Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
H1N1 shots arrive as demand dies down
BY SARAH AVERY - Staff Writer
Here's a riddle: What do Beanie Babies and H1N1 flu vaccine have in common?
They were both desperately sought after when they were scarce, only to be given the shrug as supplies improved.
In recent weeks, the H1N1 vaccine has finally begun rolling off production lines at a good pace, enabling doctors, clinics, pharmacies and even employers to expand availability to everyone who wants a shot or nasal mist.
But the pipeline opened right as infection rates in North Carolina and across the United States began dropping.
As a result, what was a must-have inoculation is now threatening to hit the pharmaceutical equivalent of the bargain box.
"This is something that we as a society do now and again - get into a frenzy over things," said Larry Chavis, an economist at the Kenan-Flagler
Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill who has studied the effects of product shortages on demand. "Even I'm guilty of it. In the fall, I was asking when
I might get a vaccination. I think I can get one easily this week, but I haven't even tried."
The phenomenon adds yet another frustrating wrinkle to the pandemic vaccine's rollout.
The H1N1 virus emerged in Mexico last spring, too late to be targeted in seasonal flu vaccines already in production. Instead, manufacturers rushed to make a separate batch of H1N1 vaccine, which meant a separate shot. Given the haste, some questioned the vaccine's safety.
Then production problems slowed delivery, and supplies were rationed during the height of a fall flu outbreak.
Dr. Megan Davies, state epidemiologist, said such glitches are to be expected when dealing with an unpredictable foe such as flu.
"Just the dimensions of the whole response are huge," Davies said, referring to the scope of the world-wide drive to identify, produce and deliver a vaccine for a novel virus within months.
And the current lull in infections may be deceptive, Davies said. A third wave of sickness is widely expected to hit in February and March, when seasonal flu typically peaks. She urged people to get their vaccinations now - while there are no lines.
State health leaders estimate one in six people have been hit with H1N1 flu infections, leaving the vast majority of the state's 9 million residents vulnerable as the virus continues to circulate.
2 million and counting
About 2 million doses of H1N1 vaccine have been shipped to the state so far, Davies said, with recent weekly shipments hitting 300,000 doses. North Carolina is on tap to get 5 million doses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is leading the pandemic response.
While initially limited to people at high risk of complications from H1N1 flu, the vaccine supply expanded for the first time last week to all comers at clinics and pharmacies. Local employers also began offering H1N1 vaccine clinics, including Quintiles Transnational Corp. in Research Triangle Park.
The company had enough doses on hand Wednesday to inoculate more than 500 people, including employees and their family members.
Dr. Oren Cohen, Quintiles' chief medical officer, said he was pleased with the turnout, particularly because absentee rates at the global clinical research company are still higher than a year ago.
"Public perceptions and receptivity to the vaccine have varied all over the world," Cohen said, noting that the company has operations in 59 countries. "I've been mostly dismayed in general by the negativity, or the unwillingness to be vaccinated on a global scale."
Chavis, the UNC-CH economist, said it might be tempting to raise demand by tightening supply, but it's different when the commodity is health.
"You want people to feel the need," he said, "but you don't want it to be too hard to get."
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/244791.html
BY SARAH AVERY - Staff Writer
Here's a riddle: What do Beanie Babies and H1N1 flu vaccine have in common?
They were both desperately sought after when they were scarce, only to be given the shrug as supplies improved.
In recent weeks, the H1N1 vaccine has finally begun rolling off production lines at a good pace, enabling doctors, clinics, pharmacies and even employers to expand availability to everyone who wants a shot or nasal mist.
But the pipeline opened right as infection rates in North Carolina and across the United States began dropping.
As a result, what was a must-have inoculation is now threatening to hit the pharmaceutical equivalent of the bargain box.
"This is something that we as a society do now and again - get into a frenzy over things," said Larry Chavis, an economist at the Kenan-Flagler
Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill who has studied the effects of product shortages on demand. "Even I'm guilty of it. In the fall, I was asking when
I might get a vaccination. I think I can get one easily this week, but I haven't even tried."
The phenomenon adds yet another frustrating wrinkle to the pandemic vaccine's rollout.
The H1N1 virus emerged in Mexico last spring, too late to be targeted in seasonal flu vaccines already in production. Instead, manufacturers rushed to make a separate batch of H1N1 vaccine, which meant a separate shot. Given the haste, some questioned the vaccine's safety.
Then production problems slowed delivery, and supplies were rationed during the height of a fall flu outbreak.
Dr. Megan Davies, state epidemiologist, said such glitches are to be expected when dealing with an unpredictable foe such as flu.
"Just the dimensions of the whole response are huge," Davies said, referring to the scope of the world-wide drive to identify, produce and deliver a vaccine for a novel virus within months.
And the current lull in infections may be deceptive, Davies said. A third wave of sickness is widely expected to hit in February and March, when seasonal flu typically peaks. She urged people to get their vaccinations now - while there are no lines.
State health leaders estimate one in six people have been hit with H1N1 flu infections, leaving the vast majority of the state's 9 million residents vulnerable as the virus continues to circulate.
2 million and counting
About 2 million doses of H1N1 vaccine have been shipped to the state so far, Davies said, with recent weekly shipments hitting 300,000 doses. North Carolina is on tap to get 5 million doses from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is leading the pandemic response.
While initially limited to people at high risk of complications from H1N1 flu, the vaccine supply expanded for the first time last week to all comers at clinics and pharmacies. Local employers also began offering H1N1 vaccine clinics, including Quintiles Transnational Corp. in Research Triangle Park.
The company had enough doses on hand Wednesday to inoculate more than 500 people, including employees and their family members.
Dr. Oren Cohen, Quintiles' chief medical officer, said he was pleased with the turnout, particularly because absentee rates at the global clinical research company are still higher than a year ago.
"Public perceptions and receptivity to the vaccine have varied all over the world," Cohen said, noting that the company has operations in 59 countries. "I've been mostly dismayed in general by the negativity, or the unwillingness to be vaccinated on a global scale."
Chavis, the UNC-CH economist, said it might be tempting to raise demand by tightening supply, but it's different when the commodity is health.
"You want people to feel the need," he said, "but you don't want it to be too hard to get."
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/244791.html