Finland Orders 20,000 Avian Influenza Vaccines

According to Stat News reporting today, Finland is preparing to offer 20,000 vaccines to people at risk of exposure to an avian influenza strain spreading among farmed and wild animals.

On June 5, 2024, Andrew Joseph wrote Finland may become the first country to offer 'bird flu' vaccinations to people.

According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the Aflunov vaccine is authorized for use in the European Union (EU) during avian influenza outbreaks without a declared pandemic.

Aflunov contains a flu strain called A/turkey/Turkey/1/2005 (H5N1)-like strain (NIBRG-23) (clade 2.2.1).

Additionally, the EMA says four pandemic-preparedness influenza vaccines authorized in the EU can be rapidly modified to protect people in a pandemic situation.

The EMA's human medicines committee recommended at its February 2024 meeting Celldemic (zoonotic influenza vaccine (H5N1)(surface antigen, inactivated, adjuvanted, prepared in cell cultures)). This vaccine is intended for immunization during outbreaks of influenza coming from animals, including when public health authorities anticipate a possible pandemic. 

The Incellipan (pandemic influenza vaccine (H5N1) is a pandemic preparedness vaccine intended for use only if a flu pandemic has been officially declared.

Previously, the European Commission (EC) signed a framework contract on July 28, 2022, for the joint procurement of GSK's Adjupanrix, a pandemic influenza vaccine. As a result, EC Member States can purchase up to 85 million vaccine doses, if necessary, during an influenza pandemic.