Going back in time, the most severe flu pandemic in our history was the Spanish flu pandemic (H1N1) in 1918 which infected about 500 million people and killed between 50 – 100 million; the Hong Kong flu (H3N2) in 1968 which claimed 1 million lives. In 1997, bird flu virus (H5N1) killed it’s first human victim in Hong Kong. From then on, the world has been making serious preparation to deal with another possible global flu pandemic.

On April 9, South Korean health authorities decided to recall and ban the sale of about 1,200 drug products due to contamination with asbestos in one of their excipients - talc. About 120 pharmaceutical manufacturers were affected.

Kindly note that PSS may postpone or cancel upcoming CPE programmes and other gatherings pending the situation of the swin flu situation.
Kindly monitor the individual event and contact the Secretariat or check PSS website if necessary.

To further bolster the ongoing trials in Thailand and Philippines, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis Group (Sanofi Pasteur) has initiated clinical studies of its investigational tetravalent dengue vaccine in Singapore and Vietnam.

Here are 2 brief news for your quick update:

• GSK sets to buy Stiefel Labs
• US FDA to allow 'morning-after' pill for Young Women

• FDA Update re: interaction of ceftriaxone with calcium-containing products
• Raptiva/Efalizumab suspended by FDA, US MAH Initiated Phased Withdrawal
• Erlotinib (Tarceva®) Associated with gastrointestinal perforation, SJS and corneal perforation or ulceration