Canada plans to acquire MVA-based smallpox vaccine

The Department of National Defence (DND) in Canada has issued a request for proposal for the acquisition of MVA based smallpox vaccines for the protection of 10,000 people and an option for protecting another 10,000 people.

A prerequisite for the order is that the supplier must register the vaccine for the Canadian market.

This request for proposal is important as it illustrates that MVA based smallpox vaccines are gradually being accepted as the preferred choice for protecting first-line responders and for replacing and expanding national stockpiles for the general population in the event of a smallpox outbreak.

The fact that the Canadian request is being issued before the U.S. Government has made the award for the RFP-3 illustrates that new, safe vaccines are being given high priority with regard to protecting first-line responders.

The data required for registering the vaccine in Canada are in line with the data from the expected RFP-3 order from the U.S. Government for 20 million doses of MVA based smallpox vaccine, which is expected before end of second quarter 2007.