What is this nonsense? From WebMD we
read: (emp add)
CDC Prioritizes Flu Shots Again
Sept. 14, 2005 - Federal health officials are once again putting high-risk groups first in line for flu vaccinations this fall, including some evacuees from Hurricane Katrina.
They cited uncertainty over vaccine supplies as the reason for the recommendation.
Vaccine manufacturer Sanofi-Pasteur is expected to generate some 60 million doses for the U.S. market, while GlaxoSmithKline is expected to provide 8 million doses of a newly approved vaccine.
An inhaled flu vaccine sold by MedImmune will be available to an estimated 3 million healthy child and nonelderly adult patients. This vaccine can be given at any time for vaccination of nonpregnant healthy people aged 5-49, including most health care personnel, other people in close contact with groups at high risk for influenza-related complications, and others desiring protection against influenza.
But it is Chiron Corp., the company behind last year's shortages, that remains the uncertainty for U.S. officials. FDA officials have said that they are encouraged by steps the company has taken to correct sanitation problems that led to last year's plant shutdown. Chiron Corp. projects production of 18 million to 26 million doses of the flu vaccine.
If all goes well, the company's production could drive U.S. supplies as high as 97 million doses.
Still, millions of the company's vaccine doses have not yet undergone sterility testing that will prove whether they are fit for the U.S. market. Officials say they are not yet counting on supplies from the company.
A flu vaccine shortage briefly became an issue during last year's presidential race. Bush admin
was indifferent to the threat posed by a vaccine shortage (sound familiar?). Yet here we are again, with "millions of [Chiron]'s vaccine doses" untested. Why would you want to make testing vaccines from (what was) an unreliable source a top priority? Just like hurricanes and FEMA, "if all goes well", then who cares about doing the job competently?
posted by Quiddity at 10/03/2005 11:38:00 AM
Didn't we end up not having a shortage last year after all? Granted, that was because most people never tried to get one because they were told they wouldn't be able to, but we seem to be lacking some general coordination here.
Yes, later there was vaccine, but it was available in January (IIRC) by which time the flu season was nearly over (and the flu didn't really take off last winter). So Bush "dodged a bullet", as they say.
