As attested by this document, large global corporations have begun to seriously plan and prepare for the possibility of a devastating, world-wide influenza pandemic. That fact is a watershed event in itself. It signals a growing appreciation of the tremendous threat posed by highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza — more commonly known as “bird flu.” The challenges facing private-sector institutions in preparing for pandemic are formidable.

Senior managers must be convinced that the threat is real, and that the time has come to plan and prepare accordingly. Policies and decisions around employee health protections, travel, communications, and the maintenance of essential services must all be developed and acted on. What follows is an edited transcript of a recorded web-presentation and discussion held on May 10, 2005 to set forth and discuss a range of issues pertinent to the process of corporate pandemic planning and preparedness.

Participants on the call included the two bio-era principals, Stephen C. Aldrich and James Newcomb, along with representatives from major global corporations such as BP, DuPont, Chiron, FMC, Roche, and others, and participants from major government and public health institutions such as the CDC and the European Commission. Many of the participants are directly charged with helping prepare their organizations for the possibility of pandemic.