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Tuesday, October 05, 2004Global and U.S. health officials warned Tuesday of major flu shot shortages after British health officials abruptly pulled the license of the maker of half the U.S. vaccine just as flu season was about to begin. The news means the United States will face "a significant shortage," said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institutes of Health's infectious disease chief. Other countries will likely face similar problems. ...Chiron had planned to ship 46 million to 48 million doses, but that already had been delayed by a contamination problem discovered in August in the English factory where the vaccine is made. At the time, the company said only 4 million doses were tainted but that the entire supply would be held up and re-tested. About 1 million doses already had arrived in the United States, but it remains under Chiron's control and has not been released for use. ..Worldwide, Chiron is the second leading flu vaccine manufacturer, behind French pharmaceutical company Aventis, which makes about 45 percent or 50 percent of the world's supply, Stohr said. Chiron, based in California, makes four influenza vaccines, including Fluvirin, the top flu vaccine in Northern Europe and the No. 2 vaccine in the United States. Guess that explains why no one can tell me when the vaccine I pre-ordered last winter will ship. No one knows. posted by Sydney on 10/05/2004 01:35:00 PM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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