Flu vaccine worries fade; focus shifts to future

With the influenza vaccine supply in good shape and the delivery system ready, long-term concerns are now on the public health horizon.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. Aug. 12, 2002.

Public health officials and providers of flu vaccine are cautiously optimistic about the level of preparedness for the upcoming influenza season.

Between 92 million and 97 million doses of vaccine, more than ever before, are expected. Many of the distribution problems of recent years appear to be fading into history, and the public health focus is shifting from the short-term goal of ending shortages and delays to the long-term goal of getting many more people vaccinated. For example, manufacturers have promised to expand supply over the next few years to meet the Healthy People 2010 goal of vaccinating 150 million people.

"Things continue to look good," said Dennis J. O'Mara, associate director for adult immunization at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Immunization Program.

But in the background, quiet worries persist -- questions of "what if" -- in regard to possible production instabilities or changes, including the departure of one of the three remaining flu vaccine manufacturers from the market.

Such an exit would be a public health worst-case scenario, though not one that any of the manufacturers have signaled to be in their plans.

Still, several of the recent vaccine shortages have been caused by companies abruptly ceasing production -- sometimes leaving only one company behind to ramp up production to pick up the slack. Therefore, this possibility cannot be left out of future contingency planning.

"We should not be dependent on only one or two manufacturers," said Tony Sun, MD, chief medical director of Louisiana Healthcare Review. "Monopoly is a concern." [...]