October 23rd, 2009 by MWilhelm

Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) — Swine flu vaccine production is slower than anticipated and drugmakers are unlikely to hit the U.S. government’s targets, said Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The amount of vaccine available as of Oct. 21 was 16.1 million doses, with 11.3 million doses shipped to doctors and clinics in local communities, Frieden said during a conference call with reporters.

Swine flu is widespread in 46 states and accounts for more than 8,000 confirmed deaths and 20,000 hospitalizations, the agency said on its Web site. Frieden said the numbers reflect what would be the peak of a typical flu season.

“We’ve had difficulties with the projections we’ve had so far,” Frieden said of vaccine production. “The numbers will continue to increase. We think supply will become much more widespread within the next several weeks.”