Professional priorities
January 2025
The recent death of a Louisiana resident from avian influenza, alongside a notable increase in pharmaceutical company stock values, underscores the multifaceted challenges of public health management in the United States. While preparedness remains a fundamental pillar of public health, healthcare systems have a duty to adopt proactive measures and anticipate potential biological threats. However, the complexity of professional decision-making becomes evident when considering that, since early 2022, millions of poultry have been culled across the US due to avian influenza outbreaks, with hundreds of dairy cattle herds also affected. The virus has undergone significant genetic evolution, resulting in dozens of reported human infections within the US. Despite these developments, poultry vaccination efforts aimed at controlling viral spread have not been implemented—primarily due to concerns over potential impacts on export markets.
While economic considerations undeniably influence global decision-making, public health strategies should not be compromised by market pressures. Developing a new human vaccine for avian influenza presents not only a scientific and technological challenge but also a complex risk management dilemma, as no vaccine is entirely without risk. However, vaccinating poultry and cattle could substantially reduce the risk of zoonotic transmission to humans, thereby minimizing the need for future human vaccination campaigns against avian influenza.
Nati Elkin