If an influenza pandemic were to occur in the near future, there would be a shortage of several billion doses of the pandemic influenza vaccine needed to protect the global population.

• What activities are required to increase future pandemic influenza vaccine production capacity?
• Who will undertake this action?
• How long will it take to fill the gap and how much will it cost?
• What are the challenges?
• What characteristics would an ideal pandemic influenza vaccine have?

WHAT: News conference to release the new World Health Organization Global pandemic influenza action plan to increase vaccine supply. The 14-page Global Action Plan will be posted at www.who.int/vaccines-documents/DocsPDF06/863.pdf at 14:00 CET on 23 October 2006.

WHEN: Monday, 23 October 2006; 14:00-15:00 (2 p.m. to 3 p.m.) Central European Time (CET)

WHERE: UN Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Room III.

Journalists based around the world may listen to the news conference and ask questions. The telephone number to dial into the news conference is: +41 (0) 22 917 0900. The code which must then be entered is 41417.

WHO: Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, Director, Initiative for Vaccine Research, World Health Organization

Dr David L. Heymann, acting Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases and Representative of the Director-General for Polio Eradication, World Health Organization

Dr Keiji Fukuda, Coordinator, Global Influenza Programme, World Health Organization