Dutch expect fewer H1N1 vaccines in first batch

The Dutch government said on Tuesday it would receive fewer than half of the H1N1 flu vaccines initially expected in the first delivery from Swiss vaccine supplier Novartis.

The Dutch government decided in June to buy 34 million pandemic vaccines against the H1N1 flu virus, sufficient for two doses per person, agreeing with producers that the vaccine must be available by the end of 2009.

“The first supply of the vaccines at the end of October ... contains fewer vaccines than expected,” the Dutch Health Ministry said in a statement, adding that Novartis had informed the World Health Organisation of the shortfall last week.

The Dutch government expects it will receive in the first batch less than half of the ordered number of vaccines in October, amounting to between 6 million and 10 million vaccines.

“Current yields from the reassortant strain are lower than expected. We are working diligently to make adjustments to improve the yields,” Novartis said in an attached statement.

It added that pending approval from regulatory authorities and evolution of the yields, it expected deliveries to begin to governments in the fourth quarter and continue into 2010

AMSTERDAM (Reuters)