UPDATE 1-Glaxo to start shipping H1N1 shot 'next week'

* Clears the way for governments to start mass vaccinations

* EU approved vaccines from Novartis, Glaxo, on Tuesday (Adds details)

LONDON, Sept 30 (Reuters) - British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) expects to start shipping out its H1N1 vaccine next week to governments across Europe so that mass vaccinations against the virus can begin.

Governments and drugmakers have been scrambling for vaccines to combat the new H1N1 flu strain before a feared second wave of infection hits the northern hemisphere in the winter.

The world's second biggest pharmaceutical company said on Wednesday it will begin shipments of its Pandemrix vaccine from next week, after getting official clearance from the European Commission on Tuesday. [ID:nLT633058]

European officials also gave a green light to Swiss drugmaker Novartis (NOVN.VX) for its H1N1 shot Focetria.

(Reporting by Ben Deighton; Editing by Mark Potter)