In 2004 the DoHA tendered for, and executed, Influenza Deeds of Agreement with CSL Limited and Sanofi Pasteur for the supply of seasonal and pandemic influenza vaccines. The deeds secured Australia with priority access to supplies of pre-pandemic (candidate) and pandemic (customised) influenza vaccine.

Australia’s national response plans are premised on delaying the establishment and spread of the disease in Australia for as long as possible to allow the production of a vaccine specific to the pandemic strain. WHO advises that “influenza vaccines are one of the most effective ways to protect people from contracting illness during influenza epidemics and pandemics”.30 Production of a customised pandemic vaccine can only begin after the pandemic virus has emerged, and the AHMPPI outlines that it would be several months before the first doses became available.

Australia’s pandemic planning included the procurement and stockpiling of a small amount of candidate H5N1 vaccines, as that influenza strain was thought to have the highest pandemic potential. The advantage of these vaccines is that they can be made and stockpiled ahead of time and would therefore be available some months before a customised pandemic vaccine would be available. The AHMPPI acknowledges that candidate vaccines are only effective if the pandemic strain belongs to the same influenza subtype.

It was planned that a customised pandemic vaccine would be produced in multi-dose vials (MDVs), as doing so significantly reduces the time it takes for the manufacturer to fill and finish the vaccine compared to single doses. This would also allow more vaccine to be available for use in a shorter period of time and take up less room in storage facilities and immunisation providers’ fridges.

Planning assumed that the pandemic vaccine may need to be released prior to its registration by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). In a severe pandemic, to hasten the vaccination of the population, the vaccine distribution could occur through certification under section 18A (2b) of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989, which allows for goods to be made available urgently in Australia to deal with an actual threat to public health due to an emergency. This approach reflected expectations that a pandemic would be likely to have severe health consequences and so achieving the earliest possible release of a pandemic vaccine would be important. In this context, a pandemic influenza vaccine patient consent form was planned.

Planning for distribution and administration of the vaccine was undertaken in partnership with the states and territories. Because a more severe pandemic was assumed, it was thought that vaccination delivery would largely be executed through mass vaccination clinics conducted in public venues. To assist in the administration of pandemic vaccines in these clinics, the Australian Government stockpiled sufficient vaccination equipment, including syringes, needles for drawing up vaccine and administration, sharps containers and alcohol wipes, to support the vaccination of the entire population.

During the pandemic planning stage, the AHPC National Immunisation Committee Pandemic Vaccine Working Group (AHPCNIC) discussed operational matters with respect to pandemic vaccination planning. It was planned that an operation group, the Pandemic Control Network (PCN), would form during a pandemic (see Chapter 1: Governance and Decision Making) that would include the AHPCNIC membership. Also, the CMO’s Scientific Pandemic Advisory Group (SPAG) would form to provide expert technical advice on matters relating to pandemic influenza vaccines.

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30 WHO. Vaccines for pandemic (H1N1) 2009. www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/vaccines/en/index.html.


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