Pharmacy Daily | Sanofi to boost influenza vaccine supply

AUSTRALIA'S influenza vaccine supply stocks are set to get a shot in the arm, after Sanofi announced it will deliver an additional 400,000 units which will arrive next week.

Fresh supplies will be distributed to general practices and community pharmacies to meet consumer demand for immunisation this flu season, the company said.

The announcement follows GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) announcement that its Fluarix Tetra season flu vaccine would no longer be available to the private market this year (PD 27 May).

Responding to the supply shortages, Federal Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, revealed more than 4.6 million flu vaccination doses had been distributed through the private market including community pharmacies across the country.

A further 7.5 million have been provided through the National Immunisation Program.

"I have been working with vaccines companies to ensure that there is sufficient supply in the private market," he said.

"World leading medicine and vaccine company Sanofi will bring a further 400,000 FluQuadri vaccines to Australia which will be made available through general practice and community pharmacy.

"This will take the overall number of flu vaccines available in Australia this year to over 12.5 million an increase from 11 million in 2018."

Pharmacy Guild of Australia Acting National President, Trent Twomey (pictured), said the early onset of the virus this year combined with its severity had seen some pharmacies report that their flu vax stocks were running low.

"I would stress that while there may be isolated cases of pharmacies running very low on vaccines, at the moment they can usually source supplies from other pharmacies that have stock or from manufacturers," he said.

"I also welcome the statement from the Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, today that he has been working closely with the manufacturers of vaccines to ensure there is continuity of supply in the private market, including through community pharmacies.

"Keeping supply to the private market as well as to the National Immunisation Program is vitally important to ensure community immunity."

Twomey added that reports of stock shortages should not deter patients from going to the local pharmacies that provide the jab.