Flu drugs worth more than £200K heading for the bin
Wednesday 25th February 2009, 2:28PM GMT.
Pharmacist Marc Jenkins and the anti-flu drug. (Picture by Peter Frankland, 0725796)
A BATCH of Tamiflu drugs worth £212,380 could be destroyed because it is nearing the end of its shelf life.
The order – enough to treat 40,500 adults and children – was placed in April 2006 by the Emergency Powers Authority, which is led by the chief minister.
The drug was bought as an island insurance policy in the event of a flu pandemic. None has been used, however, and the lot is due to reach its sell-by date in 2010.
‘The very nature of a contingency purchase, namely for use in the event of an emergency or pandemic, is that the items may well end up not being used by their expiry date,’ said a Health and Social Services Department spokesman.
An influenza pandemic preparedness working group was set up and the drugs ordered as a reaction to a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus circulating in south-east Asia.
‘The decision taken by the Emergency Powers Authority in 2006 was that the island should have a stock in place,’ he said.
The batch, which has a shelf life of between three and five years, will be replaced. Tamiflu is available only with such an expiry timescale.
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I am not a particular fan of many decisions of the States (or indeed their failure to make them) but this is a complete non-story with a headline clearly designed to look like another example of the States wasting taxpayers’ money (whilst the text of the article shows that it is nothing of the sort).
This is the equivalent of running an article with a headline saying that the States have thrown its insurance premiums away as it has not made many claims.
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I agree with TL, bit of a pointless story really. Yes they wasted our money, nothing new there is there?
Also South-East Asia is quite a long way away. Did we really need to stockpile so much? Hopefully they wont make the same mistake again.
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I am wondering if our states have heard of the Just In Time business term?
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The states made the right call to be prepared – imagine the bloody murder calls that would of reverberated around the island had we been struck by the pandemic and we were un prepared!! Could we not ecycle the drugs – maybe there is somewhere in the world that could benefit from them???
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you wouldn’t be saying that if the pandemic comes and you have no vaccines and you all drop like flies GsyGal. Might be a good idea to research why they bought this vaccine on your behalf.
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We just need to look at the cost as an insurance policy – I would rather the States spent the money to be prepared than have an unchecked flu epidemic in the island.
This time it is definitely not a waste of money, but sensible planning.
The Tamiflu should be replaced as soon as necessary.
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Nursie. Maybe you misunderstood my post. Maybe they didnt need so much. Meaning as soon as it got ever here, bring more in in time to treat others if they were to get infected. I did nowhere say or imply that we did not need this. Maybe just not on such a big scale as it was nowhere near us.
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It’s no where near us? South east Asia?
Like I said go do some research it spreads very fast, faster than the Island could get vaccines in. That is why there is a policy.
The order for the vaccines was placed in 2006 as was seen as part of an emergency plan.
I am not getting at you, but health has to be safe guarded in many ways. It’s not always reactive to a situation.
Also these types of flus go in cycles so they can predict when a big one will hit.
I think this is a positive article.
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>>Also South-East Asia is quite a long way away<< Only about 13 hours actually.
I’m comfortable that HSSD were prepared for an eventuality.
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