Bush blamed for flu vaccine shortage

Washington Times ^ | 12/13/03 | Stephen Dinan

[kattracks]

Call it the Bush flu.

With flu outbreaks in every state and widespread in 24 states, and with the two vaccine manufacturers having already shipped all 83 million doses, the issue is becoming political.

Sen. John Edwards, North Carolina Democrat and one of nine candidates seeking his party's presidential nomination, said the government should have done more to ensure a larger supply of vaccine.

[facedown]

This just in:

Some Democrats claim President Bush is responsible for the Black Plague, the Great Chicago Fire and Extinction of the Dinosaurs.

Film at 11:00.

[snopercod]

Most flu vaccines are purchased by private clinics, hospitals and insurers or by state and local health authorities...Bill Pierce, spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, said the government doesn't play a role in determining how many doses are produced..."The determination of supply is a market issue," he said. "The companies and manufacturers determine how much supply to produce."

These three statements just aren't true. The CDC tells pharmaceutical companies how much to produce and buys up most of the vaccine at a price set by the government.

[Jim Noble]

These three statements just aren't true. The CDC tells pharmaceutical companies how much to produce and buys up most of the vaccine at a price set by the government

I am peripherally involved in the process.

There is no question that acquisition and distribution of flu vaccine is principally a political and not an economic phenomenon.

The "prime directive" for the state & local folks who run the system is that the vaccine be "free". Anything that is "free" is a socialist system will constantly be in shortage, for all the reasons that have been abundantly documented in the past century.

Influenza can be a political hot potato, David Sencer, the most talented epidemiologist of his and my generation, lost his job and career over swine flu in 1976 (he had President Ford recommend mass vaccination for an epidemic that did not materialize). Anyone who makes their dollar in this arena now knows that, if what you do makes a politician look bad, your career is over. This does not promote individual initiative, and compounds the problems brought on by socialized production, acquisition, and distribution.

The CDC is now requesting information on neurologic complications of flu in children. We do not know yet (because we haven't been told) whether the deaths of children in Colorado and Massachusetts have been caused by encephalopathy/encephalitis, but I have been worried for years about a neurodestructive Influenza A variant, given the history of the virus, the lack of recent strains with neurodestructive potential, and the mass casualty implications.

Given the aura of politics that surrounds all matters influenzal, I hope that the information on the CDC website is entirely correct and up to date.

[mewzilla]

He has asked for companies to explain the shortage and for the General Accounting Office to investigate the Bush administration's response...

Oh, there's a good explanation for the shortages. From what I understand around ten million doses were tossed out last year because no-one wanted them. So vaccine makers cut production by a similar amount this year. They're in this to make a profit. If folks want to pay for the government to buy unused doses, then that might be a solution. But the vaccine makers aren't going to do it for free, and shouldn't be expected to.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Translation:

John Edwards: "My poll numbers are in the crapper...I'll say anything as long as it gets my name in the paper!"

[snopercod]

Thanks for that information.

I don't take flu vaccine myself. I believe the risk of doing so is greater than the benefit. Maybe that will change as I get older.

My wife, OTOH, works in a hospital and is forced to be vaccinated. She comes down with a mild case of the flu each time.

You've got to hand it to Ted Kennedy. He initiated this program quietly in 1986, and every few years got new things added to it so that it is now a full-blown nationalization of the pharmaceutical industry. Nice work.

[snopercod]

More information here: Hillary's Vaccine Shortage

[Jim Noble]

I don't take flu vaccine myself. I believe the risk of doing so is greater than the benefit

It's a bit of a crapshoot.

When a lethal Influenza A strain emerges (or one that causes brain damage), it is likely that vaccination will have provided you with some benefit.

But you don't get to know the year in advance.

FWIW, the risk of harm is pretty small. Do think about it-as one of the few, the proud, the FRelite-we can't afford to lose you.

[cynicom]

We are the sheeple. We send the same professional politicians back to Washington for term after term. Our interest becomes THEIR interest. Citizen legislators have long been gone.

[snopercod]

Also, I live out in the woods in a very rural area of North Carolina, not in a city. Can't find a job, so I stay at home and work on my house (and FReep) most of the time. I think I'm pretty safe.

OTOH, a while back I visited an old cemetary just down the road from me. There was an area there with hundreds of small headstones as if children were buried underneath. The date on all of them was 1895. I came to find out later that it was an epidemic of some kind - either smallpox or influenza.

[FormerACLUmember]

I have had 25 years of flu shots. Never a side effect. No flu in 25 years.

I also take Flumadine if possibly exposed to the flu, or if traveling in airports. This inhibits the replication of type A viruses (80% of flu viruses).

[alaskanfan]

He should have signed the Kyoto accord. This never would have happened. </sarcasm>

[Jim Noble]

OTOH, a while back I visited an old cemetary just down the road from me. There was an area there with hundreds of small headstones as if children were buried underneath. The date on all of them was 1895. I came to find out later that it was an epidemic of some kind - either smallpox or influenza.

Probably diphtheria.

[DBrow]

Note that as of the last CDC report, deaths by flu have not yet even reached seasonal baseline; yet the press is going ballistic over it. Compared to 2000 or 2002, it does not look that bad yet.

The demand was created by starting a "flu shot chant" or Media Mantra weeks ago- Go Get A Flu Shot! Coupled with a second message, if your kids get sick, go to ER NOW! or your kids may die.

The result is a run on vaccines and lots of ER visits, proof (to the media) that there is a problem and a need for a Louder Media Mantra.

And I just KNEW it was W's fault all along! We should Federalize vaccines to keep our kids safe!

[dpa5923]

I broke my finger playing football about a month ago. I bet that was Bush's fault too!

[FreedomPoster]

>>"There would be more companies available to manufacture vaccines if people like John Edwards and his trial lawyer friends weren't putting them out of business with frivolous lawsuits," the source said.


Worth saying again bump.

[FreedomPoster]

Yeah, that's gonna leave a mark. ;-)

[flashbunny]

Remember the 'summer of the shark' a couple of years back? Every night there would be coverage of a shark attack. At the end of the season, it turns out that there weren't any more shark attacks than regular years. It was just a story the media could hype.

[bonesmccoy]

PROPOSED?

Heck, there IS a price cap on flu vaccine caused by the Harvard Medical School derived Resource Based Relative Value System. RBRVS defines the federal reimbursement level for a vial of vaccine.

[bonesmccoy]

Good to be back in touch with you guys.

I am now DIRECTLY in the line of fire of this problem.

I am OUTRAGED with the conduct of the vaccine distribution system in our area.

I have personally requested explanation for the continuing vaccine shortages in our area with local political leaders. Legislators have sent letters to appropriate California agencies and have not received a response.

I want to know the following:
1. Which account has the Vaccines for Children Funding.
2. Who was the idiot (or who were the idiots) that VOLUNTARILY CHOSE to ONLY produce enough vaccine for less than 1/3 of the US population???
3. Did Wyeth Pharmaceuticals have any say in the number of injectable flu vaccine used in the US?

There needs to be a Congressional Investigation of the entire US Vaccine distribution system IMMEDIATELY.

Our current system IS A DIRECT THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY AND CLEARLY SHOWS THE WORLD HOW LOUSY OUR BIOLOGICAL DEFENSES ARE!