Chiron restarts flu vaccine production

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has lifted its suspension on vaccines maker Chiron’s manufacturing plant in Liverpool, after the company answered concerns about bacterial contamination. The suspension caused a serious shortage in flu vaccine in the US this year.

The MRSA withdrew Chiron’s licence last October, which had severe knock-on effects - some 50million doses of Fluvirin, the company’s flu vaccine, were blocked, representing about half of the US’s vaccine supply. The MRSA now says that ‘satisfactory progress has been made in manufacturing areas which had previously caused concern.’ The company has promised to provide weekly updates to the agency.

With the licence restored, Chiron can now start making vaccine for the next flu season - every year, in February, the World Health Organisation determines which strains of flu need to be covered by vaccination for the coming year, and how many doses will be required.

Howard Pien, Chiron chief executive, says: ‘In this new beginning we remain focused on continuing to remediate and improve so Chiron can successfully deliver on the results required to suppply influenze vaccine for the 2005-2006 season.’