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September 22, 2008
Bird flu trial part of national preparedness

By Holly Korschun

Emory researchers will begin enrolling participants in a clinical trial testing a new bird flu vaccine. The Emory study will enroll 112 volunteers as part of a 500-person national study conducted by the NIH Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units, which Emory joined last November.

Vaccines for the various strains of bird flu could save thousands of lives and billions of dollars, scientists believe. They estimate a bird flu pandemic in the United States could affect 90 million with flu-related illnesses and result in 2 million deaths.

“The upcoming bird flu vaccine trial is an important part of our national preparedness for a future influenza
pandemic,” says Mark Mulligan, principal investigator of the Emory VTEU and executive director of the Emory Vaccine Center’s Hope Clinic.

“By figuring out the best vaccine strategies, we hope to reduce the potentially severe impact of the next pandemic,” he says. “Emory is proud to be participating. This is an opportunity for volunteers to contribute to an important public health effort. We are overdue for an influenza pandemic. It is really a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if.’ This clinical trial is helping get us ready for that ‘when.’”

For more information see www.hopeclinic.emory.edu, contact Eileen Osinski at 877-424-HOPE or e-mail vaccine@emory.edu.