H1N1 Influenza Center

President Obama declared over the weekend that the 2009 H1N1 pandemic constitutes a national emergency.

The Washington Post reports concern that the declaration, which is meant to allow greater flexibility in treating patients, may cause unnecessary alarm and greater demands from patients for flu shots. The declaration allows, for example, hospitals to set up off-site emergency rooms to accommodate possible overflow.

On Friday, the CDC detailed problems with producing enough vaccine, which will not be available in quantity until later in November, according to Dr. Thomas Frieden, the CDC’s director.

Meanwhile, the FDA has lifted restrictions to allow emergency use of an investigational antiviral drug, peramivir, in specific circumstances, such as when the patient is not responding to oral or inhaled antiviral therapy. The drug, a neuraminidase inhibitor, is currently in phase III trials.