Forum Session

Date:

NOVEMBER 8, 2004

Title:

Influenza Vaccine Shortages: Dress
Rehearsal for a Future Pandemic? Or
Wake-Up Call?

Manager:

Eileen Salinsky

Summary:

This session provided an overview of the draft national plan for pandemic influenza preparedness, recently released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and identified key challenges for its implementation. Lessons learned from the current influenza vaccine shortage were examined to more broadly inform pandemic preparedness planning. The perspectives and concerns of stakeholder groups involved in preparedness development, including the vaccine industry, state and local public health officials, health care providers, and the public at large, were explored.

Speakers:

Bruce Gellin, MD, MPH, Director, National Vaccine Program Office

With comments from an expert panel:
Anita Barry, MD, MPH , Director, Communicable Disease, Control DivisionBoston Public Health Commission; Kathleen F. Gensheimer, MD, MPH, State Epidemiologist, Maine Department of Health and Human Services; Christine Grant, JD, MBA, Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations, Aventis Pasteur, Inc.; Roz Lasker, MD, Director, Division of Public Health, The New York Academy of Medicine; David J. Witt, MD, Chief of Infectious Diseases, Kaiser Permanente, San Rafael Medical Center

Slides from the presentation by Dr. Gellin are available for download.

Related
Materials:

NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY FORUM
2131 K Street, NW, Suite 500	T 202/872-1390
Washington, DC 20037	E nhpf@gwu.edu