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Little Can Be Done to Boost Flu Shot Supply
Oct. 8, 2004 -- Government health officials and vaccine manufacturers warn that they can do little to ease the expected widespread flu shot shortages announced earlier this week.
Officials told lawmakers at an emergency Capitol Hill hearing on the flu shot shortage that they do not expect any of the vaccine barred by British regulators on Tuesday to be salvaged for use in the U.S.
Meanwhile, the officials say that they are concerned that consumers recommended to receive the flu shot because of a high risk of flu complications could confront hoarding and price gouging on the private market.
British regulators announced Tuesday that they had shut down the Liverpool, England, plant where Chiron Inc. makes Fluvirin, a flu shot that makes up about half of the current U.S. supply. The decision stunned U.S. officials, who now warn that about 48 million Americans who would ordinarily receive a flu shot will go without protection.
Influenza kills an average of 36,000 Americans each year. Elderly persons and those with some pre-existing medical conditions are the most at risk.
FDA inspectors are due on Saturday to tour Chiron's plant to see if any flu shot lots barred by British regulators are fit for use in the U.S.
Flu Shot Pessimism
"There's an air of pessimism" that the doses will be usable by American consumers, Lester B. Crawford, the agency's acting director, tells lawmakers.
Some studies suggest that the injectable flu shot can be diluted to stretch the number of available does and still remain effective. Anthony Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says that dilution is something "that at least needs to be considered." But he warned that studies have only tested dilution in healthy non-elderly adults.
Flu shot makers say that dilution is unlikely to help in time for this flu season.
"It's probably too late this year to think that that's really going to solve the problem," says Christine Grant, an official with Aventis Pasteur, the other supplier of injectable flu shots to the U.S.
The company has pledged to boost production of its flu shot but has warned that it will only be able to add 1 million additional doses to its 2004 production of 54.4 million doses.
Meanwhile, makers of a nasal-spray flu vaccine say that they will only be able to add about 1 million doses to the 1 million already produced for this year's season. The spray, called FluMist, is only approved for patients between 5 and 49 years of age, making it inappropriate for most patients at highest risk.
"None of the hospitals in our city were able to get any vaccine," says Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) who represents a district including Nashville.
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