If you're a flu shot recipient (I am not) this is a little alarming:
British authorities suspended the license of Chiron Corp. for three months because of problems at its vaccine manufacturing plant in Liverpool, England, which primarily supplies the American market. The action means the company can't supply any flu vaccine during that time, and Chiron said it would provide no U.S. vaccine this year.(snip)
Chiron had planned to ship 46 million to 48 million doses, but that already had been delayed by a contamination problem discovered in August in the English factory where the vaccine is made. At the time, the company said only 4 million doses were tainted but that the entire supply would be held up and re-tested.
About 1 million doses already had arrived in the United States, but now even that won't be made available because of the British safety concerns.
Chiron's stock, of course, is taking a sharp nosedive today.
And I can't resist the political cheap shot:
Less than two weeks ago, top U.S. health officials assured the public that close FDA monitoring of the rest of Chiron's supply suggested it was fine and that there would be plenty of supplies.
Guess that Reality Distortion Field emanating from the White House has reached the FDA too.
