Jay Inslee: Washington's 1st Congressional District

Issues

Health

Efforts to Import Flu Vaccine

20 October 2004

U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee (WA-01) announced today that ID Biomedical, which has a branch in Bothell, Washington, is negotiating to import 1.2 million surplus doses of its influenza vaccine from Canada into the United States to help deal with the current dosage shortfall. Inslee spoke with the office of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson and urged the Secretary to find a way to legally allow 1.2 million doses of ID Biomedical’s vaccine to be sold in the United States market through an investigational new drug application process – essentially as a clinical trial. ID Biomedical is safely supplying its vaccine to at least eight million Canadians.

"I have urged the Administration to act quickly to find additional flu vaccines for the American public," said Inslee. "Given the shortage and the risk to vulnerable Americans, it is entirely appropriate to allow ID Biomedical to make its vaccine available in our country as a clinical trial. The benefits far outweigh any risks. ID Biomedical has provided the vaccine to eight million Canadians, so I am confident that they can safely and legally import their product to meet some of our dire flu vaccine shortage."

The loss of about 48 million doses of flu vaccine that were to be imported from England has reduced the United States’ expected flu vaccine supply by approximately one half, thereby causing a critical shortfall of doses in the country for this year’s flu season.