Vaccine supplies dwindle for many diseases

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The recent shortage of flu shots received much attention, but vaccine stocks have also dwindled in the past few years for such diseases as meningitis, mumps, measles and diphtheria.

The problems with supply are blamed on a number of interrelated factors -- the low prices the federal government pays for childhood vaccines, the dwindling number of vaccine producers, and others.

For doctors, regardless of the cause, the effect is the same. Last fall, New York pediatrician Dr. Elihu Sussman ordered 40 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), which protects against deadly meningitis, bloodstream infections and pneumonia in young children.

But after waiting a month, he received only five.

"Wyeth [the sole manufacturer of PCV] said there were problems in the manufacturing process and that they were allocating on the basis of [a provider's] orders in the last six months," Dr. Sussman said in a telephone interview,

"We raised a whole lot of stink [about the allocation policy], and Wyeth wound up releasing to me the other 35 doses I ordered ... but they told me not to call again" for several months with any further orders, he added.

Dr. Sussman is not alone.

Repeated warnings

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced Dec. 19 that PCV Prevnar is being apportioned. The academy further warned that there could be changes in the vaccination schedule against the life-threatening infections if widespread vaccine shortages occur.