Giuseppe
Emeritus
[PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS, VACCINES, WHO, UPDATES] Meeting of the immunization Strategic Advisory Group of Experts [SAGE], April 2008 ? conclusions and recommendations
Texts excerpted from WER (Weekly Epidemiological Record) No. 22, 2008, 83, 193?208 - http://www.who.int/wer
(...)
WHO?s influenza-related activities
SAGE was updated on:
(i) WHO?s guidelines on pandemic preparedness;
(ii) the intergovernmental meeting on pandemic infl uenza preparedness that focused on the sharing of infl uenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefi ts regarding H5N1 viruses;
(iii) the workshop on strengthening national committees on immunization practices for influenza pandemic preparedness and the use of seasonal influenza vaccines in the South-East Asia Region;
(iv) the establishment of WHO?s H5N1 influenza vaccine stockpile; and
(v) progress related to the global action plan to increase the supply of pandemic influenza vaccines.
SAGE was informed of WHO?s effort to establish influenza vaccine production in 6 developing countries.
As a result, 3 of these countries have already manufactured production lots of seasonal influenza vaccine.
WHO informed SAGE of ongoing efforts to establish a technology transfer centre in the Netherlands.
WHO is also encouraging manufacturers to consider switching from producing inactivated influenza vaccine to live attenuated vaccine in a pandemic scenario, which would significantly increase the number of doses available.
WHO continues its efforts to promote the use of seasonal influenza vaccines in order to increase production capacity.
Workshops, such as that held in March 2008 by the South-East Asia Region together with national committees on immunization practices, where the use of seasonal influenza and pandemic preparedness are reviewed, provide a method for advisory bodies to synthesize information on the use of influenza vaccines as well as to strengthen the functioning of these advisory bodies and their capacity to provide clear policies on vaccine use.
SAGE agreed at a future meeting to review information and provide an opinion on the use of H5N1 influenza vaccines in high-risk groups and the use of H5N1 vaccine that has been stockpiled but is reaching the end of its shelf-life.
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Texts excerpted from WER (Weekly Epidemiological Record) No. 22, 2008, 83, 193?208 - http://www.who.int/wer
(...)
WHO?s influenza-related activities
SAGE was updated on:
(i) WHO?s guidelines on pandemic preparedness;
(ii) the intergovernmental meeting on pandemic infl uenza preparedness that focused on the sharing of infl uenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefi ts regarding H5N1 viruses;
(iii) the workshop on strengthening national committees on immunization practices for influenza pandemic preparedness and the use of seasonal influenza vaccines in the South-East Asia Region;
(iv) the establishment of WHO?s H5N1 influenza vaccine stockpile; and
(v) progress related to the global action plan to increase the supply of pandemic influenza vaccines.
SAGE was informed of WHO?s effort to establish influenza vaccine production in 6 developing countries.
As a result, 3 of these countries have already manufactured production lots of seasonal influenza vaccine.
WHO informed SAGE of ongoing efforts to establish a technology transfer centre in the Netherlands.
WHO is also encouraging manufacturers to consider switching from producing inactivated influenza vaccine to live attenuated vaccine in a pandemic scenario, which would significantly increase the number of doses available.
WHO continues its efforts to promote the use of seasonal influenza vaccines in order to increase production capacity.
Workshops, such as that held in March 2008 by the South-East Asia Region together with national committees on immunization practices, where the use of seasonal influenza and pandemic preparedness are reviewed, provide a method for advisory bodies to synthesize information on the use of influenza vaccines as well as to strengthen the functioning of these advisory bodies and their capacity to provide clear policies on vaccine use.
SAGE agreed at a future meeting to review information and provide an opinion on the use of H5N1 influenza vaccines in high-risk groups and the use of H5N1 vaccine that has been stockpiled but is reaching the end of its shelf-life.
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