Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

[Ronan Kelly]

Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare


Purchase of Vaccines for Swine Flu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14:22 IST
RAJYA SABHA

Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic HINI Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur SA, Lyon, France.

The quality of indigenous vaccine for Pandemic Influenza A HINI (swine flu) are assessed by the Drug Controller General of India for which the Indian companies are presently undertaking clinical trials.

On completion of these assessments the vaccine would be licensed by Drug Controller General. The expected time when these indigenous vaccines are likely to be available is April/May 2010.

This information was given by Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in written reply to a question raised in Rajya Sabha today.

DS/GK

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=58077

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic HINI Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

H1N1 shots from next week
TNN, Mar 4, 2010, 02.26am IST


NEW DELHI: Mass vaccination against the deadly H1N1 swine flu virus are likely to begin in India next week. The 1.5 million doses of vaccines imported by the government from Sanofi Pasteur have passed the safety test.

The French vaccine manufacturers submitted the results of their clinical bridge study -- conducted in Delhi and Pune on 100 adult subjects -- to the Drug Controller General of India on Wednesday. The trials were completed on February 21. The results were then checked thoroughly in Lyon before being submitted to DCGI.

DCGI Dr Surinder Singh told TOI, "The trials of the vaccine have proven its safety profile. By Friday, we will vet the results and give its clearance for use on humans in India. By next week, the vaccination should begin."

According to Union health ministry officials, 10 lakh doses of the vaccine will be sent to all Central government hospitals for administering on all frontline health workers and those at highest risk of getting infected.

The rest will be given to the armed forces while some doses will be retained by the ministry.
The ministry was more concerned about the vaccine's safety. The vaccine's safety profile was checked twice -- first for seven days and then for 21 days. The trials took place in Kalavati Saran Hospital in Delhi and Bharatiya Vidyapith in Pune and the vaccines were found to be safe.

Dr Singh said, "We didn't want it to cause side-effects like the Guillain-Barri syndrome (GBS) -- a rare disease in which the body damages its own nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. The company will, however, continue to check the vaccine's immunogenecity results, which will come in six weeks time."

Meanwhile, India's indigenous H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available by April 15 and could cost between Rs 80 and Rs 100.($1.80 - $2.20)

Cadila Healthcare had on January 3 started human trials of India's live and inactivated indigenous H1N1 vaccine on 200 subjects. Three other Indian companies -- Serum Institute (Pune), Bharat Biotech International (Hyderabad) and Panasia Biotec (New Delhi) -- were also given clearance by DCGI to conduct human trials in January. These are expected to start soon.

While Serum will test the trials on around 350 people, Panacea has a subject size of over 1,100 and Bharat of 160.

Dr Singh said, "If all goes well with the Indian vaccines and they prove safe and effective, they should be available commercially between April 15 and 30.

Experts, however, say no vaccine is 100% safe for everyone. People with allergies to eggs, for example, can't take flu vaccines because eggs are involved in the manufacturing process.

H1N1 has spread to 210 countries. In India, it has infected over 29,710 people and killed 1,376 among them.

The World Health Organisation recently came out with a new warning that the H1N1 pandemic may not have peaked as yet. It also said that H1N1 has been by far the dominant virus round the world over the past year and all indications are that the virus will be around for quite a long time.

Over 300 million people have been vaccinated globally so far against influenza, and the shots, which have an excellent safety record, have proved 70-75% effective.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/H1N1-shots-from-next-week/articleshow/5638121.cms

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

Pune to get imported H1N1 vaccine by weekend Anuradha Mascarenhas

Posted: Friday , Mar 12, 2010 at 0132 hrs


Vials mainly for high-risk groups like medical practitioners, paramedics


The imported vaccine against H1N1 virus will arrive in Pune and other parts of the state this weekend. These are mainly for the high-risk group of medical practitioners and paramedical staff who have been dealing with patients infected with H1N1 virus.



In Pune, over 3,000 patients were treated for swine flu while in the state, this number is over 6,000. Dr V Khanande, joint director of Health Services said that there were 202 swine flu deaths in Pune and a total of 380 in the state.


Since Pune saw a huge number of patients suffering from swine flu, the centre had directed health officials to submit data on the number of doctors and others from the medical community who would need vaccination. A list of 34,215 doctors ? both government and private set up ? was submitted to the centre, the health officials said. At present, there are 109 hospitals in the state treating swine flu patients, of this 24 are in Pune.

State Health Minister Suresh Shetty had called a meeting in which he directed Sassoon hospital to submit a feasibility report on whether the vaccine can be administered to schoolchildren. When contacted Dr Arun Jamkar, Dean, B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital said that their expert team will submit the report soon. ?We have already informed our doctors, nurses and paramedical staff about the proposal to vaccinate this high risk group against swine flu,? Jamkar said.



The vaccine, developed by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur, has been imported to protect health care workers against the virus, said health officials.



Khanande said another meeting of state immunization officials has been called to discuss the cold chain facility for storing vaccines and further instruction from the Centre is awaited.

?Schoolchildren more susceptible to the virus?



Cases of seasonal influenza may have gone down but according to National Institute of Virology (NIV) director Dr A C Mishra, there is no ?break up in the H1N1 transmission of the virus?. Evidence shows that more schoolchildren have been infected than adults which shows they are more susceptible to the H1N1 virus. While a back-up vaccine has been procured by the government, the NIV director stressed that infection control practices are important. Every six months, a new vaccine is introduced to prevent seasonal influenza in developed countries and there is no universal vaccine that can safeguard against the virus. India is among the 170 countries closely monitoring the H1N1 virus everyday. Across the world, 200 people have developed a resistance to the drug used against H1N1 virus and what is of utmost importance is that general practitioners need to protect themselves while treating a swine flu patient as they are among the high-risk category, Mishra said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Pune-to-get-imported-H1N1-vaccine-by-weekend/589875

[Pathfinder]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

Shielding health professionals against H1N1

Simran Virk, TNN, Mar 13, 2010, 09.39pm IST

LUDHIANA: To provide a sigh of relief to health professionals working at high-risk in hospitals, the government is all set to supply H1N1 vaccine to health officials in the state and around 20,000 vaccines will be dispatched for the entire state.

According to information, the National Integrated Surveillance Department (NISD) had sent pro-formas to all district heads asking them to identify members who were at high risk of acquiring the infection and thereafter each district would send the list to NISD.

Talking to TOI, an official of the health department said, "Though cases of infection have reduced, the flu can strike anytime. This is a preventive measure against H1N1 so that more people can be saved, particularly those vulnerable of getting the infection."

It is pertinent to mention that 180 positive cases of H1N1 were reported from the city with 31 deaths.
...

Full article at:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/5677490.cms

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

34,300 doses of imported H1N1 vaccine arrive in Mumbai
Nozia Sayyed / DNAWednesday, March 17, 2010 0:18 IST

Mumbai: Maharashtra on Monday got 34,300 doses of imported swine flu vaccine made by French Pharma company Sanofi-Pasteur. The vaccines arrived in Mumbai, and will now be shipped to different districts. They will be administered within a week.

The swine flu pandemicThe imported vaccine has received the necessary clearances from the drug controller general of India (DCGI), and has been proven to be safe for humans. The safety data of the vaccine has also been analysed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

ICMR director Dr VM Katoch told DNA that the safety trials are satisfactory, and the vaccine is ready for release. Joint secretary of the Union ministry of health and family welfare, Vineet Chawdhary, said the vaccine will be administered by the medical fraternity like doctors, nurses, health workers etc. treating H1N1 patients.

?Though the vaccine has been released, administrating it will take time. Before distribution at the local level, meetings and awareness workshops will be conducted at the state level in all the states, where the vaccine will be explained to the health officials and their doubts will be cleared,? said Chawdhary.

Dr VM Kulkarni, immunisation head, Pune, said that an awareness workshop will soon be held in Mumbai with the district health officials and swine flu nodal officers.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_34300-doses-of-imported-h1n1-vaccine-arrive-in-mumbai_1359931

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

A (H1N1) vaccine for States



Special Correspondent







NEW DELHI: The Centre has started despatching the imported A (H1N1) influenza prevention vaccine to the States and paramilitary forces. The largest chunk of 1,24,200 doses was sent to Karnataka followed by 80,400 doses to Andhra Pradesh from the Government Medical Store Depot (GMSD) at Mumbai on Monday and Tuesday, according to an official press release.

The Drugs Controller-General of India cleared the vaccines, manufactured by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur last week. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will import 4 million doses of vaccine until the Indian drug companies start marketing their vaccines next month.

The CRPF and the BSF have also picked up their consignment of 2,400 and 1,600 doses from GMSD in Delhi on Monday. Tamil Nadu will receive 20,000 doses, Kerala (45,600), Goa (15,000), Puducherry (8,900), Lakshadweep (400), Madhya Pradesh (23,700), Gujarat (33,200), West Bengal (65,300), Bihar (27,000), Chhattisgarh (17,000), and Sikkim (3,100).

http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/17/stories/2010031753581500.htm

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

H1N1 vaccine: 12,000 doses ready, mixed response from docs
Anuradha Mascarenhas


Posted: Friday , Mar 19, 2010 at 0423 hrs

Pune: Even as 12,000 doses of imported H1N1 vaccine have arrived in Pune district, opinion is divided among doctors and health workers on becoming part of the immunisation drive. This vaccine is meant only for doctors, health workers and paramedical staff who have been in close contact with swine flu patients.


While the office of the additional director of health will conduct workshops about the importance of the vaccine, they said it was not compulsory for doctors to get immunised.


Dr V M Kulkarni who is in charge of the vaccination programme said it remains to be seen what kind of response they would get from the health workers. ?We have received the doses of vaccine and will conduct a training workshop with the help of civil surgeons,? Kulkarni said.


National Institute of Virology deputy director Dr M S Chadda said she was willing to take the vaccine if offered; but there are many who are hesitant about getting immunised. Indian Medical Association, Pune unit chief, Dr Dilip Sarda, said nearly 40 per cent of the doctors have developed immunity and there was no point in taking the vaccine now.


Dr Aarti Kinikar, in-charge of the swine flu ICU at B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital, is in favour of taking adequate precaution that involves hand washing and wearing masks that helped protect her from the virus. She said she would have to carefully read the instructions about the imported vaccine as each influenza vaccine needs to be updated every six months.


Dr V L Yemul, medical administrator at KEM Hospital, said not many doctors at the hospital were willing to take the vaccine. ?It is six months into the swine flu epidemic and most doctors feel they may have developed an immunity to the virus. We have been taking precautions and are not too sure about the safety of the vaccine,? Yemul said. Dr Nitin Bilolikar, resident medical officer at Aundh General Hospital, said he was willing to take the vaccine and they were awaiting guidelines from additional director of health?s office.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/h1n1-vaccine-12-000-doses-ready-mixed-response-from-docs/592932/0

[Pathfinder]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

First consignment of swine flu vaccine arrives in Kerala

Staff Reporter

<HR color=lightblue noShade>State has reported 1,613 cases of

swine flu
Doctors will have priority in vaccination


<HR color=lightblue noShade>
Thiruvananthapuram:The Kerala Health Department has received the first consignment of vaccine against swine flu or Influenza A (H1N1) from the Union Health Ministry and will soon initiate the IEC (information, education and communication) process among doctors and other health workers. The department has received 45,600 doses of the vaccine, manufactured by Sanofi Pasteur and imported by the Union Health Ministry.

Doctors and health workers who are at high risk of contracting the virus through contact with patients in hospitals will have the priority in vaccination. At this stage, the Union Health Ministry has not said anything about making the vaccine available for the public. The State's H1N1

Vaccine Coordination Committee will meet next week to share details of the vaccine with doctors.

37 deaths

The State had requested for 88,000 doses of the vaccine, based on a rough estimate of the doctors and health workers who might need protection. Kerala has reported 1,613 cases of H1N1 infection till date, including 37 deaths.
/.../

More at:

http://www.thehindu.com/2010/03/21/stories/2010032155330600.htm

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

Demand for H1N1 vaccine highest in Pune circle

Posted: Monday , Mar 29, 2010 at 2327 hrs


Pune circle has asked for 14,000 doses of the imported H1N1 vaccine, the most sought by any region in the state.



The vaccine, which is meant for the doctors and paramedics who have been dealing with swine flu patients at the isolation wards of hospitals, will be administered on April 1.



On Saturday, the Assistant Director of Health (vaccine) Dr VM Kulkarni held a meeting with civil surgeons of rural hospitals from 33 districts and distributed the stock of the vaccine as per the demand. The state received a total of 34, 300 doses and Pune circle that comprises Pune, Solapur and Satara placed a demand for 14,000 doses.



This was the highest demand, with Mumbai asking for 2,000 doses, Nashik 4,000, Kolhapur 3,800, Nagpur 1,800, 1,400 each for Latur and Akola and 1,200 for Aurangabad, Kulkarni said.



Meanwhile, the Aundh Civil Hospital authorities have urged both Sassoon Hospital and B J Medical College authorities and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health authorities to set up vaccination centres at the respective venues.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Demand-for-H1N1-vaccine-highest-in-Pune-circle/597269

[Pathfinder]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

No scare, so docs not interested in H1N1 vaccine

Express News Service
Tags : swineflu, health
Posted: Tuesday , Mar 30, 2010 at 0127 hrs

Chandigarh:

It?s been 10 days since vaccination for swine flu began in city hospitals but only 10 per cent of doctors and support staff have come forward to receive the shot.

The vaccination programme was started by the Union Ministry of Health to immunise the medical staff against the H1N1 virus.

But medical community, including doctors, nurses and the paramedics, seem uninterested.

A single dose of Penanza, a drug procured by the Centre from a French pharmaceutical company, is given during vaccination.

Of the 2,200 staff members at the GMCH, Sector 32, only 515 have come forward to get vaccinated.

Hospital authorities express helpless, as the exercise is voluntary.

?Last year, the vaccine stock had exhausted in seven days. Now, the stock is lying unused,? Medical Superintendent of the hospital Prof Vipin Kaushal said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/noscare-sodocsnotinterestedinh1n1vaccine/597417/

[Ronan Kelly]

Re: Government of India purchased 1.5 million doses of Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine from M/s Sanofi Pasteur

Mumbai still waits, while Pune's got it
By: Alisha Coelho Date: 2010-04-08 Place: Mumbai

H1N1 vaccine is still to reach Mumbai's swine flu centres while inoculation programme commences in Pune

Excitement over the new H1N1 vaccine might still be alive in Pune, but it seems to have died down in Mumbai.

Kasturba Hospital Superintendent, Dr Umesh Aigal, said the hospital had placed orders for the vaccine from the state Directorate of Health but was yet to get a response. "We get two to three suspect cases every week.

However, we're yet to receive any consignment," said Aigal.


Exaggerated
On the eve of World Health Day, Samlee Plianbangchang, Regional Director, WHO, Southeast Asia, said the global H1N1 pandemic had been exaggerated.


At Kokilaben Hospital in Andheri, centre in-charge, Dr Tanu Singhal, said she hadn't had a single query for the vaccine or even from people complaining of symptoms in some time. The city's first H1N1 patient had come to this centre.

"This time last year, before the holidays, there was one day when I received over 200 calls," Singhal said.

"Those going on holiday were in a panic as there was a global scare then. This time, it's been weeks since anyone's called me about the vaccine."

State Director of Health Services, Dr D S Dakhure, said inoculation of health workers in Pune was on, after which the vaccine would be supplied to other centres.

"When we were to send the list of people for vaccination, maybe too many names were sent. We're preparing a list of people willing to take vaccination," said Dr Meenakshi Patil, Pimpri-Chinchwad's nodal officer for swine flu.
The city received 11,315 doses of the imported vaccine based on an estimated number of medicos involved in the treatment of H1N1 patients.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2010/apr/080410-swine-flu-mumbai-H1N1-vaccine-not-reached.htm