As the number of measles infections in the U.S. rises and public officials urge the public to get vaccinated, Merck is increasing the supply of its measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines.
Merck is the only manufacturer of the MMR vaccine in the U.S. The company told Reuters in a statement that it has “taken steps to increase U.S. supply” of the vaccine due to the outbreak.
“In response to the measles outbreak that has occurred this year, Merck has taken steps to increase U.S. supply of our MMR-II vaccine so availability of the vaccine is maintained,” a Merck spokesperson said, via email. “The efficacy and safety of MMR-II has been well established – over decades of use in hundreds of millions of people. The current outbreak reinforces the importance of sustaining high enough coverage rates in communities to help prevent measles outbreaks.”
mail. “The efficacy and safety of MMR-II has been well established – over decades of use in hundreds of millions of people. The current outbreak reinforces the importance of sustaining high enough coverage rates in communities to help prevent measles outbreaks.”
Measles cases have hit a record high since its eradication in 2000, with more than 700 confirmed cases as of Monday. In light of the outbreaks, some public officials are urging, or mandating, people to vaccinate. Merck is preparing for increased demand for the MMR vaccine as leaders try to handle the outbreaks.
President Donald Trump reversed his previous position on vaccines on Friday, saying that people should get their shots. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency this month and mandated vaccination within the neighborhoods and communities at the center of the city’s outbreak.
Lawmakers in Washington State passed a bill this month limiting exemptions for vaccines to only religious and medical reasons to curb the outbreak there.
Meanwhile, some adults vaccinated before 1968 may need to get the vaccine again because they received a less effective version of it.
In its latest earnings statement, Merck said its pharmaceutical revenue was driven by growth in vaccines and oncology. In Q4 2018, the most recent results available, sales for the MMR and chickenpox vaccines reached $455 million, a 13% increase from the previous year. For all of 2018, MMR and chickenpox sales increased 7%.
This story was updated on April 29 with comment from Merck.
