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National Influenza Vaccine Summit Comments on Status of Prebooked Influenza Vaccine for 2006-2007

Posted on: Tuesday, 7 February 2006, 09:00 CST

National Influenza Vaccine Summit:

Summit Lauds Increased Awareness of Vaccine Benefits and Strong

Demand While Emphasizing Record-Setting Supply and Multiple

Distribution Options

The National Influenza Vaccine Summit, an initiative co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Medical Association, which includes representatives from influenza vaccine research, production, distribution, public health and medical providers, today commented on the strong early demand for influenza vaccine for the 2006-2007 season. The comment comes in response to last week's announcement by vaccine manufacturer sanofi pasteur that it had prebooked all of its planned doses of influenza vaccine in record time, with the exception of its pediatric vaccine. Demand for the sanofi pasteur vaccine was so great that the company's call centers and Web site were overwhelmed and many healthcare providers were unable to prebook with sanofi pasteur.

"We see this unprecedented early demand as proof of the public's growing awareness of the importance of obtaining vaccination for influenza," said Mitchel C. Rothholz, Vice President, Professional Practice, American Pharmacists Association, and a member of the Summit's Executive Committee. "We recognize that not all providers were able to pre-book with sanofi, but we are encouraged that an estimated 120 million doses of influenza vaccine - the greatest number of doses in our country's history - are expected to be available for the 2006-2007 season. Beyond sanofi pasteur, there are multiple other influenza vaccine options, including injectable vaccine produced by Chiron Corporation and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and MedImmune's nasal vaccine. In addition, the GSK/ID Biomedical injectable vaccine will be under review soon and may be available for the season. With multiple sources, healthcare providers may want to split their vaccine orders among distributors for the coming season to better ensure an available supply for their patients at high risk."

Predicted influenza vaccine production for the 2006-2007 season includes 50 million doses from sanofi pasteur, 40 million doses from Chiron, 7-9 million doses from GSK, 15-20 million doses from GSK/ID Biomedical (subject to submission and final approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration) and 3 million doses from MedImmune. These projections are subject to manufacturing processes that may be affected by growth characteristics of a new influenza virus strain or strains selected for the 2006-2007 vaccine.

Distributors of influenza vaccine, including those listed below, also are prebooking orders for the 2006-2007 season. Distributor Phone Web Site ----------- ----- -------- Henry Schein, Inc. (800) 772-4346 www.henryschein.com Henry Schein / GIV (800) 521-7468 www.giv.com Henry Schein / Caligor (888) 225-4467 www.caligor.com ASD Healthcare (866) 281-4FLU (4358) www.asdhealthcare.com FFF Enterprises (800) 843-7477 www.fffenterprises.com McKesson (800) 446-3008 www.mckesson.com CuraScript (Priority Healthcare) (877) 599-7748 Fax - (800) 862-6208 PSS/World Medical (904) 332-3000 www.pssworldmedical.com Seacoast Medical (800) 732-2115 www.seacoastmedical.com

Pediatric influenza vaccine is still available from sanofi pasteur at www.vaccineshoppe.com or 1-800-VACCINE (1-800-822-2463).

About the Influenza Vaccine

The influenza vaccine can save lives, particularly among America's high-risk population. According to the CDC, in an average season influenza kills 36,000 people and hospitalizes more than 200,000 nationwide, with five to 20 percent of the population contracting the disease. Older people, young children and people with certain health conditions are at high risk for serious influenza complications.

In general, anyone who wants to reduce his or her chances of contracting influenza can receive a vaccination. However, certain people should be vaccinated each year, including the following groups:

People at high risk for complications from influenza

-- People 65 years and older

-- People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care

facilities that house those with long-term illnesses

-- Adults and children six months and older with chronic heart or

lung conditions, including asthma; or those who needed regular

medical care or were in a hospital during the previous year

because of a metabolic disease (like diabetes), chronic kidney

disease, or weakened immune system (including immune system

problems caused by medicines or by infection with human

immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS))

-- Children six months to 18 years of age who are on long-term

aspirin therapy

-- Women who will be pregnant during the influenza season

-- All children six to 23 months of age

-- People with any condition that can compromise respiratory

function or the handling of respiratory secretions

People 50 to 64 years of age

People who can transmit influenza to others at high risk for complications

-- All healthcare workers, household contacts and out-of-home

caregivers of children six to 23 months of age, and close

contacts of people 65 years and older

The Summit continues to remind individuals who have not been vaccinated during the 2005-2006 influenza season that it is not too late, as long as vaccine is available.

About the National Influenza Vaccine Summit

Now in its sixth year, the National Influenza Vaccine Summit includes representatives from influenza vaccine research, production, distribution and administration focusing on issues that are important to achieve the Healthy People 2010 goals. The Summit meets regularly to identify and prioritize vaccination issues and develop recommendations to enhance vaccination efforts for future seasons. At the 2006 Summit, attendees included representatives from advisory committees; advocacy groups; business; community vaccinators; consumers; hospitals; international government agencies; long-term care; medical organizations; the news media; nursing organizations; occupational health; pharmacists; private health insurance and managed care; quality improvement; state and local public health; U.S. government agencies; vaccine distributors; and vaccine manufacturers. For more information on the National Influenza Vaccine Summit, visit the Summit's Web site at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13732.html.

Source: Business Wire

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