At 7pm in Taiwan on May 4, 2009, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) and representatives from ADImmune Corporation, the National Health Research Institutes, and the Taiwan Bio Industry Organization attended the cross-national teleconferenced organized by the International Federation of Phamaceutical Manufacturers & Association (IFPMA).The conference has invited all major vaccine manufacturers around the world to discuss plans to produce influenza A (H1N1) vaccine and the current worldwide influenza vaccine production capacity with the World Health Organization (WHO).This conference will be held on a weekly basis from now on.

Influenza vaccination is the most effective way to prevent influenza.Currently, vaccine manufacturers are working on the production of seasonal flu vaccine.Annual influenza epidemics cause 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness.Therefore, even though WHO has raised the current pandemic alert level from phase 5 to phase 6, it does not mean the production of seasonal influenza vaccine must be halted.Recently, WHO has established three consultation committees to investigate the vaccine production capacity of each manufacturer.The Director-General of WHO has planned to have a meeting with all vaccine manufacturers during the World Health Assembly (WHA) to be held this year.Another issue to be discussed is fair distribution of influenza vaccine to areas where it is needed the most.At the moment, WHO will assist manufacturers in increasing their vaccine production capacity.In addition, WHO plans to coordinate the release of purchased vaccines with governments around the world and WHO will oversee the distribution of such vaccines.

On April 30, 2009, the Taiwan government held the “Domestic production of influenza A (H1N1) vaccine coordination meeting” to discuss domestic plans for influenza vaccine production.ADImmune Corporation and the National Health Research Institutes will be the manufacturers in producing domestic influenza vaccines.The WHO reference laboratory will send the vaccine strain of influenza A (H1N1) to Taiwan in late May for Taiwan to proceed with domestic production of influenza A (H1N1) vaccine. The drug regulatory agencies in Taiwan will conduct parallel testing and examination during each stage of the vaccine product approval process, and will assist with vaccine product approval and license application to ensure the safety and efficacy of the final vaccine within the shortest period of time.The typical amount of time required to produce a vaccine is 5-6 months.

As of now, Taiwan CDC has been inquiring each vaccine manufacturer the possibility of vaccine shipments by the end of this year.Besides being able to produce vaccine domestically, participating in international conferences to get first hand information concerning the development of the epidemics should reassure the safety of people in Taiwan.Other existing alternatives to prevent the disease include antivirals and practicing good personal hygiene.

IFPMA is a global non-profit non-governmental organization (NGO), comprising 26 leading international drug companies and 44 national and regional industry associations. The teleconferenced organized by the IFPMA was also attended by the 21 members of the Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturers Network (DCVMN) , and other non-IFMA and non DCVMN members, including Omnivest from Hungary, Microgen from the United Kingdom, and the vaccine manufacturers from Taiwan.