Overview of The Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Stockpiling Strategies

Overview of The Pandemic Influenza Vaccine Stockpiling Strategies

According to the World Health Organization, more and more confirmed human cases of H5N1 infections have been reported all over the world since 2003. Facing pandemic influenza threats, Taiwan has been stockpiling pre-pandemic influenza vaccines since 2006. International stockpile strategies for pandemic influenza vaccine include storage of pre-pandemic influenza vaccines, bulk vaccine antigen, adjuvants and the signing advanced purchase agreements (APA) with manufacturers. Because APA leads to a reduction in the manufacturing of pre-pandemic influenza vaccines, it became a trend worldwide in recent years. We re-examined and evaluated our national strategy for stockpile of vaccines, antigens, adjuvants and APA. In comparison with the present various stocking strategies, APA is a more appropriate strategy that ensures that the health authority has the priority to obtain vaccines matching the virus strains in circulation of a pandemic. In addition, since the virus strain causing the next influenza pandemic is highly uncertain, APA saves annual cost of pre-pandemic vaccine procurement and avoid the risk of stockpiling a pre-pandemic influenza vaccine with unmatched pandemic virus strains.