WASHINGTON (CNN) - White House officials will meet with representatives of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry Friday to encourage them to get involved in the manufacture of a flu vaccine amid fears of an avian flu pandemic, CNN has learned.

Most U.S. pharmaceutical companies have stopped making flu vaccines for a variety of reasons, but many public health advocates believe having a reliable supply of the vaccine may be the best way to contain a "bird flu" pandemic in humans.

Sources who did not want to be identified because the meeting has not been announced told CNN the Friday meeting is "simply another step" in trying to combat the avian flu.

President Bush in recent days has spoken of the use of military forces to enforce a quarantine in sections of the country if and when an outbreak occurred.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan skirted questions about the role of pharmaceutical manufacturers Wednesday, but he said the Bush administration is moving to develop vaccines against the H5N1 strain behind the spread of avian flu in Asia.

That outbreak is blamed for at least 65 deaths in Asia, but has so far spread person-to-person only rarely.

The administration also wants to build up supplies of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu, McClellan said.

"This is something we will remain focused on and we will continue to talk about as we move forward," he said.

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