14 DAY TRIAL // This year's flu season took its toll on people living in the United States, and several individuals ended up needing medical attention as a result of their beginning to display symptoms associated with this sickness.
As was to be expected, the ones who one way or another managed to dodge the flu bullet did not delay asking their doctors that they be vaccinated as soon as possible.
Apparently, this sudden interest in immunization translated into several drug manufacturers' running out of the flu vaccines they marketed.
Thus, Daily Mail reports that both Hoffman-La Roche, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, and Sanofi, a French multinational pharmaceutical company that also happens to be the largest flu vaccine provider for the US, have recently made it public news that they are presently experiencing a flu shots shortage.
More precisely, it looks like Roche is running out of their liquid form of the Tamiflu treatment for children, whereas Sanofi has managed to sell out four of its six distinct dosages of Fluzone.
For those unaware, said liquid form of Tamiflu is meant for children who have already fallen sick with flu, and helps alleviate and even stop their symptoms. The good news is that this medicine can be replaced by Tamiflu capsules that have been dissolved in a sugary liquid.
According to the same source, a spokesperson for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recently stated that, “We [i.e. the CDC] are hearing of spot shortages. Given the time in our flu season, it isn't surprising.”
Furthermore, “People who haven't been vaccinated and want to get the vaccine may have to look in several places for it.”
Interestingly enough, other vaccine manufacturers and marketers argue that, from their standpoint, there are plenty of immunization options to go around.
Thus, International Business Times reports that a spokesperson for MedImmune, which makes the only nasal spray flu vaccine on the market (i.e. FluMist), has recently pointed out the fact that said company is well prepared to deal with this sudden increase in the number of flu vaccine demands.