The clock is ticking for the H1N1 swine-flu vaccine, as reported in two blog posts on vaccine science and policy this month.

On the Spoonful of Medicine blog, Nature Medicine senior editor Charlotte Schubert gives an update on the vaccine's regulatory approval in the United States and reports data showing that just one dose of vaccine should be protective (http://tinyurl.com/ktovkj).

“That's better news than expected,” she writes, noting that a one-dose schedule will free up vaccine supplies. She explains how the supply could be stretched even further if the United States were to implement the use of adjuvants — substances that are mixed with vaccines to improve the immune response.

Meanwhile, Nature's European correspondent Declan Butler asks “Who's in the driving seat?” for the European Union's flu response. A strategy document released by the European Commission was meant to lay out the responsibilities of the Commission and the EU member states, but many issues remain unclear. Butler breaks these down for readers on The Great Beyond blog (http://tinyurl.com/ntr99e).