Shortage in vaccine/flu treatment

(NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Lawmakers on Capitol Hill want to know why it's taking so long to get people vaccinated against the H1N1 virus.

They held a hearing Wednesday to question leaders from the CDC.

The head of the agency says companies are pumping out the vaccine as quickly as they can, but they say another problem is parents who aren't getting their children vaccinated because they don't think it's safe, which could expose many more people to the virus.

"We said in September there would be bumps in undertaking this effort and indeed that is the case, but we're working very hard with our partners throughout the U.S. government and most importantly relying on state, local, tribal health departments, health care institutions and the public to address this as a shared responsibility that everyone can do something to address," said Thomas Frieden, Director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Director of the CDC stressed that it's important for young children and people with underlying health conditions to get vaccinated.

More doses of H1N1 vaccine are arriving in West Michigan and counties are setting up new vaccination clinics.

Just this week the Kent County Health Department announced it will hold clinics for the next three Saturdays. They're by appointment only and for folks in high-risk categories. You can register by calling 211.

The Kalamazoo County Health Department has also scheduled a vaccine clinic for next Friday, November 13th. That runs from 10 to 6 at the Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds.

With the H1N1 vaccine in short supply there's also a shortage of a leading flu treatment when it comes to children's doses.

You've probably heard of Tamiflu. It's the drug that if taken at the beginning of the flu can help reduce the effects. But, with so many people getting sick this year there's ashortage and that's leading to some potential complications.

Most young kids have a hard time swallowing the capsules of the drug so there is a version called "Tamiflu Suspension" which takes the drug and puts it into a liquid form.

Because the H1N1 virus has affected so many kids this year there is a major shortage of the drug.

As a result many doctors are writing prescriptions for the adult version and telling parents to break down the drug themselves, something that can be very dangerous.

"If you were to take the powder directly you could end up inhaling the powder and causing other problems in the body, getting it into the lungs," said Medicine Tree Pharmacist Don Jacks.

The pharmacist we spoke with tells us what parents can do is ask their doctor to write a prescription for Tamiflu, but ask that it be compounded into a dose that is right for their child.

That prescription has to be taken to a compounding pharmacy. Not every place will break down the drug for you.

Some local compounding pharmacies are:

Portage Pharmacy

7966 Lovers Lane, Portage, MI 49002, 800-689-1823, FAX: 269-327-2709 http://www.portagepharmacy.com/

Medicine Tree

56109 Village Center Circle, Mattawan, MI 49071, (269) 668-6801 Phone http://www.medicinetreepharmacy.com/

Keystone Pharmacy

4021 Cascade Road, SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, (888) 852-9792, Fax (616) 464-3469 www.keystonerx.com

Great Lakes Compounding Pharmacy Inc

1445 Sheldon Rd, Grand Haven, MI, (616) 842-1223‎