WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Senate and House sponsors of the Flu Protection Act (S. 2038 / H.R. 3758), today praised the House Government Reform Committee for scheduling an emergency hearing on the severe flu vaccine shortage, and sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson urging him to support provisions of the Flu Protection Act to prevent such a shortage from occurring in the future.

“The CDC had every chance to get this right after last year’s shortage and they failed on nearly all levels,” Senator Bayh said.  “Unfortunately, we are all impacted by this failure, as parents find themselves worrying once again whether or not their children will receive a flu shot and our nation’s seniors are left vulnerable.  There is no excuse for not taking action this year, and I will continue working with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure passage of the Flu Protection Act, while encouraging the CDC to act on these recommendations immediately.”

Congressman Emanuel said, “It is clear from the current crisis in flu vaccine availability that we need real reform in our flu vaccine program – not just the small steps that HHS took this year.  I urge Secretary Thompson to support the objectives of the Flu Protection Act and ensure that Americans do not have to face next season unnecessarily vulnerable to this often deadly illness.”

The Flu Protection Act calls for the CDC to develop a contingency plan in case of future shortages; offers incentives to encourage companies to participate in vaccine production; sets aside funds to encourage the creation of more vaccine companies with faster production times; and demands greater cooperation between the government and vaccine manufacturers to provide a more accurate estimate on the number of vaccines needed each year.

Link--Letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson