Not enough swine flu vaccine: WHO

25 Sep 2009, 8:27 am   -   Source: AAP
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WHO has warned over shortages of swine flu vaccines. (AAP)

WHO has warned over shortages of swine flu vaccines. (AAP)

The WHO says pharmaceutical firms can produce only three billion doses of swine flu vaccines a year, covering less than half of the global population.

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The World Health Organisation said on Thursday that pharmaceutical firms can produce only three billion doses of swine flu vaccines a year, covering less than half of the global population.

However, tests on the vaccine show that just one jab would offer sufficient protection against the A(H1N1) virus and that the vaccine is as safe as seasonal flu vaccines.

"Outcomes of trials completed to date suggest that pandemic vaccines are as safe as seasonal influenza vaccines," the UN agency said in a statement, adding that side effects arising from the pandemic vaccines should be "similar" to those observed in seasonal flu vaccines.

These symptoms include fever, headache, muscle or joint aches, and should be mild and last up to two days.

Tests on the drugs also indicate that only one dose would be needed, effectively doubling the number of people who can be covered.

This helps in part to relieve pressure on stocks, especially since annual production would cover less than half of the world's 6.8 billion population.

In May, the WHO had forecast a weekly output of 94.3 million doses, or an annual capacity of five billion doses.

But pharmaceutical companies have since slashed production forecasts due to poorer than expected yields from the so-called "seed virus" strains developed by WHO-approved laboratories.

The WHO acknowledged that global manufacturing capacity is "limited, inadequate and not readily augmented".

Amid growing fears that poorer nations will not get enough vaccines, the United States this month led nine countries to pledge to make 10 per cent of their swine flu vaccine supply available to other nations in need.

The WHO said it would be coordinating the distribution of the donated vaccines, with an initial 300 million doses of vaccines to be sent to more than 90 countries.

The first deliveries should start in November, said the WHO, adding that health workers should be vaccinated in priority.

According to a United Nations assessment issued on Wednesday, some $US1.48 billion ($A1.7 billion) in funding is required to help poor countries deal with the swine flu pandemic.

The funds would pay for vaccines, programs to strengthen low income countries' readiness to cope with the pandemic and costs of support provided by specialist UN agencies or partner agencies, explained the UN.

At least 3,486 people have died from the A(H1N1) virus since it was uncovered in April, according to the WHO's weekly bulletin issued on September 18. There have been 2,625 fatalities in the Americas region.

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