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EDITORIAL: Good Sense Breaks Out: Makers Plan to Up Flu Vaccine Supply

Posted on: Saturday, 28 January 2006, 15:00 CST

By Tulsa World, Okla.

Jan. 28--Good sense has broken out among pharmaceutical companies which are gearing up to produce up to 120 million doses of vaccine for next flu season.

Flu vaccine has been scarce in parts of the country the past couple of years. The record production of flu vaccine occurred in 2002 with 95 million doses.

Vaccine-makers claim that public fears of bird flu, greater government reimbursement for shots and indications that federal health officials might one day recommend flu shots for everyone warrant the increased supply.

"We and other manufacturers are making the investments to ensure that there will be sustainable supplies going forward," said Andrew MacKnight, executive director of vaccine supply for GlaxoSmithKline, speaking at a flu vaccine summit meeting in Atlanta Tuesday.

Having enough flu vaccine, which changes each year, takes careful and lengthy planning. If there is a shortage, manufacturers cannot quickly whip up an extra several hundred thousand doses of vaccine.

The vaccine can be a life-saver, especially for health-care workers, the very young, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.

Let's hope there is follow-through on increasing flu vaccine quantities for next flu season.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Tulsa World, Okla.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Tulsa World

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