WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Report: US inspectors knew of problems at UK flu vaccine maker in '99

Report: US inspectors knew of problems at UK flu vaccine maker in '99

(National-NBC) Nov. 8, 2004 - A report in Monday's Kansas City Star newspaper says US inspectors knew five years ago there were contamination problems at a British plant that makes american flu vaccines.

British health officials closed Chiron Corporation's Liverpool, England, plant this year after discovering contamination. That move cut the US supply of flu vaccines in half.

A 1999 FDA report obtained by the Star shows at least 21 batches of the vaccine for the 1999-2000 flu season had to be filtered more than once to make them sterile enough for distribution.

The paper says the FDA provided the documents as part of a lawsuit by a woman who claims she was paralyzed by a vaccine manufactured at the plant. Chiron settled that case earlier this year, even though the company didn't own the plant at the time.

So far the flu season appears to be starting slowly this year. Several states are reporting a few cases, including Texas and New York, but many places haven't recorded a single flu case, and not one is reporting widespread flu activity.

The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cautions the flu remains unpredictable and adds that a slow start doesn't mean this year's season will remain light.

posted 11:17am by Chris Rees