Preparations intensifying for H1N1 mass vaccination program

A front page story in today's Washington Post ("Swine flu campaign waits on vaccine") highlights the increasing likelihood of an unprecedented mass vaccination program this fall against H1N1 influenza. Much is still unknown about the precise size and scope of the vaccination campaign, but, according to NIH's Dr. Anthony Fauci in the Post, "There's little doubt we're going to vaccinate people. Who and when and exactly how -- we have to figure out."

Answers to these questions will be learned in part from the ongoing clinical testing of the vaccine. According to a report in yesterday's New York Times, no serious side effects have been seen in the initial stages of H1N1 vaccine trials. As the Times reports, 4,500 research volunteers will receive the vaccine, making detection of any rare adverse events related to the vaccine impossible to detect during clinical testing.

CIDRAP News also reported this weekend on the status of H1N1 vaccine trials. According to an NIAID teleconference, preliminary data will be available by mid-September. Of particular importance will be data on the quantity of vaccine needed to provide immunity in a person, results that will impact the total number of doses that will be available in the fall.

Finally, the official recommendations from the ACIP regarding H1N1 vaccine priority groups were published electronically on Friday. The priority groups -- pregnant women, those in close contant with infants, health care personnel, children and adults under 24 years old, and older adults at risk of influenza-related complications -- were determined at a special meeting of the ACIP last month. Presentation slides from that meeting are available on the CDC website.