If the stockpiling entity decides to retain expired or soon-to-expire Tamiflu and Relenza, it should be maintained and monitored under the product’s labeled storage conditions. These organizations are also urged to contact the FDA’s Emergency Operations Center with information on how much Tamiflu and Relenza in their stockpiles is at or approaching expiration.
The World Health Organization last week raised the pandemic level to phase 6, calling for the implementation of “individual, societal, and pharmaceutical measures” as well as implementation of contingency plans for health systems. WHO continues to recommend no restrictions on travel and no border closures, however. Some 100,000 doses of Protein Sciences’ PanBlok vaccine, being produced from this week forward, will be targeted for clinical trials and for vaccinations in countries that have granted regulatory clearance. Meanwhile, following the WHO announcement, GlaxoSmithKline says it is going to increase production of its anti-viral Relenza, and continue developing a swine flu vaccine. Separately, Chinese vaccine maker Sinovac Biotech says it hopes to put its H1N1 vaccine through its first clinical trial by the end of July.
Health ministers in the UK say that they aren’t waiting to see if the WHO will declare a level six pandemic alert. They’re ready to order enough swine flu vaccine for the entire population. Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that she’s already in discussions with manufacturers to ink contracts for delivery–once a new vaccine is ready. Advance pandemic vaccine supply contracts are already in place, but are triggered only after the WHO declares a Phase 6 pandemic.
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