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December 09, 2002

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"Need a Flu Shot? There's Plenty of Vaccine"

Baltimore Sun (www.sunspot.net) (12/07/02) P. 9C; Banerjee, Scott

In a major turnaround, flu vaccine providers say they will give out fewer vaccinations this year than the year before.  Maxim Health Systems said it would dispense roughly 200,000 fewer vaccinations this year than the 1.7 million shots it administered in 2001.  Stephen Wright, national director of wellness services at Maxim, said his company has seen a 25 percent drop off in business.  Other providers have reported lower sales as well.  The fact that fewer people have sought flu  immunizations has left many providers with a surplus of vaccines.  Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that more vaccine was produced in 2002 than in prior years.  Indeed, roughly 93 million doses of vaccine were produced in 2002, which is 7 percent more than the 87.7 million doses produced in 2001.

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