Pittsburgh Med. center has big ideas

  

PITTSBURGH (AP) - August 20, 2009 -- The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center wants to start the world's leading facility to produce vaccines, and will make its pitch at a federal hearing hosted by Democratic U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.

Specter will hold the hearing Friday at the U.S. District Courthouse in Pittsburgh.

Specter called the hearing, in part, because of delays announced in the production of the swine flu vaccine for this fall. Federal health officials say only 45 million doses will be ready by mid-October, instead of 120 million as had been hoped.

Against that backdrop, top UPMC officials will announce plans for a center to quickly develop vaccines to combat infectious diseases or bioterror threats. The hospital network is hoping the government will fund the center.

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