U.S. denies bird flu sample allegations
The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 03/17/2008 12:37 AM | Headlines
The United States on Sunday flatly denied allegations it was producing biological weapons from bird flu samples sent by Indonesia to the World Health Organization.
A statement from Michael H. Anderson, Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia, said: As a party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, which entered into force on March 26, 1975, the U.S. has undertaken not to develop, produce, stockpile, or otherwise acquire or retain microbial or other biological agents or toxins of types and in quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective, and other peaceful purposes, as well as weapons and means of delivery.
But Indonesian senior biodefense researcher Isro Samihardjo said the U.S. could use bird flu virus samples from Indonesia to develop weapons at the Los Alamos Laboratory.
Isro was speaking at meeting about Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari's newly released book here Saturday.
During his visit to Jakarta on Feb. 25, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a press conference, "I think it's the nuttiest idea I've ever heard".
In her book Saatnya Dunia Berubah, Tangan Tuhan di balik Flu Burung (It's Time for the World to Change, Divine Hands behind Bird Flu), Siti said writes of her suspicions about a conspiracy between the U.S. and the WHO.
She says the two country's collection of bird flu samples from developing countries like Indonesia for the production of vaccines was questionable and a conspiracy would force Indonesia to buy expensive bird flu vaccines.
The health minister defied protocol and refused to share virus samples with WHO last year because she said the practice was unfair to developing countries.
Talks hosted by WHO last year in Geneva failed to reach an agreement on a new virus-sharing system, but the stalemate shifted when Indonesia provided samples last month.
Indonesia has been working with Illinois-based Baxter Healthcare to develop an H5N1 virus vaccine since November 2005, and signed a Memorandum of Understanding in February last year to provide samples of the bird flu virus to Baxter.
The agreement said samples would be provided as long as Baxter gave Indonesia technical help to produce a vaccine.
Indonesia also gave permission to Roche International in November 2005 to produce a generic version of Tamiflu for bird flu-infected patients.
Bird flu has infected 129 Indonesians so far, killing 105 of them, which is the highest death toll in the world.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Siti Fadilah Menggugat
Minister of Health Launched a Book
08 Feb 2008
Sharing virus practice has been effective for more than 50 years, but actually, it is harmed poor country and the country where is virus come from. While vaccine manufacturer owned by progress country can take virus easily without permission from the owner and developed it become other diagnostic product and vaccine then sell it to poor country and develop it with high price.
This problem opened when in Indonesia found the first avian influenza virus case to human in the middle of 2005, which is to decide the diagnose in Indonesia is asked to send virus sample to WHO Collaborating Center in Hongkong. It occurred until August 2006. But without known by Indonesia, the virus sample is gave to the company that mede vaccine in progress country.
Since then, Minister of Health decided that to check avian influenza specimen is done in 2 laboratories in domestic such as laboratory of Health Development Research Board and Eijkman. It is goes with the capability of Indonesia laboratory to check H5N1 virus which is proven that the results are always the same with AI laboratory in Hongkong for about 1 year. Yet Indonesia still opens access for all world researchers by placing AI data to BANK Gen (public domain). �In the interest of human, Indonesia government stated that genom data in avian influenza is accessible for everyone,� said Minister of Health at that time.
The Economist magazine wrote,� Siti Fadilah Supari start a revolution that possible to change the world from the bad effect of pandemic disease. It is said because Minister of Health has a weapon that is proven than the best world vaccine now in controlling avian influenza virus threat: �transparency.�
Had that experience, Minister of Health, Dr. dr. Siti Fadilah Supari, Sp.JP(K) move her heart to change the sharing virus system which had harmed the developed country become system that more transparent, fair, and equal. That idea then keeps being fight to be a suggestion in World Health council meeting in Geneva, Swiss. On the end of meeting, the idea from Indonesia are agreed and legalized to be WHA resolution that has to be obeyed by all participants.
Minister of Health's fight in realizing those ideas is written into a book titled "Saatnya Dunia Berubah! Tangan Tuhan di Balik Virus Flu Burung" ( Times the World to Change! God's Hand is behind Avian Influenza Virus). This book is full of interesting details about how Siti Fadilah Supari starts to interest in to a circle of virus exchange then she move ahead to face some tricks and challenges that related to h5N 1 virus exchange. This movement then opens the unfairness of virus sharing mechanism that has been occurred for 50 years, where some countries which give their virus could not ask the research result back and could not know what happened with the virus they sent. In this book, readers can understand the reason behind the decisions, ideas and alternatives from the Minister of Health in fighting for the right to get protection from virus threat for Indonesia people.
Through the book with 182 pages, Minister of Health hope the support from people to express Indonesia people interest to the world because the fight has not finish yet. Siti Fadilah Supari will keep fight until the realizing of a fair, transparent, and equal virus sharing. In her foreword, the Minister hope that this book can be a reference for researchers, practical and anyone who is trying to fight, and maintain the pride and integrate of developed country so that equal with progress country.
The launched of the book by the first woman minister of health in Indonesia was held at Borobudur Hotel, Jakarta, on Wednesday night (6/1/2008). This event was attended by all parties such as ministers of United Indonesia Cabinet, legislatives (DPR, DPD) and ambassadors to neighbour countries, hospital directors, directors of state-owned cooperation (BUMN), the head of West Java, Central Java and Jakarta provincial health office, Profession Organization, academic leaders from Universities and officials of Minister of Health.
Sumber Depkes RI
08 Feb 2008
Sharing virus practice has been effective for more than 50 years, but actually, it is harmed poor country and the country where is virus come from. While vaccine manufacturer owned by progress country can take virus easily without permission from the owner and developed it become other diagnostic product and vaccine then sell it to poor country and develop it with high price.
This problem opened when in Indonesia found the first avian influenza virus case to human in the middle of 2005, which is to decide the diagnose in Indonesia is asked to send virus sample to WHO Collaborating Center in Hongkong. It occurred until August 2006. But without known by Indonesia, the virus sample is gave to the company that mede vaccine in progress country.
Since then, Minister of Health decided that to check avian influenza specimen is done in 2 laboratories in domestic such as laboratory of Health Development Research Board and Eijkman. It is goes with the capability of Indonesia laboratory to check H5N1 virus which is proven that the results are always the same with AI laboratory in Hongkong for about 1 year. Yet Indonesia still opens access for all world researchers by placing AI data to BANK Gen (public domain). �In the interest of human, Indonesia government stated that genom data in avian influenza is accessible for everyone,� said Minister of Health at that time.
The Economist magazine wrote,� Siti Fadilah Supari start a revolution that possible to change the world from the bad effect of pandemic disease. It is said because Minister of Health has a weapon that is proven than the best world vaccine now in controlling avian influenza virus threat: �transparency.�
Had that experience, Minister of Health, Dr. dr. Siti Fadilah Supari, Sp.JP(K) move her heart to change the sharing virus system which had harmed the developed country become system that more transparent, fair, and equal. That idea then keeps being fight to be a suggestion in World Health council meeting in Geneva, Swiss. On the end of meeting, the idea from Indonesia are agreed and legalized to be WHA resolution that has to be obeyed by all participants.
Minister of Health's fight in realizing those ideas is written into a book titled "Saatnya Dunia Berubah! Tangan Tuhan di Balik Virus Flu Burung" ( Times the World to Change! God's Hand is behind Avian Influenza Virus). This book is full of interesting details about how Siti Fadilah Supari starts to interest in to a circle of virus exchange then she move ahead to face some tricks and challenges that related to h5N 1 virus exchange. This movement then opens the unfairness of virus sharing mechanism that has been occurred for 50 years, where some countries which give their virus could not ask the research result back and could not know what happened with the virus they sent. In this book, readers can understand the reason behind the decisions, ideas and alternatives from the Minister of Health in fighting for the right to get protection from virus threat for Indonesia people.
Through the book with 182 pages, Minister of Health hope the support from people to express Indonesia people interest to the world because the fight has not finish yet. Siti Fadilah Supari will keep fight until the realizing of a fair, transparent, and equal virus sharing. In her foreword, the Minister hope that this book can be a reference for researchers, practical and anyone who is trying to fight, and maintain the pride and integrate of developed country so that equal with progress country.
The launched of the book by the first woman minister of health in Indonesia was held at Borobudur Hotel, Jakarta, on Wednesday night (6/1/2008). This event was attended by all parties such as ministers of United Indonesia Cabinet, legislatives (DPR, DPD) and ambassadors to neighbour countries, hospital directors, directors of state-owned cooperation (BUMN), the head of West Java, Central Java and Jakarta provincial health office, Profession Organization, academic leaders from Universities and officials of Minister of Health.
Sumber Depkes RI
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