ATLANTA — Supplies of human rabies biologicals for pre- or postexposure prophylaxis in the United States are “manageable, but are expected to be less than ideal” over the next few years, Charles E. Rupprecht, V.M.D., said at the winter meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since the meeting, ACIP has formed an ad hoc working group to address the problem. The group is discussing strategies for maximizing current supplies and devising algorithms for how to prioritize the vaccine and immune globulin in the event of an actual shortage, CDC spokeswoman Abbigail Tumpey said in an interview.
The CDC also is working on public education messages about when rabies vaccination is necessary and when it isn't, noted Dr. Rupprecht, chief of the CDC's rabies program, in his presentation at the meeting.
There are two human rabies vaccines and two rabies immunoglobulins (IGs) on the U.S. market. The vaccines are Sanofi-Pasteur Inc.'s human diploid cell vaccine Imovax and Novartis AG's purified chick embryo cell RabAvert. The IG products are Sanofi-Pasteur's IG Imogam Rabies-HT and Talecris Biotherapeutics' HyperRAB S/D.
Novartis' supply is limited and is being distributed for postexposure prophylaxis only. Phil Hosbach, vice president of immunization policy and government relations at Sanofi-Pasteur US, said the company has stepped in to fill the gap as much as possible, but can only supply a limited portion of the U.S. rabies vaccine market.
The overall supply of IG is limited because of human plasma shortages.