Part of anti-influenza A vaccines donated by WHO wasted

BAGAC, Bataan, Philippines  – A part of the 1.9 million doses of anti-influenza A vaccines donated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to the Philippines in 2009 has been wasted.

Dr. Lyndon Leesuy, DOH program manager for Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases, said the “uptake for the free vaccines was low” and the medicine had expired a few months ago.

“Some of the vaccines were not used but in general, most of the vaccines have been administered. I think the expiration was in September but I’m not that sure,” he said in a media seminar organized here by Newsbreak and the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines.

Leesuy noted that the “low uptake was not unusual” as it happened not only in the Philippines but across the world.

The official surmised that this was brought about by reports of side effects on patients in some countries.

“And maybe because the presentation of cases last year was mild, the public thought it as not necessary for them to be vaccinated. It was also voluntary, we don’t impose.”

In its website, Atlanta-based Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that “the 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine is showing a similar safety profile to seasonal flu vaccines, which have a very good safety track record.”

In the United States, the most common side effects following flu vaccinations are“mild, such as soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling where the shot was given.”

But WHO director Dr. Margaret Chan said the benefits that one can get from anti-H1N1 vaccination outweigh side effects.

Chan also underscored the need to distinguish whether or not the effects are truly related to the vaccines.

The 1.9-million doses comprised the first batch of vaccines donated by the WHO to the Philippines as part of its commitment to developing nations at the height of the H1N1 pandemic that rocked the world in 2009.

The DOH had passed on the distribution of vaccines to local government units as the vaccines are supposed to be administered in barangay health centers and hospitals across the country.

Vaccination had initially prioritized frontline health workers that handle H1N1 patients, pregnant women, those who are too young and too old and those who are immuno-compromised.

Since not many were availing of the vaccines, the DOH had decided to open the vaccination to the general public.

“Maybe they did not want to avail because the (commercial) vaccines for seasonal influenza have come out and they also cover H1N1,” Leesuy said.

He added the WHO had already sent its second batch of donation of some 1.5 million doses which would expire in 2011.