Novartis: Providing ‘flu vaccines is top priority

Novartis Vaccines has announced plans to produce around 40 million doses of its Fluvirin vaccine for distribution throughout the US during the upcoming influenza season in 2007-08, a rise of 30 per cent on its vaccine supply last year.

The company reports that the increasing supply of vaccines shows the company’s dedication to improving public health through the reduction of illness and death connected to infection with the influenza virus.

Novartis notes that earlier delivery of vaccines will facilitate the implementation of awareness and immunisation schemes by public health organisations and physicians ahead of schedule.

Rajiv De Silva, president of Novartis Vaccines in the US, said: “The early availability of Novartis influenza vaccines will enable healthcare providers to open additional clinics early in the season, a period when vaccination is most often requested.”

He added that the punctual provision of dependable influenza vaccines is a key priority for the firm in helping to meet public health goals of increasing the immunisation rates for vulnerable members of the community.

In April 2004, Novartis announced that its Optaflu influenza vaccine had received a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency following successful clinical trials.