The 2004 - 2005 US flu vaccine shortage. The case is intended solely as a vehicle for classroom discussion Public Policy & Management.

1. PUBLIC POLICY CASE STUDY
A review of the case study on 2004/05 U.S.
Influenza Vaccine Shortage

2. The case is intended solely as a vehicle for
classroom discussion
Public Policy & Management class
Carnegie Mellon University – Adelaide
Jan 2012

3. OUTLINE An overview 1
Underlying Issues 2
Possible Solutions 3
Recommendations 4

4. Concerns raised about the fragile US vaccine
situation
OVERVIEW FLU:36,000 deaths
200,000 hospitalizations
$11-18 billion
2004-2005, US FLU VACCINE SHORTAGE
Vaccine manufacturer was suspended by
England
US couldn't get half of expected 100 mil doses
90mil at high risk
Pricing gauging
Distribution issues
Government's actions: Investigation
High risk areas were set priority
Started to search for additional vaccine supply
Imported costly flu shots
High lack of vaccine supply remained
Health threat remained
What if this was a flu pandemic?

5. Vaccine
Manufacturers CDC MHRA
Media Private
FDA hospitals
(including)
Media/ Public
Relations Plan
People
High risk population

6. ISSUES UNDERLYING
VACCINE PRODUCTION PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM
• Production plants take time to • High FDA quality standards;
set up • Poor analytical tools;
• Vaccine production is time • Weak M&E system;
consuming • Disconnect between public and
• High-risk market private sectors;
• High long-term production • Feeble intra/inter governmental
costs cooperation;
• Low profit margins • Poor communication
FLU VACCINE CRISIS
• Media frenzy;
• Public health threat;
• Public agitation;
• Vaccine smuggling and theft;
• Movement to Canada for flu vaccine shots;
• Additional costs

7. CRISIS RESPONSE
• CDC recommended that vaccines be reserved for high risk patients (it
however lacked the authority to enforce it).
• A panel to investigate the ethics of distribution was established by CDC.
• A flu vaccine task force was assembled to help manage the distribution
and control price.
• Hospitals started sharing vaccines and doses from federal employees were
diverted to high-risk civilians.
• US government (Federal and State) went international to source vaccines
(efforts were restrained by FDA standards and procedures).
• Delayed supplies led to excess unutilized stock of vaccines.

8. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
1. Timely information management on public health issues.
2. Closer cooperation & alignment with other countries/international
bodies (the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in Britain and the
US National Vaccine Advisory Committee/Federal Drug Administration).
3. Develop a more cohesive and coherent crisis management plan among
the federal, state government and private agencies focused on
resilience and continuity.
4. Review FDA approval/quality assurance procedures to ensure
timeliness without compromising standards.
5. Develop Monitoring and Evaluation system to track problems
identified as well as facilitate prompt implementation of proposed
solutions.
6. Public-Private Partnerships to ensure timely production and
distribution of adequate flu vaccines.

9. RECOMMENDATIONS
Public-Private Partnerships to
ensure timely production and
distribution of adequate flu
vaccines.

10. RECOMMENDATIONS
Develop Monitoring
and Evaluation
system to track
problems identified
as well as facilitate
prompt
implementation of
proposed solutions.

11. RECOMMENDATIONS
Develop a more
cohesive and
coherent crisis
management plan
among the federal,
state government
and private agencies
focused on resilience
and continuity. End.

12. RECOMMENDATION SUMMARY
Vaccine Public
Production Administration Flu Situation
Industry System
Monitoring &Evaluation System
Q&A ?

13. THANK YOU !
Group members:
Do Thi Thien-huong
Nguyen Thi Huyen Linh
Oteng Karikari
Chikezie Isiguzo
Stephen Kihato
The case is intended solely as a vehicle for classroom discussion
Flu Virus: Deccanherald
Images on the Newspaper page: Washington Post, AFP, Getty Images
Other photos : unknown authors on Google Images, thank you.