# 1068
Compared to the rest of the world, the UK has taken aggressive steps to acquire antivirals, and now, a flu vaccine for their population. Laudable steps, given the potential for a pandemic in the near future.
The British Press has been filled with stories the past 24 hours on the deal with GSK and Baxter to provide a bird flu vaccine. Missing, however, is any realistic estimate as to how long after the pandemic breaks out, before these companies can deliver a vaccine.
Using today's technology, a delay of 4 to 6 months after the pandemic starts could be expected before significant quantities of vaccine will be available. And then, of course, there is the matter of dispensing the vaccine under the adverse conditions a pandemic is sure to create.
The good news for UK citizens is they have a contract for a portion of the first run of any pandemic vaccine from these two companies. And while that may involve a wait of 6 months or more, it certainly beats not having prospects for a vaccine at all.
And for most of the world, barring a miracle, that's exactly the prospects they face.
Flu vaccine for every Briton
By Andrew Jack
Published: August 17 2007 03:14 | Last updated: August 17 2007 03:14
Every Briton will be able to receive vaccination against a pandemic flu virus under a £155m government contract with two pharmaceutical companies announced on Thursday.
The Department of Health awarded the “advance supply contracts” to GlaxoSmithKline and Baxter, two of the world’s largest flu vaccine producers, which it said best met the technical and scientific criteria as well as offering value for money.
The deal allows the government to reserve a proportion of the very limited international production capacity for flu vaccines that currently exists, and puts the UK among the few countries to have so far placed such large orders.
Flu vaccines are only effective when closely matched to the continually evolving strains against which they are designed to protect, and so the variant to be produced with the latest contract cannot be developed until a pandemic flu emerges. Manufacture using existing technology would then take several months.
France, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Iceland are among other countries to have placed similar advance contracts, triggering concerns that there will be restricted supplies for other rich countries that have so far not made any.
The World Health Organisation has announced plans for a stockpile of pandemic flu vaccine for poorer countries to contain potentially a pandemic strain.
The vaccines will accompany fresh purchases of antiviral drugs, as well as masks, antibiotics and quarantine methods in the UK plans designed to limit the effects of a pandemic.
Dawn Primarolo, the health minister, said: “These contracts mean the UK is on the front foot if a flu pandemic occurs.”
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