|
Seniors
May
Face
Shortage,
Delays
of
Flu
Vaccine
Q&A
on
Vaccine
Shortage
Washington,
Sept.
10,
2000
-
Influenza
vaccine
manufacturers
have
told
FDA
and
Centers
for
Disease
Control
and
Prevention
to
expect
delays
in
flu
vaccine
shipments
and
that
it
is
possible
there
will
be
reductions
of
available
influenza
virus
vaccine
for
the
2000-01
season.
The
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services’
Food
and
Drug
Administration
and
CDC
are
working
closely
with
vaccine
manufacturers
to
facilitate
the
availability
of
safe
and
effective
influenza
vaccine
for
the
upcoming
flu
season.
The
FDA
and
CDC
in
June
briefed
the
Advisory
Committee
on
Immunization
Practices
(ACIP)
about
the
situation
regarding
influenza
vaccine
supply.
The
FDA
and
CDC
stressed
to
the
ACIP
that
the
situation
is
very
fluid
and
that
health
care
providers
should
expect
periodic
updates
from
them
through
the
summer
and
fall.
ACIP,
in
a
consensus
recommendation,
urged
health
care
providers
to
begin
thinking
now
about
delaying
adult
mass
influenza
vaccination
campaigns
to
November
(usually
recommended
for
October
through
mid-November)
based
on
supply
availability,
and
to
consider
ways
to
ensure
their
high
risk
patients
receive
vaccination
if
a
severe
vaccine
shortfall
were
to
occur.
The
total
amount
of
vaccine
available
for
the
influenza
season
is
uncertain
at
this
time;
however,
both
FDA
and
CDC
are
actively
working
with
manufacturers
to
determine
how
much
and
when
vaccine
will
be
available.
The
amount
of
available
flu
vaccine
will
become
more
clear
within
the
next
two
months.
Many
potential
flu
vaccine
providers,
including
health
care
offices,
hospitals,
health
care
organizations,
nursing
homes
and
other
organizations,
who
are
currently
in
the
midst
of
preparing
for
their
fall
and
winter
influenza
vaccination
efforts,
need
this
information
at
this
time
to
adequately
prepare
for
the
upcoming
season.
Persons
who
normally
receive
influenza
vaccine
should
not
be
concerned
and
should
delay
inquiries
about
flu
vaccination
until
the
fall.
- It
is
important
to
stress
that
FDA,
CDC
and
vaccine
manufacturers
are
confident
that
vaccine
will
be
available
to
vaccinate
those
at
highest
risk
of
complications
from
influenza,
including
those
over
65,
those
who
are
immunosuppressed
and
others.
- The
amount
of
vaccine
available
is
complicated
by
two
important
factors:
1)
the
yield
for
this
year’s
influenza
vaccine
A(H3N2)
component
appears
to
be
lower
than
expected
which
limits
the
supply
that
can
be
developed
in
time
for
this
flu
season
and,
2)
other
manufacturing
issues.
Manufacturers
are
working
closely
with
the
FDA
to
address
these
issues.
- If
a
substantial
shortfall
of
vaccine
were
to
occur,
the
ACIP
and
CDC
would
provide
modified
recommendations
for
the
2000-2001
influenza
season
that
emphasize
vaccinating
persons
at
highest
risk
of
death
from
influenza
(and
the
health
care
workers
who
take
care
of
them)
and
then
vaccinating,
as
the
vaccine
supply
allows,
the
other
groups
for
whom
vaccine
is
traditionally
recommended.
- Currently,
four
antiviral
drugs
are
approved
by
FDA
to
treat
acute,
uncomplicated
influenza.
These
drugs
are
not
a
substitute
for
influenza
vaccine
and
should
not
be
used
as
such.
The
annual
use
of
influenza
vaccine
is
the
primary
means
for
minimizing
adverse
outcomes
from
influenza
virus
infections.
- Over
the
course
of
the
summer
and
the
influenza
season
new
information
is
expected
to
become
available,
and
CDC
and
FDA
will
issue
information
updates.
If
a
shortfall
does
occur,
ACIP
and
CDC
request
that
persons
and
organizations
administering
influenza
vaccine
join
in
voluntary
efforts
to
ensure
that
influenza
vaccine
is
administered
first
to
the
persons
most
likely
to
develop
serious
and
life
threatening
complications
from
influenza
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