Flu vaccine flaws boost epidemic fears

New Zealand's supply of flu vaccine for the coming winter has been delayed after the French manufacturer discovered potential problems with its effectiveness.

Medsafe, the Health Ministry's drug regulator, will meet vaccine supplier Sanofi-Pasteur representatives on Monday to discuss the situation and is also seeking expert medical advice.

Principal medical adviser for Medsafe Dr Stewart Jessamine said the information was "unexpected and disappointing". He said it was too early to comment on whether lives could be put at risk because of the delay.

Yesterday the National Party warned the delay had created potentially the most serious public health crisis in New Zealand for many years.

Health spokesman Dr Paul Hutchison said it could be difficult to find an alternative vaccine source and lives could be put at risk.

Dr Hutchison said GPs were compiling lists of vulnerable elderly, asthmatics and hospital workers but were unable to tell them when they could get the vaccine.

 

A spokesman for Sanofi-Pasteur said the company would be in a better position to comment after Monday's meeting.

 

Dr Jessamine said that although the vaccine would protect against two of the three strains most likely to be in circulation in New Zealand it may not protect people against the third strain, known as A/Wellington/2004(H3N2).

Medsafe would need to be satisfied the vaccine was safe and effective. Decisions would then be made about its use for the vaccine programme.

News of the vaccine shortage follows a report in the Herald yesterday that an influenza pandemic could kill 3700 people and put 20,000 more in hospital. An estimated one million people would need to visit a GP.

The figures were contained in research commissioned by the Ministry of Health and published in the New Zealand Medical Journal.

Dr Jessamine said two other flu vaccines had been approved for use in New Zealand but he did not have any "meaningful information" about their availability.

"A short delay, while inconvenient, especially for medical professionals planning to deliver the vaccine, should not affect the overall vaccination programme."

The ministry recommended influenza immunisation as soon as possible, but the vaccination programme ran until the end of June and the peak for flu was not until later in winter, he said.

Pharmac, the Government's drug-funding agency, has a contract with Merck Sharp and Dohme to distribute the vaccine in New Zealand.

A staff member for a private company that buys vaccine for workplace flu vaccinations questioned Pharmac's "wisdom" in operating a sole supply contract in a year when there were concerns being raised about a flu pandemic. Other countries, such as Australia, had contracts with more than one supplier.

"At the moment there is no flu vaccine in New Zealand and they [Pharmac and Merck Sharp and Dohme] have no idea if, or when, it is coming," he said.

"Flu vaccine takes about three months to make. It's not something you can whip up overnight."

Director General of Health Dr Karen Poutasi said concerns about an outbreak of bird flu or similar type of flu were mounting worldwide.