However, one cannot develop the vaccine before the outbreak occurs. From development to commercial production of the vaccine would take approximately three months after a pandemic has been declared (WHO, 2008). The vaccine developed must be matched exactly to the disease, or it will prove ineffective. The development of a vaccine that is not effective is a waste of money, resources, and will do nothing to help stop the spread of disease. This does not mean that a vaccine is useless, it will help to control and stop the pandemic once it is started. Without the development of a vaccine, the pandemic would have a more devastating effect on the human population. The disease would literally be able to spread unchecked on a global basis. There are currently two drugs on the market that are effective against H5N1. They are both in the neuraminidase inhibitor class. Osletamivir (tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) can reduce the severity and duration of seasonal influenza (WHO, 2008). These two drugs are effective, but their effectiveness is dependent upon several variables. They are most effective when administered within 48 hours of symptom onset (WHO, 2008). This can be problematic, as many people do not seek help until the symptoms are severe or have persisted over a considerable amount of time. These two drugs offer the greatest hope for the H5N1 virus, but there is still no guarantee that they will be effective against the pandemic strain.

The number of humans affected by avian flu is dwarfed by the number of birds infected on a global basis (WHO, 2008). However, this is not the key cause for concern. It is not what the disease has done in the past that is of concern, it is what it has the potential to do in the future that causes the greatest concern. In no instance has the virus spread beyond first generation close contacts or caused general illness in the community (WHO, 2008). However, this does not minimize the risk associated with H5N1.

H5N1 has the potential to have a significant impact on the human population. It continues to spread to new areas and to be found in species that were not known...

This creates a concern that it may be mutating and developing the potential to spread more readily via human to human contact. If this happens, it could rapidly become the pandemic that is feared. The World Health Organization, U.S. Center for Disease Control and other agencies continue to monitor the H5N1 virus. The high death rate associated with victims is a primary cause for concern.
The risk of pandemic caused by the H5N1 virus is serious, but not as serious as the inability to prevent or stop the disease once it starts. Currently, production of effective drugs to fight H5N1 are limited by costs of production and the inability of many obtain lifesaving vaccines and drug therapies. The key difficulty is that we do not have the ability to do anything about H5N1 until it is already a pandemic. Only then can we develop the necessary tools to stop and prevent the spread of this disease. It is important to continue to monitor the spread of H5N1 so that we can react as quickly as possible, should it threaten to become the world's next pandemic.