No TB vaccine until 2013 says Canadian company

The Canadian manufacturer of the BCG tuberculosis vaccine says it won't be making more until late 2013.

The vaccine is offered to newborns in Nunavut and helps protect against serious forms of the disease for two years. The rate of TB in Nunavut is about 75 times the national average, according to the Canadian Medical Association.

Sanofi Pasteur, the only Canadian company that makes the BCG vaccine, stopped distributing it in April.

Nunavutwas rationing its remaining supplyof the vaccine when themanufacturer recalled the remaining vialslast Friday as problems at the companys manufacturing facility in Ontario may have affected the vaccines quality.

The company said the vaccine is unavailable due to renovations in the Ontario plant to improve quality management.

The federal government is currently looking at international suppliers for the vaccine. Health Canada said earlier this week the department had contacted five international manufacturers of BCG and has already heard back from some, butcould not say when a new supply of the vaccine would be available.