Key quotes from Milken conference in Beverly Hills

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif, April 28 (Reuters) - The 2009 Milken Institute Global Conference attracted business leaders and politicians to discuss the global economic crisis and other pressing issues.

The conference runs from Monday to Wednesday. Here are some notable quotes from the annual gathering at the Beverly Hilton during its second day on Tuesday:

-- ON SWINE FLU

SCOTT LAYNE, M.D., PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, UCLA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH:

"We have almost no surge capacity in our health care system. Some places of the country, many places in the world, have negative surge capacity, the water line is already above everyone's heads. As events continue to unfold, they will put great strain on our healthcare system."

LARRY BRILLIANT, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL BIOSURVEILLANCE ADVISORY SUBCOMMITTEE, PRESIDENT OF THE SKOLL URGENT THREATS FUND, GOOGLE PHILANTHROPIC ADVISER:

"I am at least pleased that this didn't happen five years ago when we had fewer tools" to fight it.

"This is really our introduction to the 21st century of epidemiology and it's just beginning, so we'd better get good at it."

"The era of infectious disease is back with a vengeance."