In depth | With Edith Balbach
February 26The emergence of the avian influenza virus in Southeast Asia and parts of Europe has caused widespread concern about its possible arrival in the United States. Last November, President Bush requested $7.1 billion in emergency funding from Congress to support initiatives in a national strategy against the virus. The most prominent of these initiatives includes the development of flu vaccines by the Center for Disease Control as well as the spending of over $250 million to help international partners in preventing and controlling the spread of the virus. The federal government's strategy has met with criticism from some members of the scientific community, who allege that it is not doing enough to counter the threat at its roots. This week, the Daily talks to the director of Tufts' community health program, Professor Edith Balbach, an expert on public policy and health care strategies.
