WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski (PA-11) issued the following statement regarding Sanofi Pasteur's new facility in the Poconos receiving licensing approval from The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA), allowing the facility to create influenza vaccines using the most updated technology available.  Sanofi Pasteur produces approximately 40 percent of the influenza vaccines distributed within the U.S and worldwide.

"The FDA's approval of Sanofi Pasteur's new facility in the Poconos will help more people avoid getting influenza, prevent deaths from the virus, and stay healthy," said Congressman Kanjorski.  "I am proud to have helped secure $10 million in federal funding for this new facility in my Congressional District, and visited facility in 2006 while it was under construction.  This funding allowed the construction of the new facility to move forward, and now, millions of people can benefit from the significantly increased number vaccines that will be produced as a result."

###