Pandemics

More H1N1 Vaccine Arrives in State; Influenza Activity in New York Now Considered Widespread

October 16, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced that as of October 15, New York State’s Medicaid program will provide reimbursement to Medicaid enrolled pharmacies for the administration of seasonal and H1N1 influenza vaccines by certified pharmacists to Medicaid fee-for-service enrollees 18 years and older.

Medicaid managed care and Family Health Plus enrollees will be able to access immunization services through their health plans. The Governor also reported that influenza activity in New York State is now considered widespread, with more than 50 percent of counties reporting influenza activity.    » read more »

Results confirm immune response and tolerability

16 October 2009, London, UK -- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) today announced results from a second clinical trial of its pandemic (H1N1) adjuvanted vaccine, which demonstrate that one dose of the vaccine can provide a strong immune response which exceeds criteria as defined by international licensing authorities using the lowest dose of antigen available in pandemic vaccines. The data from GSK’s H1N1 trials announced to date demonstrate the vaccine is generally well tolerated. The vaccine in this trial contains 3.75 µg of H1N1 antigen, which is the EMEA approved final formulation.    » read more »

As of 11 October 2009, worldwide there have been more than 399232 laboratory confirmed cases of pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 and over 4735 deaths reported to WHO.

As many countries have stopped counting individual cases, particularly of milder illness, the case count is significantly lower than the actually number of cases that have occurred. WHO is actively monitoring the progress of the pandemic through frequent consultations with the WHO Regional Offices and member states and through monitoring of multiple sources of data.    » read more »

More Licensed Medical Professionals Able to Give H1N1 Flu Shot

October 14, 2009 -- SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn today signed a public health emergency proclamation in a proactive effort to ensure there are enough certified and licensed health care professionals able to administer the H1N1 flu vaccine.

This gubernatorial proclamation allows the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to permit additional certified and licensed health care professionals to administer the H1N1 vaccine.    » read more »

October 6, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today announced that the first shipments of the new H1N1 influenza vaccine have started to arrive in New York State.

“Some counties in New York received their first doses of the H1N1 vaccine yesterday,” Governor Paterson said. “More counties are receiving vaccine this week, and we expect to receive larger quantities of the H1N1 vaccine over the coming weeks. Eventually, there should be enough vaccine for every New Yorker who wants it.”    » read more »

Interim data from European studies confirm that one dose of Panenza® or Humenza® pandemic influenza vaccines induces robust seroprotective antibody response in children and adults

Lyon, France – October 8, 2009 - Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today that a single dose of influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccines, Panenza® (15 mcg dose, non-adjuvanted) or Humenza® (3.8 mcg dose, adjuvanted), administered to children (3 years of age and older) and adults induces a robust immune response, according to results from clinical trials conducted in Europe.    » read more »

06 October 2009, London, UK -- GSK is committed to supporting governments and health authorities around the world respond to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza strain.

The company today provided an update on orders received for its pandemic (H1N1) adjuvanted vaccine.

On the 4th August, GSK confirmed that it had contracts in place to supply 291 million doses of the vaccine and had a variety of agreements in place with the US Government to supply pandemic products worth $250 million.

Since that date, 22 government orders have been agreed to supply a further 149 million doses of the vaccine. This now brings the total number of doses ordered for GSK’s pandemic vaccines to 440 million. Discussions continue with governments for further supplies.    » read more »

Announces California Received First Shipment of H1N1 Vaccine

10/05/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued Executive Order S-22-09 (EO) to support and facilitate California’s aggressive approach to addressing the spread of the H1N1 flu virus also known as the swine flu.

The Governor’s EO ensures the state has the flexibility to respond to a potential flu crisis by renewing the ability for departments to cut through contracting red tape to obtain goods and services to fight the spread of the H1N1 virus. With the EO, the state will be able to acquire services faster such as medical staff for state facilities and transportation of H1N1 vaccine and goods such as hand sanitizer and paper masks.    » read more »

Governor, public health officials take part in administration’s statewide flu summit

WORCESTER – September 30, 2009 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the state has placed its first order for H1N1 vaccine with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Due to their vital public health role, the initial small shipment, set to arrive next week, will be used for health care workers only.

Additional vaccine shipments will arrive weekly through the end of the flu season and, in about six to eight weeks, the Commonwealth will have enough vaccine in the state to make available to the general public.    » read more »

September 17, 2009 -- Today, President Obama announced the United States will continue to act aggressively to stop the global spread of the pandemic 2009-H1N1 influenza virus and is prepared to make 10 percent of its H1N1 vaccine supply available to other countries through the World Health Organization (WHO).

In recognition that diseases know no borders and that the health of the American people is inseparable from the health of people around the world, the United States is taking this action in concert with Australia, Brazil, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.    » read more »

September 1, 2009 -- Rose Garden -- THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Before I say a few words about the meeting we just had I'd like to mention some good news that came out today about our economy. For the first time in 18 months, our manufacturing sector has expanded, and the statistics used to measure manufacturing output is the highest it's been in over two years.

This means greater production of transportation equipment like cars, and electronic equipment like computers and appliances, and it means these companies are starting to invest more and produce more, and it is a sign that we're on the path to economic recovery.    » read more »

September 1, 2009 -- The health and safety of the American people is the first priority of President Barack Obama. Since the novel 2009-H1N1 flu virus emerged in the United States during the third week of April, the President has received regular briefi'ngs and asked his Cabinet to spare no effort in addressing this national security challenge.    » read more »

New PSA Campaign Unveiled by HHS, DHS, Dept of Ed., and Sesame Workshop

September 1, 2009 -- The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Education (ED) and Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, have teamed up to launch a new, national public service advertising campaign designed to encourage American children and families to practice healthy habits and to take steps to prevent the spread of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. The PSAs featured in this campaign can be viewed on www.flu.gov.    » read more »

Lyon, France and Swiftwater, Pennsylvania – June 11, 2009 – Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announces today it is ready to support public health efforts to respond to the emergence of the new A(H1N1) influenza strain following the decision made by the World Health Organization (WHO) to raise the pandemic alert level from Phase 5 to Phase 6, the highest level of alert in the WHO global influenza preparedness plan.    » read more »

WHO raises influenza pandemic alert to phase 6

June 12, 2009, London, UK -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced it has raised the current level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6. As stated by the WHO, phase 6 indicates that there now is a pandemic ongoing caused by the new A (H1N1) influenza virus. The WHO has stated in their current assessment of the situation that this pandemic is currently of a moderate severity.

In addition to increasing production and supply of the anti-viral medication, Relenza (zanamivir), the company continues to focus efforts on the development of a candidate A (H1N1) adjuvanted influenza vaccine.    » read more »