►March 3, 2004 - Analysis:
More vaccine makers needed - UPI via
http://interestalert.com - "Health officials say the recommendation that
doctors withhold doses of a childhood vaccine because of shortages underscores
the need for more pharmaceutical companies to enter the vaccine-making
field...In a hastily assembled news briefing during the 4th International
Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases, officials at the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention advised U.S. doctors to hold off administering the third
and fourth doses of the popular and effective vaccine that had slashed
incidences of pneumococcal disease in children."
►March 3, 2004 -
Shortage forces cutback in infant vaccine - Health officials asked doctors
to further reduce the number of vaccine doses given to protect infants against
meningitis and deadly blood infections, in order to stretch out a short supply.
- Reuters via CNN
►February 9, 2004 - Vaccine
supplies dwindle for many diseases - The Washington Times - "The recent
shortage of flu shots received much attention, but vaccine stocks have also
dwindled in the past few years for such diseases as meningitis, mumps, measles
and diphtheria...The problems with supply are blamed on a number of interrelated
factors the low prices the federal government pays for childhood vaccines, the
dwindling number of vaccine producers, and others."
January 26 - February 8, 2004 (2 weeks combined
due to illness)
►January
16, 2004 -
Life-saving baby jabs running low - The Herald Sun - "THOUSANDS
of newborn Australian children will miss out on shots against the deadly
pneumococcal disease as a global vaccine shortage takes effect...Australian
supplies of the Prevenar vaccine will not be fully restored until at least
April, according to manufacturer Wyeth...The drug company has been forced to
halt production of Prevenar at its US plant amid an upgrade to meet increased
international demand."
January 5-11, 2004
►January 6, 2004 -
India set to emerge as major hub for vaccine production - Kerala News - "Indian
Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director general N.K. Ganguly said here
Tuesday the number of major vaccine producing countries in the world had shrunk
from 36 to six due to various factors, including globalisation."
DISCLAIMER: All
information, data, and material contained, presented, or provided here is for
general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the
knowledge or opinions of the publisher, and is not to be construed or intended
as providing medical or legal advice. The decision whether or not to vaccinate
is an important and complex issue and should be made by you, and you alone, in
consultation with your health care provider.
"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth."
-- Albert Einstein, letter to a friend, 1901
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to William C. Jarvis, September 28, 1820
"What's the point of vaccination if it doesn't protect you from the unvaccinated?"
-- Sandy Gottstein
"Who gets to decide what the greater good is and how many will be sacrificed to it?"