On 20-23 November 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) is organising an intergovernmental meeting on "Pandemic influenza preparedness: Sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits" in Geneva, Switzerland. At the meeting, the WHO Director-General will submit a report on 'Patent issues related to influenza viruses and their genes' (item 2.2 on the provisional agenda). A background paper to this report is already available on the web, commissioned by WHO from the World Intellectual Property Organization. This 41-page working paper reviews certain technical patent issues relating to influenza viruses and their genes, with a particular focus on the avian flu or H5N1 subtype. See http://www.who.int/gb/pip/ or contact lifesciences@wipo.int for more information or to provide comments.