Murphy, Blumenthal, DeLauro, Esty Urge CDC to Consider Buying More Doses of Meriden-Made “Flublok” Vaccine

WASHINGTON, DC (February 5, 2016) — Today, as the peak of flu season approaches, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), the Ranking Member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee, and U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty (CT-05) urged the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to consider purchasing an increased number of doses of the Flublok vaccine – an FDA approved vaccine that can combat a viral outbreak of this season's influenza and is manufactured by Protein Sciences in Meriden, Connecticut.

In a letter to CDC Director Thomas Frieden, MD, MPH, the members of Congress thanked CDC for recently awarding Protein Sciences a contract for the purchase of between 100 and 300,000 doses of Flublok, but emphasized that since CDC ultimately purchased only 1,000 doses of the vaccine under a previously awarded contract, Protein Sciences was forced to cover the cost of the remaining 299,000 doses they manufactured. Murphy, Blumenthal, DeLauro, and Esty emphasized that this disparity had a tremendous negative impact on the Connecticut small business, and in the interest of protecting the public from the flu virus, called on the CDC to consider increasing the number of Flublok doses they purchase and distribute.

"The expertise of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is unmatched and we greatly appreciate the work that your agency does to protect our nation from influenza, Ebola, and other diseases. As you know, Flublok is developed using influenza's genetic code and contains three times more of the antigen than conventional egg-grown flu vaccines, meaning the vaccine may provide a stronger immune response against influenza A viruses," wrote Murphy, Blumenthal, DeLauro, and Esty. "We were thrilled when Protein Sciences was awarded a contract in December 2015….[but] because the award only guarantees a minimum purchase by CDC, last year, Protein Sciences covered the cost of the remaining 299,000 doses manufactured. In the interest of ensuring the most effective protection from the flu virus, we would urge that you consider increasing the amount of Flublok doses purchased by the CDC."

The full letter is available here.

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