Flu Vaccine Wasted?

Article

USA TODAY
Vaccine may be wasted

Fri Jan 7, 6:56 AM ET

By Julie Schmit, USA TODAY

The flu-shot shortage has turned into a surplus in some areas, raising fears that some vaccine might be wasted.

Aventis Pasteur, supplier of almost all flu-shot vaccine for the USA this year, still has about 3.3 million doses to distribute to U.S. consumers.
GlaxoSmithKline is on tap to ship 1.2 million shots from Europe. And MedImmune, maker of a nasal vaccine, has supplies.

But more than a dozen states contacted by USA TODAY say they have enough vaccine to meet demand. That is because many people at high risk for the flu opted to forgo shots this season, believing other people needed them more.

The USA lost nearly half its flu vaccine last fall after manufacturer Chiron's 48 million doses were declared unusable because of contamination fears. A mild flu season also has eased the demand.

That could change if the season picks up. But for now, some states are struggling to use up vaccine:

California has about 200,000 doses available and 300,000 more that will become available soon for California medical providers to order. Even though consumers want shots, doctors and other providers are hesitant to order vaccine because they think it is late in the flu season, says Howard Backer, chief of California's immunization branch. "They're afraid of getting stuck with vaccine," he says. Typically, most flu shots are used before Jan.

Arizona doctors canceled 10,000 dose orders because of weak demand. Minnesota has 20,000 to 25,000 doses even after shipping some to Louisiana.

Massachusetts could get 60,000 more doses but won't take them because it still has vaccine, says Nicole St. Peter of the state's department of health. Washington is eligible for 160,000 more doses, but it still has 30,000 of its original 160,000.

On Dec. 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - websites) recommended that states with adequate supplies loosen flu-shot restrictions starting last Monday. The new guidelines include anyone 50 and older - down from the earlier cutoff at age 65 - and people in other high-risk groups.

Several states eased restrictions earlier. "The CDC was too slow to adapt" to weakening demand from health care providers, Backer says.

Some states still do not have enough vaccine for high-risk customers. Pennsylvania has a waiting list of 15,000. Florida recently purchased 68,000 doses from California sources. Louisiana physician Michael Fleming has patients awaiting shots and expects his office to get its first 1,000 doses next week. "With 11 physicians, you can imagine how far that will go."

Officials say it is not too late to get a shot. Flu activity, which has been mild in most areas, is picking up. Often, flu season does not peak until February. Shots take two weeks to become fully effective. Patients should call their doctors or local health departments.