Flu vaccine is found tainted in factory, shipments delayed

[Guest guest]

Flu vaccine is found tainted in factory, shipments delayed

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ‹ The nation's supply of vaccine for the impending flu

season took a big hit Thursday when Chiron Corp. announced it had found

tainted doses in its factory.

The company said it will hold up shipment of about 50 million shots ‹ about

half the supply U.S. health officials had hoped to have on hand this year ‹

while it investigates what went wrong and determines whether the vaccine is

safe to use.

" There's no product that is going to go into the arms of the American public

that will not have been deemed to have met the highest standards of safety, "

chief executive Pien said.

U.S. health officials said some people may not get flu shots when they want

this year, but that they were hopeful Chiron's production problems are only

temporary. Pien said the company hopes to ship between 46 million and 48

million doses by early October, about month later than usual.

" Based on what we know, we don't expect a major delay and we believe we can

effectively vaccinate the population at risk, " said Dr. Gerberding,

head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. " We are in daily

contract with Chiron and we will be tracking this along with the Food and

Drug Administration. "

About 1 million doses have already been shipped, but no vaccines have yet

reached the public, Pien said. Vaccinations usually begin in September and

continue through the flu season, with demand usually peaking in October and

November.

Flu kills 36,000 people and hospitalizes another 114,000 in an average year,

primarily the elderly, according to the CDC.

Last year's flu season got off to an unusually early and harsh start, which

caused demand for vaccines to outstrip supply for the first time.

Health officials expect a record number of people to request vaccinations

this year, owing to the publicity generated by last year's season and the

subsequent shortage. The CDC ordered 100 million doses to be made for this

season, about 17 million more doses than last year.

Chiron would not give details on the nature of the contamination, which Pien

said was found in a small number of batches at the company's factory in

Liverpool, England.

The company supplies about half the nation's flu vaccine. Aventis Pasteur

supplies most of the rest.

Last year, the company made 38 million shots, accounting for about $230

million in revenue.

Because of the production problems, Chiron also warned that its earnings

will meet the " low end " of a forecast range. The company made the

announcement after the stock markets closed. In after hours trading, the

company's stock was down about $3, or 6%, to $44.50.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-08-26-flu-tainted_x.htm

[Guest guest]

This is a post from a friend at a bipolar child support group---many vaccin=

ations over the yars have been implicated in complications- there used to be=

something called the Vaccination Injury Compensation Program.......

here is her post

At my last pdoc appointment, our doctor urged us NOT to get a flu vaccine /=

shot

unless it was the nasal spray kind (Flumist) because of thimerosal (which i=

s 50%

mercury) used as a preservative in the flu shot.

He said that you will most likely be told that all vaccines are now " thimer=

osal

free " but they are not - they still contain traces of mercury... which is

actually on the FDA site - apparently if the amount is so slight, they can

legally get away with saying it doesn't contain thimerosal.

The only flu prevention med that does not contain thimerosal or mercury in =

any

amount is Flumist, the nasal spray, which can only be used in ages 5 to 49 =

and

costs around $100 (not usually covered by insurance or offered at health

centers).

For susceptible children (and adults alike), mercury poisoning can contribu=

te to

severe neurological damage, inducing or contributing to disorders like ADHD=

,

bipolar, autism and more.

Be sure to research the issue on your own and talk to all your child's doct=

ors

before taking them into the health center for a flu shot or allowing them t=

o get

a shot from at school.

- In , a54 <a54@s...> wrote:

> Flu vaccine is found tainted in factory, shipments delayed

>

> SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ‹ The nation's supply of vaccine for the impending flu=

> season took a big hit Thursday when Chiron Corp. announced it had found

> tainted doses in its factory.

>

> The company said it will hold up shipment of about 50 million shots ‹ abo=

ut

> half the supply U.S. health officials had hoped to have on hand this year=

‹

> while it investigates what went wrong and determines whether the vaccine =

is

> safe to use.

>

> " There's no product that is going to go into the arms of the American pub=

lic

> that will not have been deemed to have met the highest standards of safet=

y, "

> chief executive Pien said.

>

> U.S. health officials said some people may not get flu shots when they wa=

nt

> this year, but that they were hopeful Chiron's production problems are on=

ly

> temporary. Pien said the company hopes to ship between 46 million and 48

> million doses by early October, about month later than usual.

>

> " Based on what we know, we don't expect a major delay and we believe we c=

an

> effectively vaccinate the population at risk, " said Dr. Gerberding,=

> head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. " We are in daily

> contract with Chiron and we will be tracking this along with the Food and=

> Drug Administration. "

>

> About 1 million doses have already been shipped, but no vaccines have yet=

> reached the public, Pien said. Vaccinations usually begin in September an=

d

> continue through the flu season, with demand usually peaking in October a=

nd

> November.

>

> Flu kills 36,000 people and hospitalizes another 114,000 in an average ye=

ar,

> primarily the elderly, according to the CDC.

>

> Last year's flu season got off to an unusually early and harsh start, whi=

ch

> caused demand for vaccines to outstrip supply for the first time.

>

> Health officials expect a record number of people to request vaccinations=

> this year, owing to the publicity generated by last year's season and the=

> subsequent shortage. The CDC ordered 100 million doses to be made for thi=

s

> season, about 17 million more doses than last year.

>

> Chiron would not give details on the nature of the contamination, which P=

ien

> said was found in a small number of batches at the company's factory in

> Liverpool, England.

>

> The company supplies about half the nation's flu vaccine. Aventis Pasteur=

> supplies most of the rest.

>

> Last year, the company made 38 million shots, accounting for about $230

> million in revenue.

>

> Because of the production problems, Chiron also warned that its earnings

> will meet the " low end " of a forecast range. The company made the

> announcement after the stock markets closed. In after hours trading, the

> company's stock was down about $3, or 6%, to $44.50.

>

> http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-08-26-flu-tainted_x.htm

[Guest guest]

This is a post from a friend at a bipolar child support group---many vaccin=

ations over the yars have been implicated in complications- there used to be=

something called the Vaccination Injury Compensation Program.......

here is her post

At my last pdoc appointment, our doctor urged us NOT to get a flu vaccine /=

shot

unless it was the nasal spray kind (Flumist) because of thimerosal (which i=

s 50%

mercury) used as a preservative in the flu shot.

He said that you will most likely be told that all vaccines are now " thimer=

osal

free " but they are not - they still contain traces of mercury... which is

actually on the FDA site - apparently if the amount is so slight, they can

legally get away with saying it doesn't contain thimerosal.

The only flu prevention med that does not contain thimerosal or mercury in =

any

amount is Flumist, the nasal spray, which can only be used in ages 5 to 49 =

and

costs around $100 (not usually covered by insurance or offered at health

centers).

For susceptible children (and adults alike), mercury poisoning can contribu=

te to

severe neurological damage, inducing or contributing to disorders like ADHD=

,

bipolar, autism and more.

Be sure to research the issue on your own and talk to all your child's doct=

ors

before taking them into the health center for a flu shot or allowing them t=

o get

a shot from at school.

- In , a54 <a54@s...> wrote:

> Flu vaccine is found tainted in factory, shipments delayed

>

> SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ‹ The nation's supply of vaccine for the impending flu=

> season took a big hit Thursday when Chiron Corp. announced it had found

> tainted doses in its factory.

>

> The company said it will hold up shipment of about 50 million shots ‹ abo=

ut

> half the supply U.S. health officials had hoped to have on hand this year=

‹

> while it investigates what went wrong and determines whether the vaccine =

is

> safe to use.

>

> " There's no product that is going to go into the arms of the American pub=

lic

> that will not have been deemed to have met the highest standards of safet=

y, "

> chief executive Pien said.

>

> U.S. health officials said some people may not get flu shots when they wa=

nt

> this year, but that they were hopeful Chiron's production problems are on=

ly

> temporary. Pien said the company hopes to ship between 46 million and 48

> million doses by early October, about month later than usual.

>

> " Based on what we know, we don't expect a major delay and we believe we c=

an

> effectively vaccinate the population at risk, " said Dr. Gerberding,=

> head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. " We are in daily

> contract with Chiron and we will be tracking this along with the Food and=

> Drug Administration. "

>

> About 1 million doses have already been shipped, but no vaccines have yet=

> reached the public, Pien said. Vaccinations usually begin in September an=

d

> continue through the flu season, with demand usually peaking in October a=

nd

> November.

>

> Flu kills 36,000 people and hospitalizes another 114,000 in an average ye=

ar,

> primarily the elderly, according to the CDC.

>

> Last year's flu season got off to an unusually early and harsh start, whi=

ch

> caused demand for vaccines to outstrip supply for the first time.

>

> Health officials expect a record number of people to request vaccinations=

> this year, owing to the publicity generated by last year's season and the=

> subsequent shortage. The CDC ordered 100 million doses to be made for thi=

s

> season, about 17 million more doses than last year.

>

> Chiron would not give details on the nature of the contamination, which P=

ien

> said was found in a small number of batches at the company's factory in

> Liverpool, England.

>

> The company supplies about half the nation's flu vaccine. Aventis Pasteur=

> supplies most of the rest.

>

> Last year, the company made 38 million shots, accounting for about $230

> million in revenue.

>

> Because of the production problems, Chiron also warned that its earnings

> will meet the " low end " of a forecast range. The company made the

> announcement after the stock markets closed. In after hours trading, the

> company's stock was down about $3, or 6%, to $44.50.

>

> http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-08-26-flu-tainted_x.htm