Much of H1N1 vaccine unused, almost expired

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 By Steve Twedt, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10090/1046768-28.stm

Nearly half the 162 million doses of H1N1 vaccine produced to fight the deadly flu in the United States have gone unused, and some batches have either expired or are nearing their expiration date. Allegheny County Health Department will be throwing out 9,400 expired doses of the vaccine mist spray soon, as well as 730 expired doses of the injectable vaccine, said spokesman Guillermo Cole....

Two-thirds of swine flu vaccine unused – Irish Times

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0330/1224267343007...

EITHNE DONNELLAN Health Correspondent

ALMOST TWO-thirds of the €12.8 million worth of swine flu vaccines ordered by the State remain unused as the national pandemic flu vaccination campaign comes to an end this week.

The Health Service Executive said yesterday discussions were ongoing with the GlaxoSmithKline pharmaceutical company “as to how to manage the surplus vaccine”. Some stocks will also be maintained in the country for use should we experience any subsequent waves of the pandemic.

(Reuters) - The Dutch government wants to sell 21 million unused H1N1 flu vaccine doses back to their manufacturers after they proved unnecessary and no other country wanted to buy them, the Health Ministry said on Saturday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6251NW20100306?feedType=RSS&a...

A spokeswoman for the ministry said it had approached manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis about buying back the doses.

She added that it was not clear what their total value was. She also declined comment on the status of the talks, saying the ministry would inform parliament of the details at a later date.

At the height of the H1N1 scare, the ministry ordered 34 million doses of pandemic flu vaccine -- enough to give two shots to every person in The Netherlands.

Of the original order, about 11 million doses were administered and another 2.2 million are being kept in reserve for emergencies.

(Reporting by Ben Berkowitz)