Is the Vaccine Production Process Broken?
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When the H1N1 or swine flu first showed up in the U.S. last spring, efforts to produce a vaccine went into overdrive.
Months after the first outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control is still far behind the 75 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine it hoped to make available by the end of the year.
Right now a little more than 40 million doses are available. That’s well below the amount needed to vaccinate the 159 million Americans at the highest risk of infection.
"No one's getting it or those who do have a small amount,” said Megan Taylor of Palmyra.
It’s a familiar story in counties across the Upstate New York: not enough vaccine to go around.
"I've been calling my pediatrician for a month now," said Taylor. "They don't even really talk to you anymore you just get a message 'this is an update about the H1N1 vaccine and we do not have it yet.'"
The obvious question is why.
"There was no way to know some of the hurdles they would run into," said infectious disease blogger Chuck Simmins.
Simmins said those who make the vaccine made their best guess, but growing the H1N1 virus in an egg took longer then expected. Then the vaccine had to be tested.
"And they still managed to complete most of that before the product was released and that's a near miracle on the part of the pharmaceutical companies," Simmins said.
Now that supplies are catching up, some now wonder why some doctors have the vaccine and others don't.
"This distribution system couldn't be anymore dysfunctional if it tried," said Nancy Adams of The Monroe County Medical Society.
The CDC is distributing the H1N1 vaccine based solely on population. Some believe that should be adjusted based on where an outbreak is occurring. Adams said greater government control is needed to ensure those at the highest risk are vaccinated first.
"We are working with our state medical society in Albany to try to get some changes before we're in the same boat again next year," Adams added.
After 30 years of successful vaccine production, Simmins urges patience.
"It’s being shipped by the manufacturer as soon as they can package it," said Simmins.
At least right now, patience and the vaccine are hard to find.
"When you hear about people dying from it and you have a child I think it's high anxiety time," said Taylor.
Local health departments throughout the Rochester area now expect to get new shipments of the H1N1 vaccine weekly. For more on area clinics click on the links below.
Wayne County H1N1 Clinics
Monroe County H1N1 Clinics
Ontario County H1N1 Clinics
Livingston County H1N1 Clinics
Genesee County H1N1 Clinics
Seneca County H1N1 Clinics
Orleans County H1N1 Clinics