No flu vaccine emergency brake the health insurance companies

Health insurance companies announce central vaccine supply contract

11.10.2012

In Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, the health insurance apparently want to dissolve the contract for the central supply of influenza vaccine with the pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis. According to reports of the transmitter „NDR 1 wave north“ The pharmaceutical company does not lag behind in delivering the required vaccine doses.

Actually, the health insurance companies wanted to significantly reduce their costs by tendering the central flu vaccine delivery. But now the supply of vaccines against influenza could end up becoming more expensive than before. Because the pharmaceutical company Novartis, which had won the tender, apparently can not deliver the required amount of vaccine. Inoculants are in short supply, which is why from today the market for flu vaccines in Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg should be released again. It „All legal and procurement preparations are under way to be able to withdraw from the contract with the pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis“, reported „NDR 1 wave north“.

Influenza vaccine as a scarce commodity?
In Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg, according to information from the radio station, a significantly higher demand for the flu vaccine than previously served by the pharmaceutical manufacturer Novartis. Not all patients who want to have a flu vaccine at the beginning of the fall can be treated. Therefore, the health insurance plan to end the central delivery now again and release the market for vaccines from other manufacturers. The doctors could therefore resort to other vaccines and would receive a corresponding reimbursement from the health insurance companies. However, the flu vaccines are currently generally in short supply. Because the other pharmaceutical companies produced only smaller amounts of vaccine doses, after Novartis had won the tender for the central delivery of the flu vaccine. Thus, the supply of flu vaccines is currently quite critical. It is also aggravated by the fact that Bavaria is already trying to get on the market about 1.9 million doses of vaccine, so the announcement of the „NDR“.

Hard to estimate the required number of doses
Determining the correct order intake of vaccine doses against influenza is extremely difficult, not least because the seasonal course of influenza has a significant impact here. It remains difficult to estimate how many people actually inquire about a flu shot. This was also shown in 2009, when swine flu prompted orders for millions of vaccine doses, of which only a fraction was used. Now the situation is the other way around. Demand simply exceeds available vaccine doses. Although the doctors here on the still available vaccine „Optaflu“ Dodge, this is due to the suspicion of a carcinogenic effect of many patients, however, rejected „NDR“.

Tender of central vaccine delivery without hoped-for success
The lack of availability of influenza vaccines will probably increase the costs of the health insurance companies significantly. At the moment, behind the scenes, there is an attempt to organize a sufficient amount of flu vaccine despite the delivery problems „NDR“. However, the vaccine doses will certainly be a lot more expensive than what Novartis bid for the central delivery of the flu remedies. The main goal of the tender and central order of the flu vaccine - namely, the cost reduction - so failed spectacularly, the conclusion of the „NDR“. (Fp)

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