If you were intent on beating flu season this year by vaccinating, better sit tight for a while. Distribution of Novartis's vaccine was halted here after "tiny clumps of virus particles" were found in some batches of the shot at an Italian plant.
According to an article in the Ottawa Citizen, Health Canada followed suit after other European countries recently suspended distribution of the vaccine.
Sold in Canada as Fluad and Agriflu, Novartis is investigating production of its vaccines.
Although more than one million doses of the vaccine have already been administered in Europe with no adverse effects reported, several countries—including Italy, Germany and Switzerland—have suspended further use until the "clumping issue" is resolved.
Novartis claims the clumps in vaccines are not an unusual process in production, and insists their vaccines are safe.
"The aggregate proteins are predominantly influenza virus-derived (mainly hemagglutinin), all normal and necessary components of influenza vaccines," said a Novartis spokesperson. "Aggregation of these proteins is not unusual in vaccines manufacturing."
Around 70 per cent of Novartis's vaccine supply has already reached Canada, but the pharmaceutical company only supplies around 20 per cent of total Canada's annual flu vaccine purchase. (GlaxoSmithKline produces the majority of the country's seasonal flu vaccines.)
Officials are concerned that the delay means some provinces and territories may face a vaccine shortfall due to the ordering process. In the meantime, do what you can to prevent the flu in the first place.
Do you get an annual shot? Do you find it effective at preventing influenza?
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