Can The U.S. Afford A Shortage Of Respirator Masks To Fight Flu Pandemic?

The Coalition for Breathing Safety, a group of U.S. respirator manufacturers, warned of a shortage of N95 masks, a crucial component of the U.S. government's pandemic emergency
response plans. A World Bank report released this week projected the global
economic impact of an avian flu pandemic to be as much as two trillion
dollars, underscoring concerns over the devastating potential of an
epidemic in the United States.



The Coalition for Breathing Safety issued the following statement
regarding the report:


"The World Bank study demonstrates that the avian flu threat has by no
means diminished. U.S. emergency planners and first responders will need
every weapon at their disposal to control the disease if it hits our
shores, including vast stocks of N95 respirators, which are key to the
government's strategy for 'social distancing.' If we fail to meet this
challenge, we run the risk of multiplying the social costs of a pandemic.


"Both public and private sector health experts have concluded that the
first line of defense if avian flu begins infecting humans, 'social
distancing,' depends on access to respirators approved by the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) if it is to succeed.


"Without federal protection from thousands of frivolous silica and
asbestos lawsuits filed against respirator manufacturers, U.S. mask
production capacity may fall well short of meeting demand for N95 masks. In
2004 alone, U.S. respirator manufacturers spent 90% of net income from
respirator sales on litigation costs.


"There are some larger manufacturers who are ramping up N95 mask
production in the U.S. However, members of our Coalition, representing half
of N95 mask production capacity in the U.S., cannot invest in additional
U.S. capacity because of the deluge of lawsuits.


"U.S. production capacity is critical because during the SARS epidemic,
countries around the world embargoed all exports of respirator masks just
as demand skyrocketed.


"NIOSH tightly regulates the respirator industry by setting strict
design standards, conducting tests to ensure they are met, and approving
each and every respirator model as well as the warning labels that
accompany the product. Trial lawyers have included respirator manufacturers
in thousands of silica and asbestos lawsuits claiming defective mask design
or failure to warn users -- despite the fact that manufacturers cannot
affect how or when the respirators are used."


The Coalition for Breathing Safety supports bi-partisan legislation
introduced by Senators John Cornyn (RTX) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) in the
Senate (S. 1406) and Representatives Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Tim Holden
(D-PA) in the House (H.R. 2357) that would preempt lawsuits claiming
defective design or insufficient warning if a respirator is NIOSH approved.


The Coalition for Breathing Safety was formed in 2004 to ensure that
millions of emergency responders, workers and citizens across the globe
continue to have access to respiratory safety products.


Coalition for Breathing Safety

breathingsafety/index.htm