Kathleen Sebelius, US Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) Secretary, says that the USA needs to have a system that is nimble and flexible enough to rapidly produce medical countermeasures in the face of known or unexpected attacks or threats. Medical countermeasures refers to a government system to produce medicines, vaccines, medical devices and diagnostic equipment supplies required for a health emergency.

The nation's ailing economy continues to affect insurance companies, which could also face a wave of costly COBRA claims as policyholders rush to get treatment before government subsidies expire.

To date, there have been 1,124 cases of the infection in 21 countries. Unlike both SARS and bird flu, sustained human-to-human transmission of the disease has occurred. However, the strain appears to be more in line with seasonal flu, having a significantly lower mortality rate than both SARS and bird flu. Transmission of the virus between human beings occurs when an infected individual coughs and sneezes, dispersing infected droplets into the air. Exposure to these droplets by uninfected individuals can lead to infection.

Nothing brings out the opportunistic side of the biotech industry like a good healthcare crisis, and swine flu was no exception. As the face masks multiplied, so did the self-promotional press releases from biotech bandwagon-jumpers seeking a little fame and fortune.