AAFP, CDC Update Info on Influenza Vaccine Shipments

Drug stores and grocery stores may be holding influenza vaccine clinics, but many physicians' offices have received partial or no shipments of the vaccine. To help address the situation, the Academy is posting regular updates about influenza vaccine availability on its Web site, and the CDC has circulated an informational letter (PDF file: 2 pages / 64 KB. More about PDFs.) to health care professionals.

"Many Academy members have expressed their frustration that they will receive delayed vaccine shipments while immunization clinics are already being held in retail outlets," says AAFP President Rick Kellerman, M.D., of Wichita, Kan. "Family physicians feel an obligation to immunize their high-risk patients during scheduled office visits. Also, family physicians are anxious that vaccine shipments that arrive late in the season will go unused and don't want to be left holding a big financial bag at the end of the season."

Physicians who wish to place new vaccine orders and perhaps cancel earlier orders have several options. The AAFP Web page "Ordering Influenza Vaccine for 2006-2007" indicates that ASD Healthcare was still taking orders as of Oct. 12; PSS/World Medical was taking orders for existing customers; and FFF Enterprises had details on its Web site for ordering vaccine. Phone numbers and links for those and other distributors appear on the AAFP Web page.

Manufacturers and distributors had shipped more than 32 million doses of influenza vaccine (about one-fourth of the expected total) to purchasers by Oct. 6 and were on track to distribute 75 million doses by late October, says the CDC in its Oct. 13 letter from Jeanne Santoli, M.D., M.P.H., deputy director of the CDC's Immunization Services Division. "Large numbers of doses are available now, many more are anticipated during (late) October, and providers can expect still more doses during November," with a total of 110-115 million doses to be distributed for this influenza season -- more than ever before.

Manufacturers and distributors are making efforts "to ensure that all providers have at least some vaccine to begin vaccination," says the CDC, adding, "Getting some vaccine to all providers early in the season is important because we know that all providers serve at least some high-risk patients and their household contacts."

Some early vaccination efforts "may be more visible than others because of the setting in which these doses are administered," says the CDC, thus taking into account the vaccination clinics at drug stores and other sites. "But it is our understanding that all of the manufacturers and major distributors are using partial shipments to all providers to reach as many providers as possible early in the vaccination season, and so these 'visible' doses aren't being shipped in preference to doses for other provider types," says the CDC.

"Phased vaccine production and distribution also means that many providers will not see their entire vaccine order until the end of November," notes the CDC. The peak for influenza disease typically occurs in February or later, which makes vaccination in December, January and beyond "important and beneficial," says the CDC.

Related news: On Oct. 12, sanofi pasteur issued a press release on vaccine delivery. The release said doses of Fluzone (approved for people 6 months old and older) would be distributed as follows:

The release also says sanofi pasteur has shipped one-third of its orders for Fluzone and should complete its shipments in November.