US FDA: Preparing for bird flu mutations

[New Sancai Compilation and First Release] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notified members of Congress on May 8 that the agency is taking preparatory measures to prevent the current avian influenza from mutating and spreading to humans on a large scale.

Avian influenza, known as H5N1, is often fatal to poultry and can spread to other bird and animal species. Recent outbreaks in dairy cows have alerted experts to the possibility of wider contamination. Cattle mortality is less than 1%.

FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told the Senate Appropriations Committee that while the risk to the public is low, early investment is critical: "If we take countermeasures now to reduce the spread of the virus... we see the potential for mutations It will be much smaller.”

The FDA found that about 20% of raw, unpasteurized milk from bulk tanks contained virus samples. The agency noted that "no evidence of live virus was found" in pasteurized milk, which accounts for the vast majority of milk consumed in the United States.

"So we have to test. There have to be antiviral drugs, we need to have vaccines ready. So we've been busy preparing in case the virus does spread to humans on a larger scale," Kaliff told senators.

Senator John Hoeven noted that there have been human infections, including dairy farm workers in Texas. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services said the patient suffered from conjunctivitis.

At the hearing, Kaliff proposed the FDA's 2025 budget of $7.2 billion, an increase of $341 million from the 2024 budget. He also described the FDA's "largest reorganization" in its history, increasing its focus on food safety.

(Compiled by: Wang Jimin)

(Editor: Jiang Qiming)

(Source of the article: Compiled and published by New Sancai)