Demand is so great for swine flu vaccines that some manufacturers are rejecting orders and will be able to sell as much as they produce, said Robert Parkinson Jr., chief executive officer of Baxter International Inc.Baxter, based in Deerfield, Illinois, has contracts with five countries for 80 million doses and has stopped taking new orders that it may not be able to fill, Parkinson said today in a call with investors.

The illness is sweeping the southern hemisphere during its usual flu season as tens of thousands of patients test positive for the virus in Australia, Argentina, Chile and other countries, the World Health Organization said. Swine flu isn’t yielding as much vaccine in labs as a typical seasonal strain, hindering efforts to meet expected needs in October when the outbreak pushes north, Parkinson said.

The U.S. government took the unusual step of purchasing all of the swine flu vaccine for the country.

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Swine Flu Vaccine Won’t Meet Demand, Baxter CEO Says -  Bloomberg

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