In 1976, the outbreak of a new strain of swine flu at the Fort Dix,
New Jersey, army base prompted an unprecedented inoculation
campaign. Some forty-two million Americans were vaccinated as the
National Influenza Immunization Program hastened to prevent a
pandemic, while the World Health Organization (WHO) took a
wait-and-see approach. Fortunately, the virus did not spread, and
only one death occurred. But instead of being lauded, American
actions were subsequently denounced as a \u201cfiasco\u201d and
instigator of mass panic. In Influenza, George Dehner examines the
wide disparity in national and international responses to influenza
pandemics, from the Russian flu of 1889 to the swine flu outbreak
in 2009. He chronicles the technological and institutional progress
made along the way and shows how these developments can shape an
effective future policy. Early pandemic response relied on methods
of quarantine and individual scientific research. In the aftermath
of World War II, a consensus for cooperation and shared resources
led to the creation of the WHO, under the auspices of the United
Nations. Today, the WHO maintains a large and proactive role in
responding to influenza outbreaks. International pandemic response,
however, is only as strong as its weakest national link—most
recently evidenced in the failed early detection of the 2009 swine
flu in Mexico and the delayed reporting of the 2002 SARS outbreak
in China. As DehnerÆs study contends, the hard lessons of the past
highlight the need for a coordinated early warning system with full
disclosure, shared technologies, and robust manufacturing
capabilities. Until the \u201cnational\u201d aspect can be removed
from the international equation, responses will be hampered, and a
threat to an individual remains a threat to all.
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