News regarding Chiron Corporation's license suspension means that the nation's supply of flu vaccines may be cut in half. The news directly impacts students, staff and faculty here because The University of Memphis is currently giving immunizations.
Chiron Corporation, a British biotechnology company, announced the three-month suspension of their license to manufacture the Fluvrin influenza (flu) virus. The action was a result of the company's failure to comply with the Good Manufacturing Practice's requirements, which led to concerns about possible microbial contamination of the vaccine, according to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency Web site.
The suspension hurts the company because it takes three months to develop the flu vaccination. It also hurts consumers by reducing the amount of flu vaccination by half, leaving millions of people at risk of catching the flu this year. It takes at least three months for the body to build up immunity to the flu virus according to Jacqueline De Fouw, health educator at the Hudson Health Center.
In an effort to avert a nationwide panic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Ga., has issued interim recommendations for the administration of flu vaccination.
"As there is no alternative to this vaccine, the interim recommendation guidelines should be adhered to," said Dr. Wayne Capooth, physician at the Hudson Health Center on campus.
"The guidelines put out by the CDC identify the people who fall into priority groups for shot administration," he said. "We will still continue to give the flu shot according to the scheduled dates that were released earlier."
With the supply of vaccine in limited amounts, some health care providers may not be able to give vaccinations to their patients.
"Due to our contract with the Shot Nurse, The University is very lucky that we were able to get our supply of the flu vaccine through a different company," De Fouw said.
"There are some colleges that were not so lucky," she said.Both Capooth and De Fouw stress the importance of following CDC guidelines.
"We ask that students, staff and faculty abide by the guidelines set down by the CDC so that there is enough of the flu vaccination for those most at risk to be immunized," De Fouw said.
Visit the university's health Web site for more information.
