# 3332
New Zealand depends on Australia’s CSL LTD. to produce a pandemic vaccine for them, and right now, they have an `option’ to purchase 8 million doses of a `swine flu’ jab for their 4 million people (2 shots each).
The question before officials is:
Whether it makes sense to order the vaccine now, given that the virus could mutate away from the vaccine, and that it is unlikely they could received any vaccine before their flu season was over.
The answers, unfortunately, are far from obvious.
This from 
NZ undecided on flu vaccine
Last updated 09:19 13/06/2009
Health officials are still thinking about whether the pandemic declared yesterday by the World Health Organisation (WHO) means they should order eight million doses of vaccine from Australian manufacturer, CSL Ltd.
"The use of a vaccine is still being considered," Steve Brazier, the Ministry of Health's national incident controller, told NZPA.
Though the present form of the A H1N1 swine flu is spreading rapidly in populations where there is community transmission, symptoms have been reported to be no worse than seasonal flu in most cases.
The ministry must decide whether to use vaccine to protect particularly vulnerable people expected to fall ill -- or wait in case the swine flu virus later changes to a more virulent form, or one resistant to the Tamiflu anti-viral drug.
The Australian government has already ordered vaccine supplies for 10 million people. Normally CSL would conduct trials over six months to decide the best dosage and seek regulatory approval, but a company spokeswoman, Rachel David, said the Australian government may allow vaccinations to start earlier if the pandemic worsens.
On this side of the Tasman, officials have not made a decision, despite the ministry having taken an option to purchase up to eight million doses of vaccine from CSL.
