Inside the AMA Delegation: Pandemic flu planning
Periodically www.mnmed.org will present reports from members of the AMA Delegation from Minnesota. This report is drawn from notes by AMA Delegate John Van Etta, M.D.
A joy of the medical profession is the ability to affect public policy for the patient and public good. The American Medical Association has stood for this for many years. The Minnesota Medical Association and the component societies also stand for the same goal.
A good example of stewardship by the American Medical Association, the Minnesota Medical Association and component societies happened five years ago, as reports of avian pandemic flu began to come out of Southeast Asia.
From the earliest reports, Minnesota physicians stepped forward at the MMA House of Delegates with resolutions. One set involved the change of liability for United States-produced vaccines. Up to this time, manufacturers could be sued for any ill-effects of their vaccines. This vulnerability was thought to be hindering the vaccine production for the Flu Prevention Program for the United States.
The other issue on the minds of Minnesota physicians was pandemic preparedness. Congress was not appropriating money for planning and prevention for pandemics and other major emergencies. Resolutions put forward by the MMA were honed into a solid resolution for the consideration of the AMA House of Delegates.
At the AMA meeting, reference committees were held. The wording of the resolutions was strengthened. Both resolutions passed without dissent. If anything they were strengthened. Thus the AMA supported the lifting of liability on flu vaccinations and encouraged Congress to appropriate money for pandemic preparedness.
The AMA Board of Trustees spoke with the congressional and administrative lobbying groups to fulfill these resolutions. Richard Dean, the head of the congressional lobbying group, and Margaret Gankes, head of the administration lobbying group, took the message to Congress and to the White House.
Margaret talked directly to Secretary of Health Michael Leavitt. Following their talk, the Bush administration asked for $8 billion dollars for pandemic preparedness. Secretary Leavitt, by regulatory change, was able to eliminate and reduce the liability for adult vaccines. Congress appropriated and passed $3.8 billion dollars for pandemic preparedness with future consideration of further funding.
Consider the outcomes of physician activism in Minnesota. Last year there was no shortage of flu vaccine nationwide. In fact, there was some left over. This American-produced vaccine, however, was produced by technologies from the 1930s. In the next couple of years scientists expect to reverse DNA porcine retinal cell technology to allow vaccines to be made within two to three weeks of a new virus outbreak. This is a huge advancement for American medicine and for the American population as a whole.
People sometimes tell physicians to mind their business, and not to bother with setting public policy. Just remember what a few Minnesota doctors achieved on a national scale, because they didn’t take this advice.
The Minnesota delegation to the MMA promises more examples of breakthrough achievement in future summaries. Delegates and Alternates are listed here.