Novel flu vaccine production revised downward to 14 to 17...

Novel flu vaccine production revised downward to 14 to 17 million doses this year

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Novel flu vaccine production revised downward to 14 to 17 million doses this year
(July 4, 2009)
Source: http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/shakai/...803072009.html

The Ministry of Health Labor and Welfare announced Thursday that only 14 to 17 million doses of novel flu vaccine will be ready by the end of this year, significantly lower than the Ministry’s previous estimate of 25 million doses. Multiplication potency of the virus is too weak to produce vaccine efficiently. Discussion over priority for flu shots will be affected too.

According to the Ministry, tests conducted by vaccine makers for the start of producion in the middle of July revealed multiplication potency of the novel flu virus is significantly lower than that of seasonal flu virus. The Mininistry was forced to revise its prior estimate which the Ministry calculated based on the multiplication potency of seasonal flu virus.