Slothful swine flu response

The nation's ability to withstand a serious pandemic has been tested by swine flu and found wanting. A shortage of vaccine is causing long lines at clinics and alarm among vulnerable members of the population as the illness spreads faster than anticipated.

On Friday the president declared a swine flu national emergency to suspend rules preventing hospitals from treating patients and vaccine applicants off site. But the emergency measures will not remedy the vaccine shortfall.

Still, the nation may escape major consequences if priority is given to those most in need of protection. Most reported cases of swine flu have mild symptoms no worse than the usual seasonal flu. And adequate supplies of vaccine will become available over the next 10 weeks. The government has ordered 250 million doses to be on the safe side, and for adults one dose is considered sufficient protection.

But some Americans run greater than normal risks of complications from swine flu. At the top of the list are pregnant women, followed by children, young adults under 24 years of age and people with compromised immune systems. The federal Centers for Disease Control suggests that the first available shots be reserved for these vulnerable groups and people who care for infants. The president's national emergency order should aid such rationing.

Nevertheless, the government's lack of preparedness is a major disappointment. Four years ago, responding to the public health scares caused by the outbreak of SARS in China and the threat of an avian flu pandemic, Congress set a goal of producing 600 million doses of flu vaccine in six months, enough to give every American two shots if needed.

Instead it will take nearly a year to produce the 250 million doses of swine flu vaccine ordered last spring, and the rate of production has been slower than estimated. Supplies this month have been a third of what was planned.

One reason for the bottleneck is the lack of qualified U.S. vaccine manufacturers. The 2005 government plan called for more than quadrupling U.S. production capacity. That has not happened. A gene-based vaccine technology could produce vaccines in half the time now required but USA Today reports that this approach is still five years or more from maturity.

Congress and the administration need to reaffirm the 2005 goals on meeting an epidemic threat and devote the resources required to reach them. In one sense, the president's emergency order is an acknowledgement of just how poorly that effort has gone to this point.