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   Rising costs and delayed shipments of vaccines are causing more problems for health officials in Vermilion County than in Champaign County.
   To say Vermilion County Health Director Steve Laker is upset about the rising costs of vaccines and this year's staggered dose arrival would be an understatement.
   Laker, whose department is waiting on a shipment before flu vaccination clinics can resume, questions whether there is a genuine vaccine shortage or a plan by greedy suppliers to force prices higher. He also isn't sure how much longer his department can continue to give the shots.
   “I don't believe there is any shortage of vaccine anywhere,” said Laker, who instead of getting his full order of 6,500 doses of flu vaccine received only 1,500, and now must wait through two more shipments. “I am not very happy about that. I'm frustrated and expressing some big dissatisfaction.”
   In Champaign County, flu vaccinations are not a problem because of smaller demand. Even though Champaign County's population is three times that of Vermilion County, it ordered half as many doses.
   “We are fortunate that most people who need flu shots receive them through private providers,” said Dave King, the administrator of the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District/Champaign County Public Health Department. “We don't give a high percentage of shots like some communities where their health department is one of the biggest outlets. We have pretty good coverage here with Carle and Christie clinics.”
   In Vermilion County, the health department kicked off its flu vaccination season Friday at Vermilion Manor. More than 200 people were served in the first hour, said Lynn Galloway, county health services director. A second flu clinic was conducted Monday at the health department.
   Now, the vaccination schedule takes a three-week hiatus while the health department waits for a 2,500-dose shipment on Oct. 11. Another 2,500 doses should arrive in November, but no date was given to the county.
   Laker said he began seeing a disturbing pattern in 2001, when Pennsylvania-based vaccine supplier Aventis Pasteur Inc. increased its price, resulting in a cost that was triple what it was three years ago.
   In 1999, the vaccine cost $2.05 per dose. Now, it costs the county $6.25 per dose, exclusive of administrative costs. Medicare reimburses the county $8.56, based on a formula that allows for $4.92 in vaccine and $3.64 in administrative costs per dose.
   “I'm not sure that the prices aren't driven by greed and opportunities to capture market share and seize opportunities to permanently increase their prices and profits,” Laker said. “This doesn't make any sense.”
   Aventis-Pasteur officials did not return calls for comment.
   Laker said the health department might have to terminate the public vaccination program because Medicare reimbursement rates barely cover costs.
   In Vermilion County, each flu immunization costs $14, while pneumonia shots cost $17 each. The extra charge per dose goes to pay part-time employees who work at the vaccination sites during the program and are not on the regular staff, Laker said.
   In Champaign County, a flu immunization costs $6, while pneumonia shots are $12.
   Flu vaccinations were delayed last year by almost three weeks, and the Vermilion County health department requested that people younger than 60 without chronic illness wait until higher-risk patients were served. Many opted to go another route, including major pharmacies such as CVS, Osco Drug and Walgreen, Laker said.
   “We ended up with 400 surplus doses of influenza vaccine,” he said. “Many well people refused to defer their vaccinations, and they were able to get them at large pharmacy outlets.”
   Champaign County orders its vaccination shots from the same purchasing consortium as Vermilion County, which is administered by the Illinois Public Health Association. Champaign County will give its first flu clinic Oct. 21 at its offices at 710 N. Neil St.
   King said he has also seen the rising costs of vaccine suppliers and doesn't believe in the notion of a shortage.
   In July, Laker sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Peter Fitzgerald, Illinois Department of Public Health Director John Lumpkin and the Illinois Association of Public Health Administrators. He has yet to receive personal contact from any senator or congressman. Laker said he wrote the letter to express concern about the inadequacies of the current federal reimbursements.
   Vermilion County has provided annual influenza vaccinations to the elderly and at-risk individuals since 1976, while receiving Medicare reimbursements for the past seven years. Last year 5,973 people received vaccinations, half of them eligible for free vaccinations through Medicare.
   Because of the shortage, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urge people at risk for influenza to seek immunization during October and early November. High-risk candidates include those with chronic illnesses, including heart or kidney diseases, asthma, diabetes, cancer or HIV/AIDS. Healthy adults younger than 64 are encouraged to wait until November, when the last shipment is expected.
   “We are asking everyone to be patient with us and understand we will get them immunized as soon as we are able, based on when the vaccine arrives,” Galloway said.”We will let people know as soon as we are made aware of the need for any changes in the schedule.”
   Health departments recommend pregnant women seek out their health care providers for immunization during the flu season.
   Call 352-7961 for information on Champaign County's program and 431-2662 for more information about Vermilion County's.

 

Other stories appearing in the online edition of Tuesday, October 1, 2002:
 

• UI prepares for ‘Monday Night´ deluge
• Union pressing to restore funding
• Chanute seeks $460,000 grant from state
• Children´s issues addressed at forum
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