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The United States marketplace receives approximately 100 million doses of flu each year. Historically, several manufacturers took part in the production of this vaccine. Over that last few years only two manufacturers have produced vaccine in the US market - Aventis and Chiron. For 2005-2006 flu season GlaxoSmithKline has joined the other manufactures to produce Fluarix. We are expecting to see releases of the vaccine from the manufacturers sometime in October 2005.
Flu Vaccine information from the CDC Website.
Inquiries:
Nationwide Medical/Surgical, Inc. is eager to help you find flu vaccine. We are asking that you provide us with your contact information so that in the event any product becomes available we will be able to get in touch with you.
What kinds of flu vaccines are there?
December 10, 2003
There are two types of vaccines that protect against the flu. The "flu shot" is an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. A different kind of vaccine, called the nasal-spray flu vaccine (sometimes referred to as LAIV for Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine), was approved in 2003. The nasal-spray flu vaccine contains attenuated (weakened) live viruses, and is administered by nasal sprayer. It is approved for use only among healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49 years. The flu shot is approved for use among people over 6 months of age, including healthy people and those with chronic medical conditions.
Each of the two vaccines contains three influenza viruses, representing one of the three groups of viruses circulating among people in a given year. Each of the three vaccine strains in both vaccines -- one A (H3N2) virus, one A (H1N1) virus, and one B virus -- are representative of the influenza vaccine strains recommended for that year. Viruses for both vaccines are grown in eggs.
Bird flu vaccine information from The KeepMedia website.
Eleven drugs companies offer help to find bird flu vaccine: WHO
Jan 28 '04
GENEVA (AFP) - Eleven pharmaceutical firms want to help develop a bird flu vaccine for humans, but it will take at least four months to produce if a pandemic is declared, the World Health Organisation said.
The WHO also said it may recommend the use of normal flu vaccines for people who have been exposed to infected birds to reduce the level of human germs in the air as the influenza season picks up.
The outbreak of the deadly virus sweeping through Asia has been described by the United Nations' health body as a serious global health threat but has not yet been called a human or animal pandemic.
"If a pandemic virus would emerge then we would presume ... this virus might travel around the world in a relatively short period of time," said Klaus Stoehr, head of the WHO's global influenza programme, citing estimates of between four to eight months.
Once the alarm has been sounded it would take between four to six months to produce a significant amount of vaccine, he told a telephone news conference.
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