At the beginning of the influenza season 2020/21, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Federal Institute for Vaccines and Biomedicines asks consumers, physicians and pharmacists for online notification via www.pei.de/supply-shortages-reporting if they cannot obtain a flu vaccine and suspect a bottleneck. On the basis of these messages the institute evaluates the regional supply situation, informs those responsible for the supply and suggests measures to remedy the situation.
A locally observed shortage of influenza vaccines is not directly equivalent to a supply shortage. Due to the increased demand at the beginning of the vaccination season, an imbalance in different locations in the distribution of influenza vaccines may lead to temporary local or regional bottlenecks. The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut expects about 26 million doses of influenza vaccine for Germany for the vaccine season 2020/21. The expected number of doses available for the 2020/21 influenza season results from the vaccine manufacturers' delivery schedules – based on the enquiry for vaccine demand and performed in 2020 for the first time – as well as from the information provided by the German Federal Ministry of Health (Bundesgesundheitsministerium, BMG) on additionally ordered influenza vaccine doses.
On the basis of the vaccination behaviour of the population in recent years as well as the higher number of vaccine doses expected for this season compared to previous years, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut currently considers the influenza vaccines to be sufficient for the 2020/21 season. Experience from recent years has also shown that the appropriate total quantities of vaccine available, were not completely used up in the corresponding season.
Should a shortage nevertheless occur during the vaccination season, the German Federal Ministry of Health can declare a shortage of supply in accordance with § 79 sentence 5 of the German Medicines Act (Arzneimittelgesetz, AMG). This facilitates imports of vaccine doses from abroad. In such a case, the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut raises the issue of the supply of extra doses for Germany with the manufacturers and urgently suggests remedial action.
Updated: 09.10.2020
