Minister of Health Yeh, who is in charge of the Central Epidemic Command Center for influenza A (H1N1), convened the second meeting held by the Central Epidemic Command Center on April 30, 2009.Premier of the Executive Yuan Liu visited the Central Epidemic Command Center and made the following comments and instructions:

1. The Department of Health’s timely response to the current outbreaks of influenza A (H1N1) overseas is highly applaudable. Since epidemics are unpredictable, all government agencies and units should stay on guard at all times.

2. The public should be reminded again that there is a sufficient supply of medical resources in Taiwan and business operators are warned against price gouging. However, business operators who make unconscionable price hikes will be punished according to the law. The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance, the Fair Trade Commission, and the Consumer Protection Commission will collaborate with the Central Epidemic Command Center to prevent unreasonable price increase.In addition, the Ministry of Finance will reduce and/or remove tariff on essential imported medical resources, and the Ministry of Economic Affairs will help manage the supply and demand of medical resources.

3. To produce influenza A (H1N1) vaccines locally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will assist the Department of Health in obtaining the vaccine parent strain from countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.After the vaccine parent strain is secured, mass production of the vaccine by either a government agency or a non-governmental organization should be proceeded with immediately in order to provide enough protection for the people in Taiwan.Vaccine manufacturers that are capable of producing the vaccine should start with the production at once.As soon as the vaccine is approved, the government will make purchases at a reasonable price.

4. The national antiviral stockpile currently covers about 10% of the entire population.However, a pandemic seems inevitable.Therefore, the need to increase the antiviral stockpile arises.When there is a need to produce antiviral drugs locally, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office will assist with activating forced authorization required for local antiviral drug production.

5. The Department of Health, the Government Information Office, and the National Communications Commission (NCC) will be in charge of providing the general public with accurate and updated information concerning the epidemic situation.