PS again requested a commission of inquiry

Roselyne Bachelot took everyone speed to cut short a debate become fierce yesterday. While the laboratories Sanofi Pasteur and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) came to say ready to discuss influenza A (H1N1) vaccine orders by the France, while stating that they had not yet been sought by the Government, the Minister of Health announced last night on TF1 "termination" of the order of 50 million doseson bought 94 million, for "reason of general interest", said the Ministry in the evening. This decision concerns GSK to height of 32 million doses, Sanofi-Pasteur of 11 million and 7 million Novartis.

"These commands were neither delivered nor paid, they are therefore terminated", she said, without specifying what conditions. The Minister has implied that there would be no penalties since it considers that the economy would be "more than half" spending purchases of vaccines (more than 700 million euros). In reality, Roselyne Bachelot made the decision to terminate massively but the precise financial conditions remain now to negotiate. Discussions with laboratories had however begun as early as late 2009, when the Government had confirmed that a single dose of vaccine was sufficient for more than 10 years. Sanofi Pasteur (28 million doses ordered) said Sunday that his contract did not include "step clause or provision providing for a renegotiation." GSK is the largest supplier, with 50 million vaccines ordered (including only 13 delivered). Also follow Novartis (16 million doses) and Baxter (50,000).

Yesterday, the attacks against the Government on its strategy were multiplied, 5 million people only having previously been vaccinated. For Professor Bernard Debré, Member of UMP, very severe since the beginning, "it pushed up to the absurd the precautionary principle." We have one third of the global Tamiflu that is being unscrupulous pharmacies; We have 10 of the vaccines. "The cost is more than the deficit of all French hospitals, three times the Cancer plan", he told on RTL, denouncing "absolutely fantastic pressure of laboratories. PS again requested a commission of inquiry. Roselyne Bachelot replied: "If I had to redo, I exactly referais the same thing", referring to "serious health crises of the past" as that of the blood. Bruno Lina virologist acknowledged that "it made much more than was necessary." "But it is because we have to accumulate great news: it should be that a single dose, the virus was not as dangerous as we imagined", he said, predicting "a second wave" pandemic.

Physicians mobilized

The Minister of health also called for "do not release custody on vaccination" by another surprise announcement: "next week, volunteer practitioners can vaccinate in their Office." This possibility them was denied for months by the Government, which had much fueled the controversy over the vaccination strategy. Liberal physicians should be paid 6 to 7 euros carried out vaccination, but shall not charge consultation (22 euros). They provide dose in vaccination centres. The Department had preferred until then vaccination in such centres to ensure the traceability of the vaccination and because vaccines are not conditioned by individual dose (but ten). These problems remain, but the Government changed its foot.

The France is not the only one to have seen large. The Spain has experienced this fall a similar controversy, the Government is accused of having ordered 37 million doses, then that only 10 million should be used. The idea of entrusting the 27 million unused doses to pharmacies is mentioned. Britain, the Netherlands and the Germany also need to manage a delicate surplus of vaccines. On 7 January, a meeting is scheduled in Berlin between the Federal State, the Länder (responsible for the matter) and GSK to negotiate new volumes. Germany (210,000 cases, 132 deaths) had ordered 50 million doses. Only 6 million Germans (over 82 million) had been shot late 2009. The Länder would limit the total shipments to 25 million doses. Berlin is also looking to sell its vaccines to other countries. But the situation doesn't cause massive controversy. The "Süddeutsche Zeitung" j. hypocritical criticism: "imagine what would have happened if the flu had a considerable number of victims, whether the authorities had not ordered enough doses.". The Belgium doesn't sell his stock to the hypothesis of a second wave.

In the United States, the administrative bungling of the beginning (few vaccines available) have avoided this kind of dilemma. In total, 60 million Americans have been vaccinated on the 111 million doses available.