The Obama Administration has failed to provide clear answers to national preparedness questions raised by Senator Susan Collins, R-ME, the Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, regarding the fast-moving H1N1 flu epidemic and the delays in vaccine production and delivery that have caused widespread shortages.
“It is disappointing that the Administration continues to recite the same promises and the same pledges, in spite of overwhelming evidence across the country that many Americans, including some of our most vulnerable children, do not have access to the H1N1 vaccine,” said Senator Collins. “Today, worried parents are left wondering when the vaccine will arrive. The Administration has no answers. It is not hyperbole to say that lives are at stake.”
In an Oct. 26 letter to Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Senator Collins asked for responses to several questions, including two key issues:
• What is HHS's revised schedule for distributing the full 250 million doses of H1N1 vaccine?
• When does HHS expect that there will be enough vaccine to meet the needs of all those who are in the priority groups?
In her letter, Senator Collins also asked other questions about the Administration’s overall vaccine strategy, from production to delivery. The Secretary responded Oct. 30, but that letter failed to answer the two most critical questions and failed to address when supply would catch up with demand.
Instead, the Secretary stated, “Despite the delay, our goal is to ensure that everyone who wants to get vaccinated will ultimately be able to do so.”
“This is a disturbingly inadequate response from the Secretary,” said Senator Collins.
“I am troubled that HHS has assured the public repeatedly since August that the government would have enough vaccine to meet demand. It now appears that some of the vaccine will arrive only after many people have already been infected with H1N1.”
“The Administration needs a new plan for working with state and local public health officials that sets attainable goals to ensure that the vaccine is distributed to the most vulnerable groups,” Senator Collins continued. “The Administration needs to convey realistic, achievable information on when vaccine quantities will be sufficient to immunize all high-risk individuals who wish to be vaccinated.”
Of concern is the lack of sufficient vaccine supply even for those at high risk for serious complications, including children, young adults, and pregnant women. The HHS originally projected that it would have at least 40 million doses available by the end of October. Those did not materialize.
Instead, the HHS downgraded that figure. As of Oct. 30, there were less than 26.7 million doses, according to the latest data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Senator Collins also noted that “vaccine manufacturers warned about this very scenario months ago. They told the HHS back in July about the dangers of being overly optimistic regarding vaccine production predictions and about leading American families to believe that there would be ample supply of vaccine nationwide.”
According to public health officials, 48 states are reporting widespread influenza activity, many doctors’ offices are being swamped with flu patients. Also, a recent report by Purdue University found that the H1N1 flu epidemic may have already peaked in some states.