Nations warned as scramble for swine flu vaccine likely

AN UGLY scramble is brewing over the swine flu vaccine – and when it becomes available, Britain, the United States and other nations could find that the contracts they signed with pharmaceutical companies are easily broken.

Experts warn that during a global epidemic, which the world is in now, governments may be under tremendous pressure to protect their own citizens first before allowing companies to ship doses of vaccine out of the country.

That does not bode well for many countries, including the United States, which makes only 20% of the flu vaccines it uses, or Britain, where all of its flu vaccines are produced abroad.

“This isn’t rocket science,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

“If there is severe disease, countries will want to hang onto the vaccine for their own citizens.”

Experts say politicians would not be able to withstand the pressure.

“The consequences of shipping vaccine to another country when your own people don’t have it would be devastating,” added David Fedson, a retired vaccine industry executive.

About 70% of the world’s flu vaccines are made in Europe, and only a handful of countries are self-sufficient in vaccines.

Meanwhile, Cherie Blair has suspected swine flu, it was revealed yesterday.

The former prime minister’s wife has pulled out of a series of public engagements while she battles the illness.

Ex-premier Tony Blair and the couple’s children have not shown any signs of being infected.