In an event that has shocked the international community, Switzerland today announced the destruction of 3.5 million vaccines against influenza A, valued at EUR 32.7 million have expired.

It appears that European health authorities have acquired an excess of vaccines to protect its population during the pandemic of H1N1 influenza that broke out in 2009.

According to Swiss media reports ordered 13 million doses for a population of about 7.5 million inhabitants, it was not initially clear whether effective immunization would require one or two doses of vaccine.

Although the Swiss government gave the World Health Organization 1.3 million doses to be distributed in developing countries is still estimated that many more vaccines expire and be lost in 2011.