Supply Chain Questions
Note: In-depth answers to many of the questions below are located in HIDA's H1N1 & Seasonal Flu Vaccine Planning Kit for the Healthcare Supply Chain.
Q: How can hospitals, physicians, and medical providers access the CDC's Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)?
A: During the swine flu outbreak, healthcare providers are advised to tap into the SNS through their local/county health departments. To view a lisiting of state health departments and their local divisions, click here.
Q: Where can I go to learn about supply inventory levels?
A: Public health officials recommend you contact your local/county health departments for more information about how SNS supplies are being allocated in the states.
Q: What type of resources are being deployed to the states?
A: Currently, the United States has 50 million courses of anti-viral medication on hand that will have some efficacy against the 2009 HINI flu virus. Six million courses are dedicated for containment, and 44 million for treatment. Twenty-five percent (11 million courses) of the states ' allotments of these stockpiled anti-virals, known commercially as Tamiflu and Relenza, are being released.
Q: When are SNS supplies being deployed?
A: Resources are already being deployed to several states and we expect all of the 11 million courses will be deployed by May 3. These federal resources augment the roughly 23 million courses that states themselves have stockpiled.
Q: How are seasonal flu vaccine and other products allocated during times of scarcity or high demand?
A: Order allocation as used in the medical materials supply chain is a vehicle for control of how products are distirbuted when supplies are scarce or when ordering volumes significantly exceed historic norms. To learn more about how this process works, download the H1N1 & Seasonal Flu Vaccine Planning Kit for the Healthcare Supply Chain.
Q: How will H1N1 influenza vaccine be distributed to healthcare providers?
A: Each state will receive pro rata allocations of vaccine from the government's central distirbutor. Each state will determine which registered providers receive vaccine and how much they will receive.
Q: How can healthcare providers register to administer H1N1 vaccine?
A: Healthcare providers can register with their state's health department to register as an H1N1 provider. Links to the H1N1-specific provider registration pages on each state's Web site are located within HIDA's H1N1 & Seasonal Flu Vaccine Planning Kit for the Healthcare Supply Chain or can be located by contacting the CDC or the individual state.
Q:Is there more than one distributor for H1N1 vaccine?
A: No. The government is utilizing a central distributor, similar to its Vaccines for Children program.
Q: When will H1N1 vaccine begin shipping?
A: H1N1 vaccine began shipping in early October and will continue to be distributed across the coming months.
Q: How many doses of H1N1 vaccine will there be in a shipment?
A: It is expected that H1N1 vaccine will be shipped in 100-dose increments and will be shipped along with any ancillary products needed to administer the vaccine.
Q: What ancillary supplies (needles, syringes, etc.) will the government provide for H1N1 vaccine administration?
A: Needles, syringes, sharps containers, and alcohol swabs.
Q: Do healthcare providers need to pay for H1N1 vaccine?
A: No.
Q: Who is recommended to receive H1N1 vaccine?
A: For a listing of priority groups, click here, and review page 2.
Q: What presentations will the H1N1 vaccine be available in (multi-dose vials, pre-filled syringes, etc.)?
A: The H1N1 vaccine will be available in multiple presenations including nasal spray and injectable formats.
Q: How many doses of H1N1 vaccine are required for immunization?
A: It is anticipated that one dose of H1N1 vaccine will be adequate for most adults, but children of a certain age will be required to receive two doses of the vaccine. Click here for guidelines from the CDC.
Q: Will thimerosal-free H1N1 vaccine be made available?
A: Yes.
