Murcia still holds large stock  of unused flu vaccines

The Minister for health, Trinidad Jimenez, has confirmed that the government have been able to return some of the unused doses of H1N1 flu vaccine to the manufacturers with remaining stocks being sent to Latin American countries where the vaccination programme has still not begun. 

She stated today that the Government had signed a contract with the pharmaceutical companies which , "permitted us to return a major part of unused vaccinations" and although 37 million doses had been ordered, only 13 million had actually been delivered when it became apparent that they would not be required.

There are 9 million doses still in the hands of the autonomous communities and the remainder in the state reserve which has been offered to Latin America.

She also confirmed  there to be some degree of uncertainty within medical circles as to exactly which flu vaccine should be ordered for this years' flu vaccinations, as the majority of cases registered in the 2009/10 season tested positive for the H1N1virus, only minimal number of patients registering positive for common flu.

Scientists are still analyzing the results of flu statistics for this winter and as yet no decision has been made as to which vaccine should be used in the autumn round of flu vaccinations for 2010/11.

The H1N1 flu scare has been a massively expensive exercise for the government, with 300 million budgeted to fight the virus, large amounts being spent on publicity campaigns, and informative meetings as well as the 13 million vaccinations which were actually purchased.

There's a great deal of unwillingness to disclose what the final bill was for the state, and indeed the region, Murcia alone having purchased 270,000 doses. 

Despite a massive public campaign, only 80,000 came forward for their vaccinations and the rest are sitting in municipal stores whilst regional heads await the decision from the Ministry. 

Jose Antonio Navarro, head of the vaccinations programme in the region of Murcia said, "Public opinion changed in such a way that in April people would have killed to get hold of the vaccinations, but by October nobody wanted them. When we started to talk about the vaccination programme, and the Ministry for Health was discussing who to vaccinate first, we were submerged by the wave of petitions to vaccinate as many people as possible." 

Nationwide the public declined to be vaccinated and as the virus proved to be less virulent and milder than had been anticipated, the Government hastily cancelled outstanding orders.

Although the remaining central government stocks would now appear to be destined for Latin America, that still leaves 9 million doses sitting in municipal stores nationwide, all bought and paid for.

To date, the Minister has still not disclosed what will happen to them.

 

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