"U.S. Vaccine Shortages May Be Over by Year's End"

Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

 

------------------------------------------------------------

 

June 14, 2002

 

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

 

"U.S. Vaccine Shortages May Be Over by Year's End"

Reuters Health Information Services (www.reutershealth.com) (06/12/02); Zwillich, Todd

 

Pharmaceutical industry and government officials believe that shortages of measles, mumps, and rubella, varicella, PCV-7, and other vaccines will be corrected by summer's end.  The result of the problem has been a higher childhood risk of acquiring preventable diseases as immunization rates have dropped.  The existence of only four manufacturers of pediatric vaccines is considered to be the main cause for the shortfall.  Lawmakers may seek to avert future problems by augmenting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine stockpile and by giving economic incentives to drug companies for making the products.

Vaccination News Home Page

ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.