; 2. Observing  that  recent  mutations  of  the  H5N1  virus  are  making  it  ever  more  likely  that humans will transmit the virus to other humans; 3. Noting   the  difficulties  public  health  officials  have  encountered,  in  the  past,  in  treating influenza pandemics; 4. Considering the acute vulnerability of the developing countries to a potential avian influenza pandemic; 5. Observing the challenges in developing a vaccine against the disease; 6. Acknowledging  the  inadequacy  of  current  measures,  particularly  in  terms  of  international co-ordination of the anti-pandemic effort and of its financing; 7. Recognizing  the  need  to  correct  any  “market  failure”  that  could  prevent  pharmaceutical companies from reacting with alacrity to a potential avian influenza pandemic; 8. Commending the recent US and EU efforts to forge an international response to a potential avian influenza pandemic; ECONOMICS AND SECURITY

187 ESC 05 E 2 9. URGES member governments and parliaments of the North Atlantic Alliance to respond to the very real threat of an avian influenza pandemic by: a. designating an international body such as the World Health Organization to co-ordinate the world’s response to a potential avian influenza pandemic; b. providing necessary financial resources to underwrite the speedy development of a vaccine against the avian influenza, and a global vaccination drive; c. developing    national    and    international    public    health,    economic,    trade,    travel    and military-security plans based on avian influenza pandemic scenarios; d. addressing   the  range  of   problems   related   to   the   inadequate   capacity   of   developing countries to deal with a potential avian influenza pandemic; e. creating incentives for pharmaceutical companies to increase the production of the antiviral agent – Tamiflu – and a new vaccine, should one be developed.