Pandemic Flu

H1N1 Pandemic Flu Research

As part of the ongoing Department of Health (DH) response to H1N1 ‘swine flu' pandemic, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) commissioned and published research looking into the treatment and management of H1N1 influenza. Fourteen projects were funded and published their results in three themed issues of the Health Technology Assessment journal series. These can be viewed via the HTA website.

Following this research the NIHR invited proposals in the area of pandemic influenza. The main focus of the call was the prevention, diagnosis or immediate management of patients with influenza during a pandemic. Only research which would produce evidence to guide clinical public health policy during the same pandemic was considered. Proposals considered included community or hospital care. Click here for further details.

NETSCC commissioned research in two ways:

National Research Priorities

Firstly it is responding to urgent national research priority areas and worked closely with relevant research teams to ensure research started as soon as possible. This included a call for research on the co-administration of vaccines for influenza and research into virus shedding and environmental deposition of novel A(H1N1) pandemic influenza. View the NIHR flu research portfolio.

Themed Call

Secondly a call for research proposals that will inform policy and patient care in the current influenza pandemic was issued in late June. The call received a high level of applications. All outstanding research proposals were reviewed by a specially convened NIHR Flu Commissioning Board on 5-6th August. Details of the projects commissioned are available via the NIHR flu research portfolio.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Director General of R&D at the Department of Health commented, “I am very pleased with how quickly NETSCC has been able to react to the pandemic and commission research into these areas. It is important that we get the results of this research without delay so we can put measures in place to combat this pandemic.”

View the NIHR flu research portfolio