Urgent strategic research into influenza to inform health policy and protect the public.

Sorrell, Tania C; Lonsdale, Carey

The Australian management plan for pandemic influenza (2005) highlighted a number of areas where more information may yield better plans for protecting Australia. In 2005, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) developed a special "urgent research" funding program to meet those information needs as quickly as possible. The funding program resulted in grants totalling $6.5 million being awarded for 33 research projects, in five broad areas: Detection and identification of the virus; Vaccine development and evaluation; Antiviral medication use and effectiveness; Public health interventions; and Understanding behavioural responses to achieve effective communication and staged implementation of public health strategies. Outcomes of the program will be evaluated formally in 2007.