[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 190 (Wednesday, December 12, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15247-S15248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. REID (for Mrs. Clinton (for herself and Mr. Roberts)):
  S. 2456. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to improve and 
secure an adequate supply of influenza vaccine; to the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, today I join my colleague, Senator Pat 
Roberts, in introducing the Influenza Vaccine Security Act. Senator 
Roberts and I first introduced this legislation during the 109th 
Congress, in response to seasonal flu vaccine shortages, as well as the 
growing awareness of the need for pandemic flu preparedness. Some of 
these provisions were incorporated into law, but the overall need to 
address problems in education, tracking, and distribution related to 
seasonal influenza vaccine have not changed.
  About 36,000 Americans die from the flu every year, and 200,000 more 
are hospitalized due to complications from the flu. These complications 
and deaths are largely preventable with a simple flu shot. Yet the 
process of getting a flu shot is not always simple. Since 2000, our 
Nation has experienced multiple shortages of flu vaccine prior to 
Thanksgiving, when demand is highest. What we have also experienced--
and what received less attention--is the fact that at the end of the 
flu season, we often have surpluses. The millions of doses that were in 
such high demand earlier in the season go unused. We need to bring some 
stability into the vaccine market, to ensure that we have vaccine at 
periods of high demand, and also sustain demand beyond the limited 
early-season period.
  The Influenza Vaccine Security Act will help create a stable flu 
vaccine market for manufacturers by increasing coordination between the 
public and private sectors so that we can set targets and procedures 
for dealing with both shortages and surpluses before they hit. It will 
also create a buyback provision so that we can direct late-season 
surplus vaccine to public health and bioterrorism prevention efforts, 
instead of having it go to waste. The legislation will increase demand 
for vaccine by improving education and outreach to populations with 
historically low rates of influenza vaccination.
  Of course, vaccines do us no good if they can't get to the people who 
need them, and in past shortages, we had problems matching existing 
stocks of vaccine to the high priority populations, like senior 
citizens, who needed vaccines right away. The Influenza Vaccine 
Security Act also sets up a tracking system so the CDC and state and 
local health departments can share the information they need to ensure 
that high priority populations will have access to vaccines. This 
tracking system is critical and will provide fundamental infrastructure 
necessary not only to deal with our annual flu season, but avian or 
other pandemic outbreaks.
  This legislation is supported by Trust for America's Health, the 
American Lung Association, the American Public Health Association, the 
National Association of County and City Health Officials, the American 
Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Physician Assistants, 
the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the 
Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association for 
Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, the Allergy & 
Asthma Network, Mothers of Asthmatics, the Asthma and Allergy 
Foundation of America, the Center for Biosecurity at the University of 
Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Center for Infectious Disease Research & 
Policy, the Immunization Coalition of Washington, DC, and the Service 
Employees International Union.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have letters of support 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be placed in 
the Record, as follows:
                                                December 11, 2007.
     Hon. Hillary Clinton,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Pat Roberts,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senators Clinton and Roberts: The undersigned 
     organizations join in thanking you for your leadership in 
     protecting our nation's health. By introducing the Influenza 
     Vaccine Security Act of 2007, you address one of the most 
     critical issues confronting the public's health in the United 
     States--the challenge of ensuring an adequate and timely 
     influenza vaccine supply. According to the Centers for 
     Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the seasonal flu claims 
     as many as 36,000 lives each year and results in more than 
     200,000 hospitalizations. These numbers could skyrocket in 
     the case of an influenza pandemic.
       The introduction of the Influenza Vaccine Security Act is 
     an important step toward improving the U.S. response to 
     outbreaks of seasonal flu. Among its provisions, the 
     legislation provides incentives to manufacturers to enter the 
     U.S. flu vaccine market and expand production capacity, 
     increases funding for vaccine research and development, and 
     increases flu surveillance and outreach, coordination, and 
     education. Also, public health officials must have the 
     flexibility to provide the medication where outbreaks are 
     most severe. Your bill provides the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services with the ability to prioritize vaccine 
     distribution to high-risk populations and to ensure 
     geographic equity.
       In addition to preparation for seasonal flu, the 
     legislation takes important steps to prevent and respond to a 
     severe flu pandemic. We applaud the emphasis on outreach, as 
     the efficient, widespread distribution of seasonal flu 
     vaccines would allow healthcare providers to conduct 
     exercises to prepare for the event of a severe flu pandemic. 
     In addition, the provision allowing unused vaccines to be 
     redeployed to state and local health departments for mass 
     vaccination exercises will also be useful in preparation for 
     an influenza pandemic. Finally, allowing the Secretary to 
     purchase antiviral medications and N-95 respirator masks and 
     encouraging stockpiling

[[Page S15248]]

     of pediatric countermeasures will be critical to treating and 
     minimizing the effects of a pandemic influenza outbreak.
       Prevention is the key to protecting and saving American 
     lives from seasonal flu outbreaks. Again, we want to commend 
     your leadership and thank you for introducing this very 
     important public health bill.
           Sincerely,
         American Academy of Pediatrics; American Academy of 
           Physician Assistants; American College of Occupational 
           and Environmental Medicine; Association of American 
           Medical Colleges; Association for Professionals in 
           Infection Control and Epidemiology; Allergy & Asthma 
           Network Mothers of Asthmatics; Asthma and Allergy 
           Foundation of America; Center for Biosecurity, 
           University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Center for 
           Infectious Disease Research & Policy; Immunization 
           Coalition of Washington, DC; Service Employees 
           International Union; Trust for America's Health.
                                 ______