USA Today Examines CDC Efforts To Ensure Adequate Supply of Flu Vaccine
USA Today on Wednesday examined efforts by CDC officials to ensure that there will be "an ample supply of flu vaccine" for the next flu season." HHS spokesperson Mark Wolfson said that CDC will focus on "broadening or diversifying the way we get influenza vaccine," adding, "We don't want to rely on one manufacturing process."
ID Biomedical and GlaxoSmithKline later this year plan to file applications with FDA to market flu vaccines in the United States, and the companies hope to begin distribution this fall. In addition, HHS on Friday announced a $97 million contract with Sanofi Aventis for development of cell-based flu vaccine technology, which would reduce the time required to manufacture the vaccine (Manning, USA Today, 4/6).