Unexpected free flu vax programs deplete private market supplies.
Pharmacy owners are being warned they may struggle to access fresh supplies of influenza vaccines for patients aged five to 64 years, through traditional wholesalers.
One Community Service Obligation (CSO) wholesaler has written to pharmacies to inform them that flu vaccine “suppliers have advised that all their holdings are fully exhausted”, following announcements of free vaccination campaigns in NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
The wholesaler noted that it “had no prior notice of these programs, and despite ordering more stock than the pre-orders [for private market supplies] received at the end of 2021, [it] has very few doses left nationally”.
To date the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has released 16.8 million doses of flu vaccines for the 2022 flu season, 7.6 million have been allocated to the “private market” – for people aged five years to under 65, while 9.2 million has been earmarked for those eligible for shots through the National Immunisation Program.
“[We] understand that almost all remaining flu vaccine stock in Australia resides with the NIP in each state and that pharmacies will be asked to access these supplies,” the wholesaler said.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson from NSW Health directed Pharmacy Daily to its website, which advises pharmacies to “use existing private supply, or obtain vaccine supply through usual wholesale supply distributors for under 65s”.
“If pharmacies are unable to obtain supply they can contact NSW Health for further information at MOH-PHEOOperations@health.nsw.gov.au,” the site noted.
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Pharmacy Daily.
