Surviving the Storm : Expanding Public Health's Capabilities in Response to the Increasing Threats Posed by Novel Viruses.

摘要

As the planet s population continues to grow at rate that will see a global population of nine billion people by the year 2050, is an era being entered into which pandemics involving novel viruses are the new norm? If that idea is possible, then are drug therapies (approved by the FDA or in the pipeline for its approval) available that either limit virus replication within a host cell, or reduce the body s hyper-immune response (also known as cytokine storm ) to novel or pandemic strain viruses with which states could supplement their existing stockpiles? This research explores six classes of medications that could potentially assist state-level governments in expanding their state-level stockpiles, to include more treatment and prophylaxis options, in the face of pandemics involving novel viruses. The results of this research were filtered through three criteria (medical efficacy, cost, logistical considerations) that narrow the field of candidate therapies down to four specific findings: one generic version of the antiviral called Ribavirin, and generic versions of the statins called Lipitor, Zocor and Gemfibrozil. This research may be applied to state and local-level public health agencies interested in bolstering their existing stockpiles for pandemic preparedness.