Pharmacists Association is sounding the Alarm: Germany, the flu Vaccine is

Flu vaccines are in many Parts of Germany almost. “Everything that comes now, is not vaccinated”, said the managing Director of the Pharmacy Association of Saarland, Carsten Cheap. “All the suppliers currently get nothing,” said Stefan Fink, Chairman of the Thuringian pharmacists Association.

Also from other Federal States like Saxony, lower Saxony and Hesse, delays in delivery or shortages be reported.

The patients have started this year may be much earlier, to get vaccinated, said Susanne stoecker, spokeswoman for the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute (PEI). If more people get vaccinated, or vaccination only in the past held, we can’t know yet. She holds the great wave of Flu in the past season for a possible reason for the current interest. This is probably more people are aware of the issue.

Doses used about a Million more than last year

Other experts point to the well as Fund performance, available Four-way vaccine. He is considered to be more effective than one with three components. The Federal Ministry of health cites as possible causes for the defect in addition to a higher demand for a delay in the ordering of flu vaccines by Physicians and pharmacists, to large inventories in some doctor’s offices and pharmacies, as well as direct contracts between health insurance funds and pharmacists.

In the face of regional shortages Federal Minister of health, Jens Spahn (CDU) relaxed rules for the procurement. Accordingly, the länder can allow for regional requirements that pharmacies and doctor’s offices among themselves with the flu vaccine supply and that of other countries in the European Union-related vaccines in the pharmacy to be dispensed. It must be clear: Anyone who wants to can be vaccinated against influenza, said Spahn the editorial network in Germany. A total of 15.7 million doses, according to the Ministry available in Germany. The are about a Million more than in the previous year were used.

People through vaccination campaign on attention

The pharmaceutical companies can produce for this season, no flu vaccine. It takes about six months to produce a conventional vaccine, to egg white base, said a spokeswoman for the manufacturer, Sanofi. To the number of pre-orders, we’ll pack a certain amount of safety margin, but we can’t produce for 80 million people. The orders came mostly from wholesalers, and pharmacists. The way to order vaccines are in the States different.

Cheap of the Pharmacy Association of Saarland, could have led to a great demand, the statutory funds to pay for the first time for the Four-way vaccine against the flu. In addition, the people had made a vaccination campaign on the issue.

Ordering of vaccines in lower Saxony, to be governed

Also in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, the vaccine is in short supply. The vaccination rate was, however, in both countries, said the Executive Director of the pharmacists ‘ Association of Schleswig-Holstein and the Hamburg pharmacists Association, Thomas Friedrich. The Four-way vaccine is already since the beginning of September – this could be a reason that he goes this season before running out.

In lower Saxony, according to the kassenärztliche Vereinigung Niedersachsen (KVN) have ordered some medical practices early is very much the vaccine. In the case of other Doctors would have ordered, delayed, now deliveries. In the coming year, KVN aims to regulate the order of the vaccines in the country. We think of a Central order for all of the Doctors in lower Saxony, a spokesman said.

The country’s Ministry of health has so far noticed no bottleneck

In Hesse, the inventories are exhausted, according to the national pharmacist Association since this week. The Association had agreed to a producer a quota and the state’s pharmacies offered to order something from it. The pharmacists Association of the vaccine of this company is no longer available. Single orders over wholesalers seem to be to get currently difficult, said Forester. The Hessian family doctors Association and the country’s Ministry of health have, however, noticed so far not a bottleneck.

A kind of collective order-Western Pomerania since years, in Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. “The fridges are well filled,” said a spokesman for the health Department of Berlin. He referred to a framework agreement with the AOK northeast. The health insurance Fund organises the supply of influenza vaccine since 2011 for the three provinces together with the respective pharmacists associations. The AOK Nordost have made an effort with these partners at an early stage to the delivery of security, said Susanne Dolfen, head of drug supply with the AOK northeast. As the first Region in Germany, we have already determined in February 2018, the demand, and the flu vaccine could be ordered.

Flu last season has led to nearly 2000 deaths

Also in Baden-Württemberg, the supply is secured well so far. “A massive lack of nothing is known to us,” said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of social Affairs in Stuttgart, Germany. Although there have been reports that in some regions of Baden-württemberg, the vaccine was out of stock. For a larger area that has not applied so far.

The Robert Koch Institute advises, in particular, people over 60, Pregnant women, the chronically ill and medical staff to a flu vaccination. According to Figures from the Federal Ministry of health, the flu has triggered in the last season in Germany, around nine million visits to the doctor, and has led to nearly 2000 deaths.