Germany and Spain seek to cut H1N1 vaccine orders

Move reflects slow uptake, could hit company profits

17 Dec 2009

Germany and Spain want to reduce deliveries of swine flu vaccine and potentially return excess supplies to manufacturers, due to low uptake of the shots, in a move that could hit drugmakers' profits.

Germany's health ministry said on Thursday that some German states had been in talks with Britain's GlaxoSmithKline about reducing deliveries of H1N1 vaccine, but the talks had as yet yielded no results.

The German federal government will also start negotiations in January with other countries that might be interested in taking some of its excess supplies.......

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International Update:

GENERAL

-Scientists discover natural flu-fighting proteins
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N17237524.htm

-FACTBOX-Latest H1N1 swine flu death tolls
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/GEE5B81HR.htm


AFGHANISTAN

-Pandemic flu straining Afghan health clinics - WHO
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE5BH14R.htm


KOREA

-NKorea thanks SKorea for swine flu medicine
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091218/ap_on_re_as/as_koreas_tension_5


THAILAND

-Thailand confirms first case of human-to-pig swine flu
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20091217/hl_afp/healthfluthailand_20091217171633


USA

-MedImmune recalling swine flu vaccine-FDA
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N22130569.htm

-Swine flu shots for everyone, U.S. urges after increased supply
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-12-17-h1n1-vaccine_N.htm?csp=34

Source: Germany and Spain seek to cut H1N1 vaccine orders

Link: France wants to sell millions of surplus flu shots

Date: 2009-12-18