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New
Budget Has $100 Million to Avoid Flu Vaccine Shortage in 2005
Nov. 24, 2004 The federal budget for 2005 that
was approved by Congress, includes $100 million to enhance the flu
vaccine supply next year. The American Public Health Association greeted
the action as good news that will provide for year-round production
and the purchase of additional vaccine to avoid future shortages.
The vaccine funding, part of a public health and
social services emergency fund, was passed on Saturday as part of the
$388 billion government-wide spending bill. After some additional
changes by the House on Wednesday, the bill will be sent to President
Bush for his signature.
In each of the past two budgets, the Food and Drug
Administration has requested $100 million to shift vaccine development
to new cell-culture technologies, as well as to provide for year-round
availability of eggs for egg-based vaccine, according to Lester
Crawford, acting commissioner. He says they received only $50 million in
the FY04 budget and asked for the $100 million again in FY05 budget.
APHA has called for widespread use of the flu
vaccine among individuals targeted for immunization to prevent health
risks associated with the potentially fatal illness. In the United
States, influenza is responsible for an average of more than 200,000
hospitalizations and 36,000 deaths a year.
"These additional federal funds to begin investing
effectively in rebuilding the public health infrastructure will save
lives, particularly in light of the significant problems with vaccine
supplies this flu season," said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive
director of the American Public Health Association. "The need to
modernize the vaccine production process, coupled with the need to build
a vaccine production and supply system for the twenty-first century, is
essential to protecting the nation against future flu epidemics."
This month, APHA's Governing Council approved a
policy, "Developing a Comprehensive Public Health Approach to Influenza
Vaccination," that encourages the allocation of sufficient financial and
human resources at local and state public health agencies and hospitals
to improve their response to the flu vaccine shortage and the events
that may follow it. Among other proposals, the policy urges Congress and
the president to support the establishment of a federal vaccine purchase
program for uninsured adults, including those for whom flu vaccine is
recommended, and calls for resources for the development of local and
regional Pandemic Influenza Response and Preparedness Plans that specify
actions that local public health agencies and hospitals should take in
the event of a flu outbreak. To request a copy of the vaccine policy,
contact Sabrina Jones at 202-777- 2509 or
sabrina.jones@apha.org. A finalized version of the policy will be
available next month at
http://www.apha.org.
The American Public Health Association, the oldest
and largest organization of public health professionals, represents more
than 50,000 members from over 50 public health occupations. More
information is available at
http://www.apha.org.
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