TB vaccine shortage fear amid test hold-up

HEALTH authorities across Europe are facing a potential shortage of the vaccine that protects against TB because of difficulties getting the product independently assessed.

Yesterday its Danish manufacturers, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI), blamed “technical difficulties” at the Norwegian laboratory where the BCG is independently verified for the hold-up in its release.

Biaditte Knudsen, head of quality assurance at the Copenhagen-based institute, said: “The situation is acute. All of the vaccines for Europe are in storage, but we can only produce it and are unable to sell it.” SSI is the only company that supplies the vaccine to the European market.