30 April 2004
Overreliance on a small number of vaccine suppliers is putting the provision of routine immunisation programmes at risk, senior MPs warned this week.
A Commons' Public Accounts Committee report on vaccine procurement found that there were only a limited number of manufacturers in the market and that this, coupled with complex manufacturing processes, resulted in shortages of some vaccine supplies.
Between September 1999 and September 2001, the school vaccination programme for tuberculosis was halted because of a shortage of supplies, although all children who missed out were subsequently vaccinated.
PAC chair Edward Leigh said it was 'very worrying' that such a small number of suppliers were involved. 'The [Department of Health] relied on just ten companies for 16 essential vaccines,' he said. 'In most cases supplies have been delivered as required, but there have been shortages of the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis and the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.'
The PAC urged the DoH to work to place provision on a firmer footing by spending more, in order to minimise the risk of shortages, and allowing suppliers greater input in planning for future needs.
The April 27 report also concluded that donations made by the chief executive of PowderJect Pharmaceuticals to the Labour Party had not helped the company to win a £32.5m contract to manufacture smallpox vaccine.
However, the MPs urged officials to ensure proper procurement procedures were followed so decisions can be shown to have been made from an objective standpoint.
In 2001/02, the DoH in England spent £195m on routine vaccine procurement but told the PAC that the introduction of new financial and business systems should allow it to make extra savings of £5m a year.
PFapr2004
