Pharmaceutical companies Merck and GSK announced a shortage of measles vaccine, only enough to supply the public vaccination program, in the context of a sharp increase in the number of infections.
The report from two pharmaceutical companies was published on the website on drug shortages of the Canadian Ministry of Health, last updated on March 22. Accordingly, Merck said the vaccine is only enough for the public vaccination program, the shortage will last until April 3. And GSK said the shots are not available for the private market, and it is not yet forecast when there will be enough vaccine supply.
The companies did not provide information on the missing quantity. In addition, Merck reported a shortage of combination vaccines for chickenpox and measles, from March 22 to April 3.
The vaccine used in Canada is MMR, which combines protection against mumps, measles, and rubella in one shot. When administered with two injections, the vaccine is nearly 100% effective in preventing disease.
Last week, the two companies predicted shortages due to increased demand. GSK noted that global demand for vaccination has exceeded supply.
“MMR vaccine is very complex, making it difficult to scale up production when there is urgent need. We predict this situation will occur throughout 2024 and 2025,” said a GSK representative.
Responding to the press, the Canadian Ministry of Health affirmed that there is enough vaccine to maintain public vaccination and increase it. The shortage only occurs in vaccination services, which represent a very small portion of total demand.
The agency also said Merck and GSK have advised on the availability of MMR, and are working closely with manufacturers, provinces and territories and stakeholders for further monitoring.
Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are in short supply in Canada. Image: Reuters
Canada declared measles eliminated in 1998 after completing a widespread vaccination campaign. By early March 3, officials recorded 2024 cases and one case of rubella, a high increase compared to 26. Many experts say the sharp decline in vaccination rates is the main reason why measles returned to the country.
Around the world, many countries also recorded increased cases of infection. The US had 64 cases from the beginning of 2024 to March 21; The UK has 3 cases, from October 789, 1 to March 10; The Philippines has 2023 cases of measles and rubella as of February 21.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warns of the risk of measles recurrence in 2024-2025, based on statistics of the number of cases in 2023. According to the WHO report, Europe in 2023 recorded more than 300.000 cases, increased more than 30 times compared to 2022; The Western Pacific region has a 255% increase in cases from 2022 to 2023. Data for the first 3 months of 2024 have not been published.
Chile (Follow Global News, CBC)
