HEALTHCDC official offers insights on the flu vaccine shortageRaymond Strikas, MD, CDC's associate director for adult immunization, discusses the reallocation plan and what can be done to stabilize future supplies.By Victoria Stagg Elliott, amednews staff. Jan. 3/10, 2005. When Chiron Corp., one of the United States' two injectable flu vaccine suppliers, announced that it would not be able to provide any shots for the 2004-05 season, public health officials were left to figure out how to get remaining supplies to those who needed it most. The situation was further complicated by the fact that more than half of the 55 million doses expected from Aventis Pasteur had already been distributed. Since then, the public health response has moved forward. Aventis agreed to ramp up production, increasing the number of shots expected to be available this season to at least 58 million. Millions more doses may be imported. MedImmune Inc. almost tripled production of the nasal vaccine to 3 million. Additionally, at press time, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices issued updated recommendations effective Jan. 3 to expand the priority groups in areas that have sufficient vaccine supply. Raymond Strikas, MD, associate director for adult immunization at the CDC's National Immunization Program and the agency's lead person on influenza vaccination issues, discussed with AMNews this year's unique flu vaccine challenges. Question: What was your initial reaction when you found out that Chiron would not be able to fulfill its promised shipments? Answer: We had a lot of concern about how we were going to manage this shortfall. We've never had to work with industry, public health and our other partners on this scale. We fortunately had partnerships with all the players, including folks at the AMA. [...]Full text of American Medical News content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.
Copyright 2005 American Medical Association. All rights reserved.
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The doctors are in the house
The AMA's House of Delegates is holding its Interim Meeting Nov. 7-10 in Houston, addressing issues such as health system reform and physician payment. Meeting coverage - Slideshow Feature articlesHealth reform review The Massachusetts experience Litigation stress Being sued is personal as well as professional Comprehensive coverage
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