August 3, 2006 -- 2006-2007 Flu Vaccine Production Starts

Four manufacturers are set to begin production of an estimated 100 million doses of vaccine to protect the U.S. from seasonal influenza in the coming 2006-2007 flu season, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced yesterday. At the expected level of 100 million doses, there should not be a repetition of the flu vaccine shortages that have created problems in recent years, the FDA said. This year’s vaccine will include one strain of the flu virus that was used in last year’s vaccine and two new strains. Because new influenza virus strains emerge every year, the vaccine is tailored each year to protect against the specific viruses that the World Health Organization and the FDA’s Advisory Committee believe are most likely to be around in the coming season. The four manufacturers approved to market vaccines in the United States are Chiron Vaccines, Ltd.; GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals; Medimmune Vaccines, Inc.; and Sanofi Pasteur, Inc.