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WASHINGTON – Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) today urged the Bush Administration to more effectively address the flu vaccine shortage that has led to a rationing of flu shots across the nation. In a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson, the Senator urged HHS to expedite and make more transparent FDA efforts to locate and procure influenza vaccine from other countries to make the flu vaccine more readily available to those most vulnerable.
“We have seen pictures of the elderly population standing in lines in the cold for vaccine when none is available,” Lieberman said. “Our constituents are calling non-stop to ask what the government is doing to remedy the vaccine shortage. Cardiologists and oncologists are telling us that they do not have vaccine for their sickest patients. Stories on influenza have been on the front page of every major newspaper for a week straight. This is late October and the flu will likely hit starting next month. This is a crisis and I know you recognize that we need to do more.”
Specifically, Lieberman requested information on what alternative safe suppliers are being contacted in other countries to buttress the U.S. supply, he asked what steps HHS and states can take to assure that supply is actually allocated to the priority needs of those most at risk from the flu, and whether steps can be taken to better assure that allocations to states are adequate to meet priorities.
Lieberman is providing updated information on the flu vaccine shortage, including answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), links to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) influenza web site, and information on where to receive flu shots in Connecticut on his web site. To access this in formation, please visit
http://wwww.lieberman.senate.gov
The full text of the letter is below.
October 25, 2004
The Honorable Tommy Thompson
Secretary of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20201
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I share your concerns about the current national influenza vaccine shortage and would like to encourage your agency’s efforts to procure more vaccine from international sources and to help the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) enforce its priority list for high-risk people.
Chiron’s announcement of its manufacturing failure took us all by surprise. The subsequent reduction of this country’s 100 million doses of flu vaccine to approximately 59 million presents a potential public health crisis exacerbated by unequal distribution of remaining vaccine and people’s fears of being unprotected from disease. As you know, 36,000 Americans die each year from influenza related complications. The vast majority are seniors. In the media we have seen pictures of the elderly population standing in lines in the cold for vaccine when none is available. Our constituents are calling non-stop to ask what the Government is doing to remedy the vaccine shortage. Cardiologists and oncologists are telling us that they do not have vaccine for their sickest patients. Stories on influenza have been on the front page of every major newspaper for a week straight. This is late October and the flu will likely hit starting next month. This is a crisis and I know you recognize that we need to do more.
You mentioned in your press conference last week, that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are actively working with several international influenza vaccine manufacturers to bring more vaccine to the U.S. on the condition that it is safe. I agree that obtaining more vaccine is a critical and obvious way to bolster our scant flu vaccine stock.
Questions:
• Who are these manufacturers?
• How many doses are available for purchase?
• What is the process by which the FDA assesses the safety of this alternative vaccine supply?
• What is the timeline for FDA approval?
• Can you make HHS and FDA efforts transparent and give Congress regular briefings regarding this process?
The sickest and most vulnerable populations may not be getting the flu vaccine. The CDC has put out a priority list for vaccination. This list basically lists those over 65, those with chronic disease, health care workers, and 6 to 23 month olds as high risk groups. But we all know of circumstances where those who fall within CDC criteria are not getting the flu vaccine and situations where many healthy adults are getting vaccinated with no questions asked. CDC at this time is only asking health care providers to voluntarily comply with its recommendations.
Questions:
• California has made it illegal to give flu vaccine to populations not on the high risk list. Connecticut has declared a supply emergency to manage redistribution and to combat price gouging. Do you think HHS should recommend that other states follow suit?
• Is any consideration being given to redistribution of vaccine from state to state depending upon inventories and medical need? Some states have been disproportionately hit by shortages if most of their orders were with Chiron.
Thank you for your attention to the important questions posed in this letter: what is being done to find additional safe sources of vaccine in other countries, and what is being done to assure that priority populations are first to be vaccinated?
Sincerely,
Joseph I. Lieberman
United States Senator
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