Dose of Trouble for Flu-Shot Season (record supply, but distribution lags)

[DeepModem Mom]

WP: Dose of Trouble for Flu-Shot Season
Despite Larger Supply of Vaccine, Distribution Delays Cause Shortages
By Susan Levine
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, October 15, 2006; Page C11

Barely two weeks into the flu-shot season, the promise of a record supply of vaccine already is being tarnished by shipment delays that are causing sporadic shortages and forcing some doctors to postpone clinics or serve only high-risk patients.

Some 26 million doses were distributed across the country in September, and federal officials expected that three times that many would be on their way by the end of this month. Yet having vaccine in the pipeline doesn't mean getting it to thousands of destinations on time.

Immunizations at grocery and drug store chains are proceeding with few apparent difficulties, but physicians who can't meet demand are questioning the stability and fairness of the distribution....

***

Given the CDC's limited ability to direct distribution, the agency is warning that many orders will not be fully filled until late November and that "significant effort" should be made to continue immunizations into January.

The concerns echo the disruptions of the past several years and again threaten the public health message that urges flu vaccination for nearly three-quarters of all Americans -- 36,000 of whom die annually from the virus....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/14/AR2006101400990.html

[williesgirl]

1. Big chains have it but not doctor's offices! Says alot about who's in

big pharmacueticals.

[Turley]

2. That doesn't make sense

It's the docs that oftentimes get bribed to prescribe a certain Med. The drugstores just sell whatever the docs prescribe. Or am I missing something?

[Mojorabbit]

3. yes you are

My hubby orders flu vaccine for his office early every year and we usually get it delivered in good time whereas others don't receive their shipments in a timely manner. I have no idea of the shipment criteria from the company. I don't know how the big box stores do it or if they get preferential treatment. And no one has ever tried to bribe my husband who is a family practice doc.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. Has your husband received his shipment this year? nt

[leesa]

4. Always something to scare the public with...when does the flu terror

season officially kick off? Which deadly no-show will it be this year?

[lpbk2713]

6. My local grocery store (Publix) was giving flu shots last week

Evidently they managed to get into the supply chain. There were a lot of people lined up to get them too.

[CTyankee]

7. I'm going to Wal Mart for mine

Otherwise I wouldn't set foot in that store. It's free so why not?