The flu vaccine shortage: Patience and teamwork are virtues

Health officials responded with a plan to see that limited supplies make it to high-risk patients.

Editorial. Nov. 22/29, 2004.

The flu season may just be starting, but already it has been a strange, strange year. Initially, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had high hopes for the 2004-05 influenza vaccination effort. Health officials were expecting about 100 million doses of vaccine. They also predicted that, after last year's flu hit hard and early, public interest and awareness would be high.

But on Oct. 5, everything changed. British authorities stopped vaccine manufacturer Chiron from shipping supplies because of production sterility problems. This created a deficit of nearly half of the vaccine ordered in the United States and left patients -- especially those at high risk of flu complications -- frightened by their vulnerability. Physicians were scrambling to try to meet their needs.

The CDC reacted quickly by creating updated guidelines directing doctors and other vaccine givers to direct the limited resource to only the highest risk groups. In the weeks since, the agency also has developed a reallocation plan to address supply gaps across the country and ensure that those who need it most get vaccinated.

The good news is that these efforts have been marked by unprecedented cooperation among physicians, other vaccine providers, public health departments, vaccine manufacturers, and even patients.

When the news initially broke, for instance, the AMA responded by reinforcing the CDC's updated recommendations. The Association also brought its communication resources to bear to help physicians gain access to needed information as quickly as possible through its leadership in the National Influenza Vaccine Summit.