Australia to Use $90 Million Against Bioterror, Flu

Australia is set to spend $90 million to battle killer flu pandemics and the threat of biological attack, the Sydney Daily Telegraph reported today (see GSN, April 6).

Approximately $79 million would be spent on antiviral medications for emergency outbreaks of viruses such as SARS and bird flu, while another $11 million would go toward vaccines and antidotes to potential bioterror weapons such as smallpox. Approximately $28.2 million of the total spending would strengthen national health security.

As a result, Australian laboratories are expected to double their capacity to diagnose deadly viral infections (Anna Patty, Daily Telegraph, May 12).

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