NORWAY - PROBLEMS WHICH A SMALL AND SPARSELY POPULATED EUROPEAN COUNTRY WITHOUT A NATIONAL VACCINE PRODUCTION WOULD FACE DURING A PANDEMIC

Since Norway at present has no national influenza vaccine production, there is some concern that during a pandemic influenza situation it wo uld be difficult to secure even a limited quantity of appropriate infl uenza vaccine. It is conceivable that national emergency directives de clared in the manufacturing countries would ban or severely hinder exp ort of a life-saving commodity such as influenza vaccine. Most probabl y, this would be the situation for all European countries without a na tional influenza vaccine production. To ensure vaccine availability fo r the purchasing country even under a national influenza emergency sit uation declared in the manufacturing country such agreements must be s afe against unilateral cancellation.