US worried at loss of flu vaccine

WASHINGTON, Oct 5 (AFP) - US officials worried Tuesday that Britain's suspension of a US company's license to make a vaccine could cause a shortage on the eve of influenza season.
"Clearly, the loss of the Chiron flu vaccine poses a serious challenge to our vaccine supply for the upcoming flu season," the US department of health said in a statement.
"Chiron was to produce between 46 million to 48 million doses of influenza vaccine for the United States," the officials said.
"Our immediate focus will be on making sure that the supply we do have reaches those who are most vulnerable," the statement said.
Health officials said they plan to buy some 54 million doses of influenza vaccine from Aventis and about another one million to two million doses of FluMist nasal spray.
The health department had planned to have about 100 million doses on hand this season, after using 87 million doses last year.
British authorities announced Tuesday the suspension of Chiron's license to produce the vaccine for three months without explaining the decision.
Chiron confirmed that the suspension prohibited the distribution of its Fluvirin vaccine made at its Liverpool factory for the 2004-2005 flu season.