Indonesia has stopped sharing H5N1™ samples, data

This is not good news: Indonesia has stopped sharing bird flu samples, data: FT.

Indonesia has stopped sharing human genetic samples of the H5N1 bird flu virus with foreign laboratories, raising fears it could hamper international efforts to fight the highly pathogenic illness, the Financial Times reported on its Web site Monday

According to officials, Indonesia stopped providing samples internationally last month, hindering efforts to confirm whether the illness killing its citizens is H5N1 and limiting production of vaccines to help prevent its spread. So far, Indonesia has been the worst hit by the disease.

Indonesia's director-general of National Institute of Health Research and Development, Dr. Triono Soendoro, said the government decided to withhold samples because the it wanted to keep control of the intellectual property rights of the deadly strain of the virus.

He declined to give further details but said "all will be revealed" on Wednesday, when Indonesian officials are expected to announce they are collaborating with Baxter International Inc. (BAX) on a vaccine, the FT reported.

According to analysts, Indonesia is seeking to offer exclusive rights to the strain to one company and cut a deal on cheaper drugs once they are developed, the FT reported.

Let us hope that the World Health Organization has a quiet word with the Indonesian government about this.