The role of the Asia-Pacific advisory committee on influenza

In recent years it has become clear that a coordinated approach to the promotion of influenza awareness, with the intent to improve the prevention and control of influenza, is needed in the Asia-Pacific region. The APACI was established in early 2002 to address issues relating to influenza and the impact of the disease in Asia. Its members include influenza researchers, and public health and infectious disease experts from countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The committee is a joint initiative of key opinion leaders in the region, supported by four pharmaceutical companies: Aventis Pasteur, Chiron, GlaxoSmithKline and Wyeth. The activities of the APACI are aligned with, and supplemental to, those of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the global control of influenza. The APACI intends to work in cooperation with the WHO to complement its work on influenza surveillance and promote influenza awareness throughout Asia.