One of the key issues being confronted at the APEC summit in Korea this week deals head-on with a potential avian flu pandemic. As reported below, the US and Australia want to hold other countries' feet to the fire to make sure they're reporting every case that comes up. And in the event of a viral mutation into a human-to-human infectious disease, they're calling for direct action to contain its spread. This is the first time in world history that we've had the chance to study a potential pandemic as a virus spreads steadily around the globe. These governments deserve credit for taking on tough issues. For drug makers, it's an outstanding opportunity to drop any knee-jerk rush to foster their financial interests and join in a collective effort to find an effective vaccine--or at least a head start on creating a vaccine for a mutated virus--and make it available at low cost to everyone in need. That commitment would be a huge boost to an industry that is seen all too often as motivated solely by greed. It would also create a way to respond to future pandemic threats. - John Carroll