Swine flu
A number of U.S. healthcare workers are resisting mandates that they be vaccinated against swine flu. Report
The Chinese government has doubled its orders for the new flu vaccine from Sinovac, bringing the total to 6.3 million doses. So far more than 100,000 residents of Beijing have been inoculated with the swine flu shot with no reports of serious side effects. Report
The World Health Organization says it hopes it can scrape together enough swine flu vaccine for 90 poor countries to inoculate 10 percent of their population. The WHO needs 300 million doses and so far has gathered commitments for 200 million. Story
A Business Roundtable survey found that most businesses have a plan for dealing with the swine flu outbreak, but most don't know if they can get enough vaccine to protect their workers. Article
Vaccine Research
A panel of Japanese experts has recommended an approval for GlaxoSmithKline's cervical cancer vaccine Cervarix, putting it on track to become the first HPV jab to win an approval in that country. In the U.S., meanwhile, Glaxo's long delayed quest for an FDA approval was delayed again when the agency requested more time to finish its review. Story
Emergent BioSolutions won $4.9 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to work on one of its anthrax vaccine programs. Story
Research to be presented at the 2009 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting and Exposition will reveal new methods for delivering measles vaccines that could potentially reduce costs and improve safety. Release
Vaccine Market
In what's billed as a landmark pact, GlaxoSmithKline has signed a $2.2 billion contract with Brazil to supply the country with pneumococcal vaccine for 10 years. In exchange for the sales guarantee, Glaxo will provide the vaccine at a deep discount off its regular European price. Story
A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court's ruling to dismiss a suit by eight service members challenging the FDA's determination that an anthrax vaccine was safe to take. The service members were challenging a military program which requires men and women in uniform to receive certain vaccinations. They had claimed that the anthrax vaccine was not proven effective and wanted to kill the Defense Department's requirement for a vaccination. Report