AVIAN INFLUENZA FRANCE UPDATE - 09/22/06

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 006376 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR OES/IHA, EUR/WE, CA, CA/OCS, G/AIAG HHS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUDASHEWITZ USDA FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL USDA FOR FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS HOMELAND SECURITY FOR OIA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU TPHY TSPA TSPL KSCA FR SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA FRANCE UPDATE - 09/22/06 REF: Paris 520 and Subsequent NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION ¶1. (U) Summary. France continues robust preparations for an avian influenza (AI) pandemic: The GOF recently updated its national plan, including with procedures to minimize economic disruption. After focusing on technical matters such as stockpiling of medicine and equipment, the GOF now acknowledges the need to include an ethical component to the plan, addressing such issues as rationing, possible restriction of individual freedoms, and protection of health care workers. Embassy officers attended the First National Colloquium on Ethics and Pandemic Flu on September 15. Additional public discussions are scheduled in the coming months, partly inspired by North American studies. While there has been scant AI media coverage in recent months, the GOF continues to take the threat of a pandemic very seriously. End summary. -------------- AI Pandemic: Ethical Considerations -------------- ¶2. (U) On September 15, Health Minister Xavier Bertrand opened the first national colloquium on AI and ethics. 250-300 key representatives of the medical and research communities attended, as did government officials from a number of French agencies. Speakers focused on: - Treatment of the animal population during a pandemic; - Role of the research community; - Role, duties, and rights of health professionals; - Regulating access to treatment in a context of scarce resources; - Possible restriction of individual freedoms to avoid spread of the virus (quarantine, travel restrictions, compulsory vaccinations); - Management of information in a pandemic situation (role/responsibilities of media, positive/ negative role of the Internet); - International cooperation and the role of WHO. -------------- Maximizing Protection with Limited Means -------------- ¶3. (U) A number of health professionals stated that whatever the level of preparedness, in case of AI pandemic in France, medical supplies (anti-viral treatment, vaccines, access to intensive care such as mechanical ventilation) will not be sufficient to cover the needs of the population. Speakers highlighted that triage mechanisms, both robust and transparent, would be required. "Triage is not ethical," summarized Xavier Emmanualli, former President of "Doctors without Borders," but it will be the mission of health care workers and health authorities to "manage the penury" for the common good. -------------- Who Gets Care First? -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Decision-makers and health authorities debated the conflict between equity and efficiency but agreed on the need to set priorities and provide clear guidelines before the onset of any pandemic. They thought that criteria for triage needed to be discussed with and ratified by the medical sector. Besides public order criteria (priority given to people capable of ensuring safety and the provision of necessities),a number of prioritization suggestions were advanced, based on the 'save-the-most-lives' principle; the life-cycle allocation principle (each individual should have an opportunity to live through all stages of life); and the life investment principle (giving priority to people between early adolescence and middle age). North American studies conducted by the Joint Center for Bioethics at the University of Toronto (an ethical guide for pandemic planning, based on lessons learned from SARS),and by CDC Atlanta ('Citizen Voices on Pandemic Flu Choices - Engagement Pilot Project on Pandemic Influenza, or PEPPPI) also served as subjects for discussion. -------------- Health Workers Duties -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The role and duties of health workers, foreseeable dilemmas faced by physicians, and the level of risks they could reasonably be expected to take generated much discussion. Several participants spoke about the risk of insufficient mobilization of health care professionals in the event of a pandemic. Several referred to the "pandemic as war" and that, in the event of an AI pandemic, medical staff might be forced into service. Some speakers mentioned the pluses and minuses of the work of NGO's in a pandemic environment. -------------- Social Cohesion -------------- ¶6. (U) Speakers described behaviors likely to emerge during and after a pandemic and the necessity to preserve confidence between the general population and authorities throughout such a crisis. To reach this goal, speakers insisted on the need for the government to work with the general public in preparing a transparent ethical framework. Public awareness about choices that would have to be made and the notion of individual responsibilities were recurring themes. Health Minister Bertrand, referring to his recent trip to the U.S., noted that in the U.S. the "logic of individual responsibility is more present," in contrast to France where the authorities had emphasized the role of the government. In his remarks Bertrand said that individual responsibility is just as important as the role of the government. -------------- 'Ethomics' or the Ethico-economic Dilemma -------------- ¶7. (U) A number of speakers alluded to the fact that an AI pandemic may never occur. They questioned whether it is justified to invest so much public funding to prepare for a crisis that may never occur. Generally participants felt that even if a pandemic does not occur, efforts to prepare will not be in vain. Other medical crises will sooner or later have to be faced and lessons learned preparing for an AI pandemic can be useful in dealing with those other crises. -------------- French Stockpiles (September 2006) -------------- ¶8. (U) Protective masks: The GOF has stockpiled or delivered to medical facilities to date 240 million masks, intended primarily to protect health professionals (known as FFP2 masks). Another 47 million will be available by end 2006. France has also secured 700 million 'anti-projection' masks. By the end of the year, another 300 million, for a total of one billion, will be available. ¶9. (U) Antiviral medicine: France now possesses 14 million antiviral treatments, enough for about one-fourth of the French population. Within the next year, France will receive another 19 million treatments, for a total of 33 million antiviral treatments. Furthermore, the GOF will order 10 million treatments of oseltamivir (non-conditioned Tamiflu) to serve as a prophylaxis for health care workers. Minister Bertrand noted these figures go beyond WHO recommendations. He added that France is concerned to provide treatment to foreigners in France and to minimizing the need for rationing. End note. ¶10. (U) Vaccines: The GOF has bought and stockpiled 2.6 million doses of a pre-pandemic H5N1 vaccine and has "reserved" 40 million doses of a pandemic vaccine. They are also negotiating the possibility of ordering another 23 million doses. -------------- National Plan Incorporates Economics -------------- ¶11. (U) On September 1, the Ministry of Health presented an updated version of France's AI plan, highlighting the need to avoid economic disruption. The plan encourages private companies and public agencies to establish continuity plans that recognize the need to maintain business as usual while providing the maximum security for employees. -------------- Campaign for Prevention -------------- ¶12. (U) This fall, the GOF will launch a new prevention campaign against risks related to infectious upper respiratory diseases in French schools. This initiative, led by both the Ministries of Health and Education, aims to promote among the younger generation the development of a "risk prevention and risk management culture." Health professionals will be targeted next, helping them to better understand their role, protective measures available to them, and how to deal with contaminated patients. ¶13. (U) The National Plan can be consulted on the GOF website dedicated to avian influenza: http://www.grippeaviaire.gouv.fr An English version is also available (January 2006 update). Stapleton