TORONTO — When President George W. Bush spoke of importing Canadian flu vaccine during Wednesday's election debate, many in the U.S. public health community were struck by the irony of an administration that slams the door on cheaper Canadian drugs, but looks north for help with an embarrassing vaccine shortage.

"It seemed ironic to many of us who were watching that the president had kind of disparaged the importation of Canadian (prescription) drugs but seemed to be interested in exploring the possibility of importing Canadian vaccine," Dr. William Schaffner, a member of the U.S. advisory committee on immunization practices, said in an interview Thursday.

Schaffner and others took as hopeful Bush's comment that the administration was looking into the possibility of purchasing flu shots from Canada's major influenza vaccine manufacturer, ID Biomedical of Vancouver.

The company has between one million and 1.5 million surplus doses it has offered to sell to American authorities who have been scrambling since vaccine giant Chiron Corp. revealed it could not provide the up to 48 million doses it had contracted to supply to the U.S. market.

Their hopes may have been dampened later in the day, though, when Tommy Thompson, the U.S. secretary of health, said it was doubtful that vaccine from producers not currently licensed in the United States could be imported to help with this year's massive shortage.

"It doesn't look promising," Thompson said in Washington.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration would not comment on any talks it might be having with ID Biomedical.

"FDA is not allowed to disclose information about our discussions with companies about such matters," spokeswoman Lenore Gelb said in an e-mailed response to an interview request.

But an ID Biomedical executive confirmed the FDA hasn't asked to see safety data for the vaccine. Any serious discussions on licensing the vaccine would require the sharing of such information.

"Frankly, we are not there yet. We are really in the process of offering what we could offer," said Michele Roy, director of corporate communications.

Still, Bush's words gave Schaffner and others cause for hope as they try to cope with the nightmare of facing flu season with half the needed doses of vaccine.

"It gives us some guarded optimism that perhaps some vaccine can be imported, which is something that we would strongly support," said Schaffner, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.

"The shortage, of course, has stimulated a great desire to receive vaccine. And so any additional vaccine would be a little bit of help. It won't be a total solution by any means, but anything helps."

If Schaffner and his friends in public health were chuckling over the apparent contradiction in U.S. policy towards drug imports from Canada, others weren't amused.

"They've been disparaging the Canadian drug system, saying how it's a buyer beware situation, completely unsafe, can't guarantee the safety," said David MacKay, executive director of the Canadian International Pharmacy Association. "Then the moment that they need to go to Canada to find our flu vaccines, all of a sudden, magically, things are safe."

The association represents Internet pharmacies that have earned the ire of the U.S. administration by shipping cheaper Canadian prescription drugs to American consumers.

"It's absolutely ironic and ludicrous to think that (U.S. regulators) can assure safety for flu vaccines ... but they won't do it for life-saving Lipitor (a cholesterol-lowering statin) as well," MacKay said.

"What's the difference between flu vaccine and Lipitor?"