In today's issue of FierceVaccines, we cover a slate of new developments related to the swine flu outbreak.
At the top of the news is word that the Obama administration is considering the possibility of a multibillion-dollar vaccine campaign this fall that would provide three jabs to guard against the flu; one for seasonal influenza and another two for swine flu. And next week the World Health Organization will gather its top vaccine experts together to consider how the world should respond.
This morning the Washington Post reported that some of the world's wealthiest countries alrteady has dibs on a large part of any vaccine production geared for swine flu. The WHO says that it will be on guard to make sure that developing countries with less money and none of the key vaccine manufacturing facilities can still be sure to gain access to any jabs that may be needed.
Manufacturers, meanwhile, are working around the clock to be prepared to begin production of a new vaccine as early as late summer. And a number of countries have begun to stand down from the full alert they were on last week as it turns out that the swine flu is much milder than originally feared. Go to FierceVaccines for full coverage.
- see this article on the vaccine campaign
- read the WHO report
- see the manufacturing story