New challenge for officials: Maximizing takers for increased flu shot supply

This flu season may be one in which there is more than enough vaccine rather than a shortage.

By Victoria Stagg Elliott, AMNews staff. July 10, 2006.

More influenza vaccine is expected for the 2006-07 season than ever before, but public health officials and medical society representatives are still worried. Their concern: How the legacy of recent years of supply disruptions may affect the willingness of those who have traditionally administered the flu shot to do so, according to discussions at the National Influenza Vaccine Summit in Chicago last month. This event, sponsored by the American Medical Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, occurs at least annually.

"The challenge we're faced with is a big one," said Glen Nowak, PhD, CDC's director of media relations.

For example, the proportion of flu shots provided by the Alabama Dept. of Public Health rose from 10% in 2004 to 20% in 2005, according to an annual survey carried out by state health officials. This jump did not, however, represent an increase in the actual number of vaccines given by the agency. The health department gave the same number of shots from year to year while the amount handed out in physicians' offices went down, either because some reduced their orders or got out of the business completely.

This scenario illustrates what many vaccine experts predict will be the biggest challenge of the upcoming flu season. As many as 120 million doses are expected to be manufactured, which is about 40 million more than last year and significantly more than has ever been made in a single season.

But public health departments have limited budgets and may not be able to afford the cost of handling more vaccine. And physicians may be less than eager to put energy into something that has such a rocky track record for being delivered in a timely manner -- if at all.