HHS Commits Over $1.23 Billion to Prepare for Fall
Flu Season Battle with H1N1 and Regular Flu
$884 million buys more vaccine, $350 million goes
to states for preparedness
July
13, 2009 - HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today
that the department will commit $884 million to purchase additional
supplies of two key ingredients for potential H1N1 vaccine to further
prepare the nation for a potential resurgence of the 2009 H1N1 virus.
This follows her announcement on Friday of $350 million in grants to
help states and territories prepare for the 2009 novel H1N1 flu virus
and the fall flu season.
We recognize that preparedness is shared
responsibility between federal, tribal, state, local governments,
private organizations and individuals. We are doing our part to be as
prepared as possible for the impact that this infectious disease could
have on our country, Secretary Sebelius said.
Vaccines may serve an important role in that
preparedness. The action we are taking today will provide flexibility in
a future immunization program, if a program is recommended.
The funds will be used to place additional orders
for bulk H1N1 antigen and adjuvant on existing contracts with Sanofi
Pasteur, MedImmune, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis. The vaccine
ingredients will become a part of the pandemic stockpile, for use if a
vaccination campaign is necessary.
Antigen is the active ingredient in a vaccine that
causes the human bodys immune system to develop antibodies that help
fight an invading virus. Depending on the results of clinical studies,
adjuvant could be added to a vaccine to boost the immune systems
response and potentially reduce the amount of antigen necessary for the
body to recognize and fight a virus.
In May, Secretary Sebelius directed approximately
$1 billion to be used for the development of a vaccine and for clinical
studies to determine dose level and assess the safety and effectiveness
of potential vaccines.
The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development
Authority (BARDA) in the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response established the existing contracts with these
companies in 2004 as part of the National Strategy for Pandemic
Influenza.
Manufacturer
Bulk
Vaccine
Antigen
Bulk
Virus
Concentrate/FFF
Bulk
Oil and
Water Adjuvant
Sanofi
Pasteur
$61,425,000
0
0
GSK
$0
0
$71,400,000
Novartis
$346,334,450
0
$343,810,470
CSL
$0
0
0
MedImmune
$0
$61,020,000
0
TOTAL
$407,759,450
$61,020,000
$415,210,470
States Eligible to Receive $350 Million for H1N1,
Seasonal Flu Preparedness Efforts
Grants Will Support Work to Protect Public Health,
Prepare for Novel H1N1 and Seasonal Flu
Help HHS protect
our families and communities. Create a video Public Service
Announcement with the message of preventing or dealing with the
flu, post it on YouTube, and you could win a $2,500 cash prize!
Fridays announcement of the $350 million for
states, came, one day after the hosting a summit on the 2009 novel H1N1
flu with representatives from state, tribal, territorial and local
governments from across the country.
The grants were funded by the recent supplemental
appropriations bill that was passed by Congress and signed into law by
President Barack Obama on June 24, 2009.
With flu season around the corner, we must remain
vigilant and do all we can to prepare our nation and protect public
health, said Secretary Sebelius. These grants will give states
valuable resources to step up their flu preparedness efforts.
A total of $260 million in Public Health Emergency
Response Grants and $90 million in Hospital Preparedness grants will be
distributed nationwide.
Public Health Emergency Response grants help state
public health departments perform a variety of functions, including
preparing for potential vaccination campaigns, implementing strategies
to reduce peoples exposure to the 2009 novel H1N1 flu and improving
influenza surveillance and investigations.
Hospital Preparedness grants enhance the ability of
hospitals and health care systems to prepare for and respond to public
health emergencies. Local outbreaks of the novel H1N1 virus have
produced a surge of patients at hospitals, and these grants will help
ensure hospitals are ready for future outbreaks that may impact their
community.
In addition to the grants released today, the Obama
Administration has taken a series of steps to help prepare and protect
the American people from the novel H1N1 flu. In May of this year, HHS
distributed 11 million treatment courses of antivirals to states,
territories and tribes to fight the H1N1 influenza outbreak. Also in
May, HHS invested more than $1 billion to produce bulk supplies of key
vaccine ingredients as part of the process to develop and test a
potential H1N1 vaccine.
The Administration has upgraded and expanded
www.flu.gov, which includes guidance that community leaders and the
American people need to prepare for, prevent, and respond to the H1N1
flu virus.
The Obama Administration has also launched a new
public service announcement competition. Any American can record and
submit his or her own public service announcement regarding H1N1 flu
preparedness by visiting www.flu.gov. The entries will be judged by
experts and the winner will receive a $2,500 prize and the opportunity
to have his or her announcement aired on television across the country.
July
13, 2009 - HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today
that the department will commit $884 million to purchase additional
supplies of two key ingredients for potential H1N1 vaccine to further
prepare the nation for a potential resurgence of the 2009 H1N1 virus.
This follows her announcement on Friday of $350 million in grants to
help states and territories prepare for the 2009 novel H1N1 flu virus
and the fall flu season.