TORONTO - The company making Canada's H1N1 vaccine says it's finished producing a special version of the shot for pregnant women and is again focusing its efforts on the vaccine intended for the majority of Canadians.
GlaxoSmithKline was asked to make special batches of adjuvant-free vaccine for pregnant women and the switchover of production lines was blamed for slowdowns in this week's delivery of the adjuvanted vaccine across Canada.
Adjuvants are compounds that boost the immune response to the vaccine, allowing lower doses to be used.
GSK spokeswoman Megan Spoore says they are now awaiting Health Canada approval before shipping the adjuvant-free shot and adds the GSK production lines at its Quebec plant have resumed producing the adjuvanted vaccine.
GSK says it has already shipped almost seven million doses of adjuvanted vaccine and, in the weeks ahead, there will be millions of doses of the swine flu shot coming off the production line.
The manufacturer adds it is very pleased to see the positive response of Canadians to the H1N1 immunization program.
