Expect Influenza Vaccine Delays Again This Fall.

Priority to physicians, high-risk patients.

ATLANTA -- Distribution of the influenza vaccine will likely be delayed again this fall, but the delay should not be as problematic as it was last year, Dr. Dennis O'Mara said at a meeting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Based on lessons learned last year, the CDC--in cooperation with the American Medical Association and other provider groups--has established a plan to ensure that physicians and high-risk individuals have priority access to the limited supply of vaccine early in the season, said Dr. O'Mara of the CDC's National Immunization Program.

Manufacturers are projecting that 20 million fewer doses of influenza vaccine will be available by the end of October 2001, compared with the end of October 1999.

Still, that number is approximately twice the amount of vaccine that was available at the same time last year when manufacturing issues delayed vaccine availability As a result of the 2000 delay the proportion of high-risk people who received the influenza vaccine dropped by at least 8% and possibly by as much as 31%, compared with 1999 figures.

This year's delay is related to the decision by one of four influenza vaccine manufacturers to stop making the vaccine; the three remaining manufacturers need more time to gear up to make additional vaccine.

The projected total vaccine to be produced by December 2001--about 83.7 million doses--is greater than the 70.4 million doses ultimately distributed in 2000 or the 76.8 million doses ...