Avian influenza vaccine capacity report finds production gap but notes progress

Vaccine manufacturers have substantially increased their capacity to produce pandemic influenza vaccines during the past two years, according  to a new study by Oliver Wyman, an international strategy consultancy  specializing in the life sciences. The study arrived at capacity  estimate numbers that the global health community agrees upon, after  considerable debate, the firm said.

The study was conducted in collaboration with the World Health  Organization and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical  Manufacturers and Associations, as well as 11 other current and  potential influenza vaccine manufacturers that are not IFPMA members.  It finds that, although production capacity is increasing, it would not  be sufficient to meet the global need for emergency supplies of  pandemic influenza vaccines in the event of a major outbreak. However,  the study notes that current and future surplus capacity could support  the production of billions of doses of H5N1 influenza vaccine prior to a  pandemic for stockpiling efforts and other utilization.

Inter-pandemic opportunity for stockpiling