Ananova:

Powderject Pharmaceuticals PLC said it is to supply Wal-Mart Stores Inc's supermarket chain Asda with its flu vaccine, Fluvirin, for an in-store immunisation campaign.

The supermarket group plans to offer flu vaccinations in all of its 256 stores on Saturday Oct 12, and has already taken delivery of over 35,000 doses of Fluvirin in preparation.

Asda is the first UK supermarket to offer this type of medical service, and intends to run the scheme again later in the year.

"PowderJect has always advocated the use of consumer-focused vaccination programmes and we are extremely pleased that this is becoming a reality," PowderJect chief executive Dr Paul Drayson said.

Influenza is responsible for 3-4,000 deaths in the UK each year, where up to 15% of the population may develop the disease, while in the US approximately 20,000 deaths and over 100,000 hospitalisations are each year.

© AFX News

Story filed: 08:01 Tuesday 1st October 2002

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