To ensure equitable access to vaccines, people must be immunised before a pandemic strikes, says Klaus Stöhr of Novartis.

Overall, the response to influenza A(H1N1) was positive, says a Nature editorial, but there are still hurdles to overcome.

Countries need to produce their own vaccines, and they need to invest in public sector capacity to do it, says Indian scientist Y. Madhavi.

Swine flu vaccines should be equally available, regardless of a country's ability to pay, says medical expert Tadataka Yamada.

In reporting swine flu, the Indian media has lost perspective, argues Kalpana Sharma, a former editor of The Hindu.

Scientists can help policymakers tackle epidemics by providing critical information in real time, says an editorial in Science.

The current swine flu outbreak is linked to how we produce food, argues Sunita Narain, editor of the Indian science magazine Down to Earth.

Blame for the turmoil in Egypt over swine flu can be laid squarely at the feet of the media and politicians, says Nadia El-Awady.

Scientists have a key role to play in communicating the risk and uncertainties of swine flu, says a Nature editorial.

Tadataka Yamada, Alice Dautry and Mark Walport want to see better coordination and financing for a global H5N1 virus vaccine stockpile.

Laurie Garrett and David P. Fidler argue that a stockpile of H5N1 vaccine for Asia-Pacific countries will counter virus-sharing problems.

Developing nations do not have the capacity to meet the core requirements of the WHO's new international health regulations, says an editorial in The Lancet.