Tuesday 06 04 10 14:35 UTC
Department of health has struck a deal with drug giant GlaxoSmithKline to cancel part of its massive order for swine flu vaccine, it emerged today The government has struck a deal with the British drug giant GlaxoSmithKline to cancel part of its massive order for swine flu vaccine, it emerged today. The government ordered 90 million doses of swine flu vaccine - enough to vaccinate the entire population and more per head than any other country in Europe. With flu cases down to below 5,000 a week - as they have been for the last three months - it has become very clear that the UK has substantially more vaccine than it needs. The agreement will save a third of the value of the contract the government entered into with GSK to buy its vaccine Pandemrix, the department of health said. But the NHS will still be left with many more doses than it needs - it will now pay for 38.4 million doses from GSK instead of 60 million (a further 30 million were ordered from Baxter Healthcare but the contract had a get-out clause and was terminated at the end of February). But less than 5 million people have been vaccinated in England. GSK will not suffer from the cancellation - the deal involves a commitment by the department of health to buy some of its other products instead. The department of health, which issued a joint statement with GSK, refused to reveal how much money the contract was worth or how much it will still have to pay - but the figures will be substantial. Last September, the government said that it would spend £155.4 million over four years on swine flu vaccine. The government says the surplus vaccine will be kept as a stockpile in case a "third wave" of swine flu emerges. The 38.4 million doses include those already received by the NHS and those specifically manufactured and stockpiled by GSK for the UK, which, says the statement, could not reasonably be retracted. As part of the deal, the NHS will also take some stocks of "bird flu" vaccine from GSK and supplies of Relenza, its inhaled antiviral drug, to replace those that have already been used. "This deal means the UK will save approximately one third of the original value of the orders with GSK," said Health Secretary Andy Burnham. "I am pleased we have reached an agreement that is good value for the taxpayer and means that the department has retained a strategic stockpile to protect the UK population without incurring a cancellation fee. This both protects the public purse and ensures the UK remains at the forefront of pandemic preparedness worldwide. "The probability of a 'bird flu' pandemic, which is likely to be more severe than swine flu, has not diminished. This agreement means we are ready if a 'bird flu' pandemic occurred, and allows us to maintain our status as one of the most prepared countries in the world." Labour MP Paul Flynn, who is involved in an investigation by the Council of Europe into the flu pandemic and allegations of drug company influence on World Health Organisation and government policies, said he was glad a limit had been set on vaccine purchase but called for more transparency. The UK bought "vastly more than any other country we know of", he said, but would not reveal the price it paid per dose. He pointed out that the Polish health minister told the Council of Europe's investigation last week that her country refused to buy any vaccine at all - and yet the outcome had been little different from that in the UK. The drug companies selling flu vaccines and medicines, he said, "have made millions and their profits have shot up".
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