The Vaccines and Related Biological
Products Advisory Committee met by teleconference on 17 March 2004 at 1:00pm
ET. The purpose of the meeting was to
review additional data on influenza B viruses that has become available since
the meeting of 19 February 2004, and to decide whether to confirm the
committee's original recommendation to change the influenza B virus component
to a B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus for vaccines to be used for 2004-2005.
After a review of the data indicating the continuing predominance of influenza
B viruses similar to B/Shanghai/361/2002, the committee voted unanimously that
its original recommendation should stand. The committee also indicated that the
actual virus used should conform to one that is antigenically consistent with
B/Shanghai/361/2002 and that is best suited to large scale manufacturing. To
summarize, the committee holds to its original recommendation that influenza
vaccines used in the US during the 2004-2005 season should include an A/New
Caledonia/20/99 (H1N1)-like virus (A/New Caledonia/20/99 is the actual strain
being used), an A/Fujian/411/2002 (H3N2)-like virus (A/Wyoming/03/2003 is the
actual strain being used) and a B/Shanghai/361/2002-like virus (with
manufacturers examining three antigenically acceptable candidate strains
including B/Shanghai/361/2002, B/Jilin/20/2003, and B/Jiangsu/10/2003.). The
meeting was adjourned at 2:05pm.