Majority of Polled Physicians Fear Flu Outbreak

Are those fearing an outbreak of Avian Bird Flu overreacting? What are the possibilities of this disease actually infecting human beings in the near future? A new national survey conducted by HCD Research was meant to shed some light on this issue.

In the poll, 656 physicians commented on the topic. More than half (56%) stated their belief that Avian Bird Flu will achieve human transmission within four years in the U.S.

Other findings included:

- A large majority of doctors (65%) stated the flu will achieve human transmission within the next 72 months, while 61% feel it will happen in the next 60 months and 56% think it will occur within 48 months.

- 34% of those surveyed consider the administration of an experimental vaccine for bird flu to 20 million people in the U.S. would be likely to help prevent a pandemic from occurring within the country. Conversely, 51% of physicians believe the vaccine would be unlikely to help prevent a pandemic and 15% remain neutral.

- Nearly one quarter (24%) think there is likely to be a successful distribution of an efficacious vaccine that will immunize enough people in the U.S. to protect against a large-scale transmission of a human-to-human form of the diseases during the next 24 months. However, the majority of physicians (65%) reported that the distribution of a vaccine to be unlikely and 12% remain neutral.

- More than half of physicians (53%) do not worry much or at all about themselves or someone in their immediate family contracting the bird flu, while 39% worry somewhat and 7% worry a great deal.

"The results of our study indicate that while the majority of physicians believe that the avian bird flu will be successful at achieving human-to-human transmission, it will not occur within the next year or two," said Glenn Kessler, co-founder and managing partner, HCD Research.