Bird Flu Summit: February 27-28 in Washington, DC

Chairman of the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme, Koos van der Velden, and Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza, Dr. David Nabarro, will be the opening speakers at the Bird Flu Summit starting Monday in Washington, DC.

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) February 22, 2006 -- Chairman of the European Influenza Surveillance Scheme, Koos van der Velden, and Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza, Dr. David Nabarro, will be the first speakers at the Bird Flu Summit starting Monday in Washington, DC.

Joining them will be bird flu experts from around the world to focus on the business-related issues in pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and recovery at Washington, DC's first Bird Flu Summit to be held February 27-28, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City near Reagan National Airport.

The 2-day event, featuring public sector and private sector leaders addressing the bird flu threat, will be co-chaired by international healthcare advisor Dr. Joseph Agris (www.flulab.com), and will present collective approaches to pandemic influenza preparedness and business continuity planning.

Special emphasis will be placed on identifying the responsibilities of various stakeholders in order to improve communications, coordination and collaboration worldwide.

Agenda Notes, by Summit organizer, Samir Farajallah:

Since the beginning of this month, 13 countries have reported their first cases of H5N1 infection in birds. The 13 countries, listed in order of reporting, are Iraq, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Iran, Austria, Germany, Egypt, India and France.

Also, Malaysia has reported a fresh outbreak in poultry after more than a year.

This rapid geographical spread of the virus is why we are here.

The world is fast recognizing the threat of an imminent human influenza pandemic. Nations, communities and businesses are taking steps to reduce the risk and to get ready to respond effectively.

Implementing these actions requires coordination across international organizations, countries, civil society, across multiple sectors within countries and within communities.

That is why for this summit we have invited speakers and attendees representing a wide range of perspectives. These perspectives include human factors, the physical environment and the sociocultural environment.

Where there is leadership here, you will better understand those leaders' responsibilities. Where there is innovation, you will be among the first to hear about it. Where there is know-how, you will learn new skills. Where there are shared interests, you will be able to share best practices.

Prevention. Preparedness. Response. Recovery. These are the challenges we must face here together.

Communications. Coordination. Collaboration. These are the tools we must use to meet these challenges.

I thank you for attending the Washington, DC Bird Flu Summit, the first of our international events addressing this worldwide threat. Your being here these two days could be the difference that makes a difference.

And so I ask you to be generous in your sharing, active in your listening, and firm in your commitment to help the world prepare.

Confirmed speakers and topics include:

Overview

Koos van der Velden

Chairman

European Influenza Surveillance Scheme

Coordinated Response to Avian Influenza Threat

Dr. David Nabarro CBE FRCP

Senior UN System Coordinator for Avian and Human Influenza

United Nations Development Group

Country Reports and Situation Updates

Dr. Joseph Agris

Chief Medical Officer

FluLab

Dr. Huseyin Avni Sahin

Chief Physician

Van Yuzuncu Yil Research Hopital, Turkey

Dr. Mircea Ioan Popa

Associate Professor in Microbiology

Adviser to the Minister of Health

Ministry of Health, Romania

Vladimir Savic, DVM, Ph.D.

Associate Researcher

Poultry Center

Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia

Avian influenza: Animals, Man and Pathogen

Alex Thiermann

President

Terrestrial Animal Health Code Commission

World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

Bird Flu Transmission to Humans May Be Higher Than Thought

Anna Thorson, M.D., Ph.D

Researcher

Division of International Health

Department of Public Health Sciences

Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

Surveillance and Data Management

Michael Wagner, M.D., Ph.D.

Director

Real-time Outbreak and Disease Surveillance ( RODS ) Laboratory

Veronica Urdaneta

State Epidemiologist and Division Director,

Bureau of Epidemiology

Pennsylvania Department of Health

Marion A. Kainer MD, MPH, FRACP

Medical Epidemiologist

Communicable and Environmental Disease Services

Tennessee Deptartment of Health

Dr. Patricia Somsel

Director

Division of Infectious Disease, Bureau of Laboratories

Michigan Department of Community Health

Dr. Alan Zelicoff

Senior Scientific Consultant

ARES Corporation

Preparing Communities Strategies; Local Partnership and Participation

Mikel Herrington

Deputy Director

AmeriCorps

Tim Stephens

President

Rescobie Associates, Inc.

Sheriff James Hagy

Office of Sheriff

Law Enforcement Center

Frederick, MD

John Thompson

Deputy Executive Director

National Sheriffs Association

Critical Infrastructure Continuity

Dr. Lyle Jackson

Sector Specialist

Public Health, Food and Agriculture

Department of Homeland Security

Vaccine Delivery

Dr. Joseph Agris

Cheif Medical Officer

FluLab

John Iskander

Project officer

Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System

CDC

Dr. Andrea Gambotto

Asst. Professor of Surgery

Co-director, Vector Core Facility

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

The Aethlon Hemopurifier as a Treatment for Drug Resistant Avian Flu

James A. Joyce

Chairman, CEO

Aethlon Medical, Inc.

Emergency Response and Hospital/Health Care Coordination

Dr. Reuben Varghese, M.D., MPH

Health Director

Arlington County Public Health

Chevelle Glymph, MPH

Washington DC Department Of Health

Dr. Sandra Schneider

Professor and Chair

University of Rochester

Playing Ostrich or Talking Turkey: Pre-Pandemic Risk Communication Strategies

Jody Lanard M.D.

Risk Communication Specialist

Princeton, NJ

The Peter Sandman Risk Communication

Poultry Farms: The Frontline Fight Against Avian Flu

Dr. Fidelis N. Hegngi

Senior Staff Veterinarian

National Animal Health Policy & Programs

Certification and Control Team (Poultry Programs)

USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services

Benefit-Risk Assessment: Public Health, Industry and Regulatory Perspectives

Brian T. Yeh

Legislative Attorney

American Law Division

Congressional Research Service

Doug Polwell

Director of Immunobiology

Antigen Express, Inc. (Generex)

Stephen Aldrich

CEO

Bio Economic Research Associates (BIO-ERA)

The Effect of a Bird Flu Pandemic on the U.S. Life Insurance Industry

Dr. Steven Weisbart

Economist

Insurance Information Institute

Prevention Education Efforts and Risk Communication

Caroline Smith DeWaal

Director for Food Safety

Center for Science in the Public Interest

Pandemic Preparedness in the Modern Age : The APEC Virtual Symposium

Ann Marie Kimball, MD MPH FACPM

Director, APEC, EINET, Professor

Epidermiology, Health Services

University of Washington

Antiviral Agents

C. Shane Arnold, Ph.D.

Director, Peramivir Development

Research Biologist II

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Pandemic preparedness: Risk Associated with Nosocomial Infections

James M. Maguire Ph.D.

Senior Scientist/Lecturer

Pall life Sciences

Dealing with interruptions in the movement of goods between the U.S and global areas impacted by avian flu

Irvin Varkonyi

President

Supply Chain Opertaions Preparedness Education, LLC

Legal Considerations: Immunizing Vaccine Manufacturers

Jason Waite

Partner

Alston and Bird

Christopher Milne

Assistant Director

Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development

John Clerici

Partner

Mckenna Long Aldridge

Prospective speakers and attendees may register by calling the conference organizer, NewFields/USA, at 1-202-536-5000 or visiting www.new-fields.com/birdflu.

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