Influenza:
Flu hits 'epidemic' level; 42 children dead Anita Manning USA Today Dec. 22, :23 AM
Flu vaccine shortage latest in trend By Seth Borenstein Knight Ridder Newspapers (KRT) December 15, 2003
Vaccine Is Said to Fail to Protect Against Flu Strain By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN New York Times December 14, 2003
Many thought flu vaccine was unnecessary Poll: Those who did not get shots are at high risk The Associated Press Updated: 6:09 p.m. ET Dec. 23, 2003
The Vaccine That Missed: Sales of Pricey FluMist Disappoint Wyeth, Medimmune Michael Barbaro Washington Post January 23, 2004
WHO Officials Warn of Bird Flu’s Spread Alan Sipress Washington Post January 27, 2004
How Not to Pick a Flu Vaccine New York Times (Editorial) December 9, 2003 “The nation needs a faster and better way to design and produce influenza vaccines. Experts knew back in March that a new, potentially formidable strain of the virus was circulating, yet practical difficulties forced them to stick with an obsolescent vaccine rather than press for a better formulation. There was simply not enough time to prepare the new strain for manufacturing and then produce vaccine in vast quantities. Thus we are entering what looks like a severe flu season with less than optimal protection. “Worse yet, there are fears that vaccine supplies may run out in some areas. The double whammy reminds us of that old joke about people emerging from a restaurant with two big complaints: the food wasn't up to snuff, and the portions were too small.”
FY ’05 Budget: Pandemic Influenza Egg-based Monovalent Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Cell-based Monovalent Pandemic Influenza Vaccine The budget includes $100 million, an increase of $50 million, to ensure the Nation has the capacity to respond to an influenza pandemic…. Funds will be used to provide appropriate incentives for vaccine manufacturers to establish new domestic capacity using new manufacturing techniques that can be scaled up rapidly..