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November 20, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"UNICEF Warns on Vaccine Shortage"

Financial Times (www.ft.com) (11/20/02) P. 12; Cookson, Clive

A new report from UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) warns of growing vaccine shortages, stemming primarily from the restructuring of the pharmaceutical industry, that threaten child immunization programs throughout developing nations.  Alan Court, head of procurement at UNICEF, which supplies 40 percent of the world's childhood vaccines, says the shortages pose a serious threat to the well-being of millions of children and families.  In the meantime, UNICEF's chief vaccines buyer, Shanelle Hall, said she is urgently trying to fill a shortage of millions of doses of tetanus and DTP vaccines for 2003.  The restructuring of the industry has prompted many Western drug makers to phase out production of less-expensive, off-patent vaccines upon which the developing countries rely.  Furthermore, mergers and acquisitions within the industry have left the pharmaceutical field significantly less diversified.  To that end, UNICEF and WHO officials are encouraging "emerging" drug manufacturers in the developing world to fill the shortfalls in low-cost vaccines.

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