Barack Opharma issues the ultimate bad news during his weekly Friday night bad news dump: Legal immunity set for swine flu vaccine makers 17 Jul 2009 The last time the government embarked on a major vaccine campaign against a new swine flu, thousands filed claims contending they suffered side effects [paralysis, death] from the shots. This time, the government has already taken steps to head that off. Vaccine makers and federal officials will be immune from lawsuits that result from any new swine flu vaccine, under a document signed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, government health officials said Friday. The document signed by Sebelius last month grants immunity to those making a swine flu vaccine, under the provisions of a 2006 law for public health emergencies.
Baxter Files Swine Flu Vaccine Patent a Year Ahead of Outbreak –US20090060950A1 to Baxter International filed 28th August 2008 By Lara 10 Jul 2009 Baxter Vaccine Patent Application US 2009/0060950 A1 –‘In particular preferred embodiments the composition or vaccine comprises more than one antigen…..such as influenza A and influenza B in particular selected from of one or more of the human H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, H5N1, H7N7, H1N2, H9N2, H7N2, H7N3, H10N7 subtypes, of the pig flu H1N1, H1N2, H3N1 and H3N2 subtypes, of the dog or horse flu H7N7, H3N8 subtypes or of the avian H5N1, H7N2, H1N7, H7N3, H13N6, H5N9, H11N6, H3N8, H9N2, H5N2, H4N8, H10N7, H2N2, H8N4, H14N5, H6N5, H12N5 subtypes.’
Baxter can take no more H1N1 flu vaccine orders 16 Jul 2009 While at least 50 governments have placed orders or are negotiating with drug companies for supplies of flu vaccine against the [their] fast spreading H1N1 strain, the lone U.S.-based maker has already taken on as much as it can handle. Baxter International Inc said on Thursday it has taken orders from five countries, including Britain, Ireland and New Zealand, for a total of 80 million doses of H1N1 vaccine and will not take any more.
‘Clearly we believe this demand has the potential to translate into a significant opportunity.’ Baxter 2Q Profit Up 7.9%; Full-Year Guidance Raised 16 Jul 2009 Baxter International Inc. posted a stronger-than-expected 7.9% rise in second-quarter profit with help from improved margins and product sales that continued to avoid any hits from the economic downturn. The medical-products maker boosted its 2009 earnings guidance while saying the increase doesn’t reflect at this point any contribution from making a vaccine for the H1N1 flu strain. Baxter reported a second-quarter profit of $587 million, or 96 cents a share, up from $544 million, or 85 cents a share, a year earlier.
Baxter working on vaccine to stop swine flu, though admitted sending live pandemic flu viruses to subcontractor By Lori Price 26 Apr 2009 The OMFG moment of the century: Illinois-based Baxter working on vaccine to ‘stop’ swine flu outbreak in Mexico 25 Apr 2009 Specialty drug maker Baxter International Inc. will work with the World Health Organization to develop a vaccine that could stem [foment] an outbreak of a deadly swine flu strain in Mexico. Baxter spokesman Christopher Bona said Saturday that the Deerfield, Ill.-based company has asked the WHO for a sample of the flu strain. He says Baxter has patented technology that allows the company to develop vaccines in half the time it usually takes — about 13 weeks instead of 26.
Baxter admits sending live avian flu viruses to subcontractor –Baxter admits contaminated seasonal flu product contained live bird flu virus 27 Feb 2009 The company that released contaminated flu virus material from a plant in Austria confirmed Friday that the experimental product contained live H5N1 avian flu viruses. And an official of the World Health Organization’s European operation said the body is closely monitoring the investigation into the events that took place at Baxter International’s research facility in Orth-Donau, Austria.
Human trial of swine flu vaccine ‘soon’ 15 Jul 2009 The federal government has defended its policy of not following the United Kingdom’s lead and rushing out a swine flu vaccine. Biopharmaceutical company CSL will start clinical vaccine trials on 240 healthy adults in Adelaide next week. The vaccine is due to be rolled out in October.
CLG Pandemic Action Alerts 12 Jul 2009 Petition against mandatory vaccines; contact the White House, US Congress –More flu news here
