When a vaccine for the novel influenza A(H1N1) virus is cleared for use, expect the distribution process to resemble the Vaccines for Children program.
The vaccine will be allocated to states based on their populations, Dr. Jay C. Butler said during a teleconference of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC).
“Providers may include physicians' offices, hospitals, occupational health clinics, pharmacies, anyone the state designates as an appropriate recipient of vaccines to administer,” said Dr. Butler, director of the H1N1 Vaccine Task Force at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To date, the federal government has purchased 195 million doses of the vaccine. All orders will be filled in increments of 100 doses.
The overall vaccine distribution process “was developed in collaboration with state and local health officials,” he said. “This approach provides state and local direction with flexibility in keeping with local needs. Distribution of vaccine can be achieved without rebuilding infrastructure for in-state distribution, which has mostly been lost within the last couple of years.”
The Countermeasure and Response Administration, a Web-based aggregate reporting by age group, will be used to track the number of doses being given. “This system may underestimate the number of doses that are administered,” Dr. Butler said. “There will be a certain amount of work involved in the data entry, and it's possible that vaccinators may not enter all the data.”
As for coverage assessment, the National Immunization Survey can begin collecting data as early as the week of Oct. 10, and provide weekly national coverage estimates, he said, while the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System “will provide a more complete picture of vaccine coverage by state and in specific risk groups.” Updated data will be available as frequently as twice per month.
While some of the clinical trials of novel H1N1 vaccine have been underway since mid-July, Robin Robinson, Ph.D., said that no adverse events have been reported to date. “That is very encouraging,” said Dr. Robinson, director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
During the 2-hour meeting, NVAC members approved two recommendations that will be passed along to the assistant secretary for health for review. One advises that the Department of Health and Human Services “develop, and where possible test in advance, a strong and organized response to scientific and public concerns about vaccine safety that may emerge during the 2009 H1N1 vaccination campaign.”
The other recommendation concerned the need for a “clear federal plan” to coordinate communications regarding the novel H1N1 influenza vaccination campaign.
This includes “delineating the difference between seasonal influenza and pandemic H1N1 influenza” and “reaching out to health care providers who do not usually supply vaccination services,” such as internists, obstetricians, and gynecologists.