The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed legislators on Wednesday that the agency is making preparatory measures in case the current avian flu is able to mutate and transmit to humans on a massive scale.
Bird flu, known as H5N1, is often deadly in poultry and can be transmitted to other bird and animal species. The recent outbreak has occurred in dairy cows, alerting experts as to the possibility of wider contamination. The mortality rate for cattle is less than 1%.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf told the Senate Appropriations Committee that although risk to the public is low, early investment is critical: "If we institute the countermeasures now, and reduce the spread of the virus … we’re much less likely to see a mutation that jumps to humans for which we’re ill-prepared."
The FDA has found that about 20% of raw, unpasteurized milk from bulk tanks contained virus samples. The agency noted that "no evidence of live virus" was found in pasteurized milk, which is the vast majority of milk consumed in the United States.
"So we’ve got to have testing. Gotta have antivirals, and we need to have a vaccine ready to go. So we’ve been busy, getting prepared for if the virus does mutate in a way that jumps into humans on a larger level," Califf told the senators.
Ranking Committee member Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. noted that there has already been a human infection, a dairy farm worker in Texas. Texas Health and Human Services said the patient became ill with conjunctivitis.
During the hearing, Califf presented the FDA’s 2025 budget of $7.2 billion, which is a $341 million increase over 2024’s budget. He also described the "largest reorganization" in the history of the FDA with increased attention to food safety.
"We’re in an enviable position compared to any time in the history of the world," Califf said. "Viruses are relatively simple, so coming up with a matching vaccine is entirely possible in a short period of time."