Avian Influenza and Pandemics

To the Editor: With an eye to the ominous storm on the horizon that is avian influenza, in his editorial (Jan. 27 issue)¹ Stöhr proposes a much-needed research agenda — with one major oversight. In addition to clinical and epidemiologic questions, many ethical issues will undoubtedly be raised by an influenza pandemic. The outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome taught us a number of important lessons, but the first was that we were ill prepared to respond.² Among the greatest challenges faced were the duty to provide care in the context of unknown risk, the need to balance individual . . .