Anthrax Concerns Spur Increase
WASHINGTON (Reuters Health) - Flu vaccine makers said Friday that they would produce extra vaccine doses in response to growing concerns that inevitable flu cases this winter will be confused with anthrax.
Both Aventis Pasteur and Wyeth-Ayerst said they would boost output, but the companies also warned that shortages caused by delivery delays will continue.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson said he expects vaccine makers to put out 85 million flu vaccine doses this year, up from the 77 million to 79 million that were originally expected.
"Hopefully, we are going to be able to get 85 million people vaccinated," Thompson said following meetings with the industry.
Aventis Pasteur President David Williams said in a statement that higher than expected production yields would allow the company to ship 5 million extra vaccine doses this year. The company makes about half of the nation's flu vaccine supply.
A spokesman for Wyeth-Ayerst, which makes vaccine under the brandname FluShield, said the company would "make every effort" to produce "a couple of million extra doses" beyond its expected production of 24 million.
However, the company will not produce the extra doses until December and overall deliveries remain about 3 weeks behind schedule, he said.
Public health officials believe there could be a run on flu vaccinations as people seek to eliminate the chance that they will contract the fever, chills and headache of the flu and have to suffer the anxiety that the symptoms point to anthrax infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement that the flu vaccine should not be given as a means to prevent confusion between flu and anthrax symptoms. Because of the shortages, the vaccine should be targeted in October to elderly and immunocompromised patients, the CDC said.
After vulnerable patients are vaccinated as usual, "there should be plenty of vaccine to go around" in late November or December for anyone else who wants it, said Dr. Walter Orenstein, an immunization expert with the CDC., http://www.100md.com
Both Aventis Pasteur and Wyeth-Ayerst said they would boost output, but the companies also warned that shortages caused by delivery delays will continue.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson said he expects vaccine makers to put out 85 million flu vaccine doses this year, up from the 77 million to 79 million that were originally expected.
"Hopefully, we are going to be able to get 85 million people vaccinated," Thompson said following meetings with the industry.
Aventis Pasteur President David Williams said in a statement that higher than expected production yields would allow the company to ship 5 million extra vaccine doses this year. The company makes about half of the nation's flu vaccine supply.
A spokesman for Wyeth-Ayerst, which makes vaccine under the brandname FluShield, said the company would "make every effort" to produce "a couple of million extra doses" beyond its expected production of 24 million.
However, the company will not produce the extra doses until December and overall deliveries remain about 3 weeks behind schedule, he said.
Public health officials believe there could be a run on flu vaccinations as people seek to eliminate the chance that they will contract the fever, chills and headache of the flu and have to suffer the anxiety that the symptoms point to anthrax infection.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement that the flu vaccine should not be given as a means to prevent confusion between flu and anthrax symptoms. Because of the shortages, the vaccine should be targeted in October to elderly and immunocompromised patients, the CDC said.
After vulnerable patients are vaccinated as usual, "there should be plenty of vaccine to go around" in late November or December for anyone else who wants it, said Dr. Walter Orenstein, an immunization expert with the CDC., http://www.100md.com