Universal flu vaccination considered

Some health officials also propose mandating vaccination for all health care workers, but many have doubts about the feasibility of either proposal.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. May 17, 2004.

It's the time of year when public health officials begin planning for next year's flu season, and experts are debating whether flu vaccine recommendations should be expanded to include everyone, rather than following the ever-growing, specific and complex lists of targeted individuals.

Many say such a step could stabilize vaccine supplies and increase the number of people vaccinated, particularly those in high-risk groups who need it the most.

"It's something we have to seriously consider," said Walter A. Orenstein, MD, associate director of the Emory University Vaccine Center in Atlanta and former director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Program. "Our present policy has not resulted in optimal immunization coverage. Some of our recommendations, which are very scientifically based and very logical, can be very difficult to implement, and my hope is that if enough demand was created that supply would increase substantially."

Over the past few years, physicians struggled with ever-changing guidelines. Some seasons the shot's target groups have been narrowed because of supply shortages or delays. Other years, when the supply was more prevalent, recommendations were expanded to include as many as two-thirds of the population.

The result has been confusion for patients and either feast or famine in terms of vaccine supply. The 2001-2002 season was a time of plenty, but millions of doses were left over. The year after, manufacturers were less willing to produce as much, making it impossible to meet the unexpectedly high demand. Nearly all available doses were used.