EU unveils new research projects to tackle influenza

Influenza pandemics have had a dramatic effect on health worldwide in recent years. Most recently, 16,000 people have died as a result of the ongoing swine flu pandemic.

Accordingly the European Commission, the elected body of the EU, has announced that it was looking to spend 18 million euros on research projects into influenza and its spread. Now the body has revealed the four projects that will receive this money.

These include 52 different research institutes, 18 different countries and 3 international partners from outside of of Europe (China, Israel and the United States). Two will focus on influenza in pigs, while the other two will examine the impact of drugs against influenza in humans.

It is hoped that the research could deepen our understanding of Swine Flu and save thousands of lives. It comes as part of the EU’s longstanding support for research into influenza that has seen them spend 100 million Euros on the condition since 2001.

Celebrating the progress, EU Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn said: "Successful EU research in preventing and treating flu and other diseases has enormous social and economic value.”

The World Health Organisation recently warned that it was too early to say whether or not the global Swine Flu pandemic has peaked. In certain regions including West Africa, the virus is still at the onset phase. Millions have been able to treat the condition with the help of the medication Tamiflu. Meanwhile for those most vulnerable to infection, be they elderly, pregnant or young, vaccines are being recommended.

The new 18 million euro research projects will last between 36 and 48 months, after which the world will hopefully have a richer understanding of the global spread of influenza.