MEASLES – CANADA (07): MORE CASES, POTENTIAL VACCINE SHORTAGE
A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Thu 21 Mar 2024 05:00 EDT
Source: Canadian Broadcasting Corp [abridged, edited]
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/measles-vaccine-shortage-canada-private-pharmacies-merck-gsk-new-brunswick-1.7149708
Canada is facing a shortage of measles vaccines amid a rise in cases
across the country and around the world, and an increase in demand.
Remaining doses of the…measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccines
are being reserved for public immunization programs, according to
reports posted on Health Canada’s Drug Shortages website by Canada’s 2
suppliers. Merck Canada and GSK “have advised Health Canada that they
are able to fully meet demand for these [routine childhood
immunization] programs, which are managed by each province and
territory,” an email sent by a spokesperson for Health Canada read.
But people who aren’t eligible for a publicly funded vaccine and hoped
to get one through a travel clinic or pharmacy are likely out of luck
for at least the next month.
The private market for measles vaccines “makes up an extremely small
portion of the overall demand,” the Health Canada email to CBC News
read. Merck is reporting an estimated end date of April 19 [2024], for
its private market shortage of MMR II vaccine. Meanwhile GSK does not
supply the private market with its PRIORIX vaccine, but posted a
shortage report to “proactively indicate that they cannot fulfil
private orders,” the spokesperson said.
The New Brunswick Public Health recommended last week that people born
before 1970 get a measles vaccine if they plan to travel outside the
country. Although most adults born before 1970 are presumed to have
acquired immunity from past exposure to the measles virus, Public
Health recommended they get at least one dose before any international
travel, as a precaution.
At least 31 cases of measles have been reported so far in 2024 across
Canada, as of 15 Mar 2024, according to a CBC News tally of provincial
and regional figures released by public health teams, and new
projections suggest there’s a high chance of a “sizable outbreak” —
with anywhere from dozens to thousands of people infected, if the
disease strikes communities with low vaccination rates.
Most measles cases that have occurred in Canada have been acquired
from travel outside the country, New Brunswick Department of Health
spokesperson Sean Hatchard said. “Therefore, the largest risk of
measles exposure is with international travelers who may be visiting
countries where measles is circulating.”
The Department of Health “has recently been made aware” of the
shortage of vaccines currently available through the private vaccine
supply, spokesperson Hatchard said in an email Thursday [21 Mar 2024].
The department plays no role in the private market, which supplies
mostly pharmacies, he said.
New Brunswick’s supply for the publicly funded provincial vaccine
programs, where the department determines the eligibility criteria and
participates in a federally co-ordinated procurement process along
with all provinces and territories, is not currently affected,
Hatchard said.
“Public Health currently has a sufficient supply of the measles
vaccines for eligible New Brunswickers. Although we understand that it
may currently be challenging for people [born before 1970] to access
the vaccine, we expect this shortage will be short-lived.”
Children ages 6 to 11 months who are travelling outside of Canada can
also now receive one dose of MMR vaccine, under new eligibility
criteria, Dr. Arifur Rahman, acting deputy chief medical officer of
health, advised all health-care providers in a 15 Mar 2024 memo,
obtained by CBC News.
As part of the routine schedule in New Brunswick, adults born in 1970
or later who have not previously received 2 doses of MMR are eligible
to receive 2 doses of MMR or MMRV vaccine (one month apart) or receive
1 dose if they have had one previous dose in childhood. The dose for
adults born before 1970 is not currently publicly funded. It costs
about CAD 140 [USD 103]. Being fully vaccinated provides almost 100%
protection, according to health officials.
“If patients and/or caregivers are concerned about access to, or the
supply of, a specific vaccine, they should speak with their primary
health-care provider about treatment options,” the Health Canada
spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Health Canada is working closely with
manufacturers, the Public Health Agency of Canada, provinces and
territories and stakeholders across the health-care system to “monitor
the supply situation,” they said in an email. “The department does
everything it can to prevent shortages when possible and to mitigate
their impacts and help resolve them when they do occur.”
Merck Canada said the increase in measles cases across the country and
abroad has resulted in an increase in demand for MMR vaccines and, as
a result, its recently declared shortage. “We are working diligently
with all relevant stakeholders, including provincial and federal
health authorities, to provide a consistent supply of MMR II vaccines
in a timely manner,” an unidentified spokesperson said in an emailed
statement. “Our priority remains firmly focused on ensuring the
availability of this vaccine to those who need it the most.”
Similarly, GSK spokesperson Rita Moutinho said this temporary shortage
is a result of an increase in measles cases affecting different parts
of the world, leading to added interest in MMR vaccines. “We continue
to meet the public market demand of PRIORIX and our current supply of
PRIORIX is allocated to fulfilling our existing contractual
commitments in Canada for 2024,” she said in an email.