National Flu Vaccine Summit Tackles Distribution, Supply Problems

On January 24 and 25, the MMS participated in the 2006 National Influenza Vaccine Summit convened by the AMA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The summit came one month after the MMS Interim Meeting, where members and delegates expressed great concern about delays and shortages in the vaccine supply, and the impact on patients.

In opening the summit, AMA President J. Edward Hill, M.D., recommended a special pre-booking period for small vaccine orders. He also called on the CDC to shift its post-season vaccine stockpile to an early next-season stockpile to enable providers without vaccine to serve high-risk patients in the event of a vaccine shortage or delay.

Attendees’ perceptions of inequitable distribution of vaccine focused on mass vaccinators, such as clinics in retail stores, which seemed to get preferential distribution.

Attendees at the summit included representatives from the vaccine suppliers -- Sanofi pasteur, Chiron, GlaxoSmithKline, and MedImmune -- along with distributors, physician groups, and public health officials.

Sanofi pasteur’s representative, Phil Hosbach, reported that Sanofi instituted a policy to ship partially to all customers. He reported that only 10 percent of Sanofi vaccine went to mass vaccinators, a group that includes the Visiting Nurse Association of America. One-third went to private physicians, one-third to the public sector, and the remainder went mostly to hospitals and medical centers. Manufacturers hope to produce 120 million doses of vaccine for the 2006–2007 season.

Attendees generally agreed that communication to health care providers and the public about the status of vaccine must be improved. Chiron acknowledged communication weaknesses and announced plans to create an electronic communication tool for its customers.

Participants also recommended improved education for physicians and other providers regarding priority groups and the need to order vaccine early. Patient education about the efficacy of vaccination also needs improvement, many participants suggested.

CDC Director Julie Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., noted some successes coming out of the 2005–2006 flu season: the number of flu vaccine manufacturers increased, as did supplies of vaccine. She also cited better collaboration among partners and the dissemination of more information about vaccine distribution.

The summit executive committee will use the summit’s conclusions to make recommendations to manufacturers, distributors, the CDC, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices early this year.

– Robyn Alie