Posted on 05/13/2005 6:18:48 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
CHICAGO - Perhaps within five years, the government is likely to recommend annual flu shots for every American - not just young children, the elderly and other at-risk people, public health advocates predict.
The government panel that sets U.S. vaccine policy already has begun discussing "universal immunization" as a way to boost vaccination rates and reduce flu-linked sickness and death, Dr. Scott Harper of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at a vaccine meeting this week.
The end of a chaotic season where many people seeking flu shots were turned away because of a shortage might seem an odd time to broach the idea of vaccinating even more people.
Harper acknowledged that the recent crisis momentarily upstaged universal immunization discussions, but said it remains a viable proposal.
"Part of our job is to just keep this issue on the radar screen," Harper told vaccine providers, distributors and manufacturers at the national flu vaccine summit here.
The vaccine meeting, held every year, seeks to set an agenda for the upcoming flu season. Participants - many with a financial stake in getting more people vaccinated - said the universal vaccination push is likely to come within the next five years.
The hurdles, some observers say, are daunting.
Unstable supply is one of the biggest. For example, factory contamination problems at Chiron Corp.'s British plant unexpectedly cut the U.S. flu shot supply in half last fall. This year the best case scenario - having about 90 million shots available - isn't even enough for the 180 million high-risk people advised to get shots, let alone the total population of 280 million.
Also, flu vaccine is altered every year because there are always different flu strains circulating. The unused vaccine is discarded at season's end, making flu shots financially unappealing for manufacturers.
So far only one company, Sanofi Pasteur, is licensed to make U.S. flu vaccine for the upcoming season, though public health officials hope two others, including Chiron, will soon gain approval.
Sanofi Pasteur's Philip Hosbach said the company has two idle U.S. factories "because there's not the return on the investment." Universal vaccination could in the long term help stabilize supply if it increased demand, he said.
But Ira Longini, an Emory University biostatistician who specializes in vaccine analysis, said universal vaccination would be unworkable unless supply problems can be resolved.
Demand has historically been a problem, too. Millions of the at-risk patients routinely skip annual shots. Some people worry the vaccine isn't safe or they simply don't like shots, but many also underestimate the seriousness of flu, said Dr. Ann O'Malley, a researcher at the Center for Studying Health System Change.
Estimates suggest that in an average year, flu infects about 82 million people nationwide, hospitalizes 200,000 and kills 36,000.
In recent years the government has repeatedly expanded the list of people who should get flu shots - first to healthy adults over age 50, then to babies and toddlers. That's in addition to traditional groups deemed at risk for flu complications - including adults aged 65 and older, pregnant women, the chronically ill and health care workers.
"It gets confusing because there isn't one consistent message," O'Malley said.
Earlier this year, one medical study suggested the vaccine didn't save lives among elderly people, and some researchers said it might be more effective to vaccinate children, the biggest spreaders of the virus.
Dr. Herb Young of the American Academy of Family Physicians said recommending shots for everyone could ease the confusion - and that his group is moving toward supporting the idea.
"Since family physicians take care of the whole family, it makes a lot of sense," Young said at the meeting. "I'm convinced that we will as a nation eventually end up with it."
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CDC: http://www.cdc.gov
Totally unnecessary IMHO.
2. What if the flu strain expected is not the one that hits?
3.What happens if someone who doesn't get immunized gets the flu?
4. How in the h*ll are you going to immunize everyone?
Lawyers. Paging all lawyers. Fat payday coming.
I'll stop now. My head hurts.
I will not take an unnecessary shot. The government can
take the shot and shove it. I'm definately not trusting them on this one.
Totally unnecessary until your flat on your back with a temperature of 104 wishing for a quick and timely demise.
After the flu kicked my healthy ass about six years ago, I've been getting a vaccination every year.
I say, immunize nobody. I'm high-risk. I didn't get the flu shot the last 2 years. I got the flu this past Winter... TWICE! I was sick (as a dog!!). I stayed home in bed for about 10 days each time. No guarantee that the flu strain that hit me who have been avoided had I gotten a shot.
I say, immunize nobody. I'm high-risk. I didn't get the flu shot the last 2 years. I got the flu this past Winter... TWICE! I was sick (as a dog!!). I stayed home in bed for about 10 days each time. No guarantee that the flu strain that hit me who have been avoided had I gotten a shot.
See, even my posts are hitting TWICE! Hehehehe!!
I've been getting the flu shot every year for some while now just because I can, and haven't had the flu. Didn't get it this past year because of the shortage, and sure enough came down with the flu..
You might want to buy a couple of lottery tickets if you are on a "double" roll !
Uh....depends upon what the meaning of "care" is.....(I don't much TRUST family physicians.....I do my research, and then go to the doctor I NEED.....
I can't take a flu shot. I tried it three times and each time it made me sick as hell. I'll take my chances unless without one unless it is to prevent something like bird flu which at this time isn't a threat here.
I think I read somewhere that LAST year was one of the lightest of flu seasons.....and we had a SHORTAGE of flu shots.....FIGURE THAT OUT!
The flu is a yearly rite of passage.
I come before you
To stand behind you
To tell you something
I know nothing about.
(Not you Norm, them!)
Sanofi Pasteur's Philip Hosbach said the company has two idle U.S. factories "because there's not the return on the investment." Universal vaccination could in the long term help stabilize supply if it increased demand, he said.
They want to get into the business of making vaccine and making killing, just as seen on TV: "Tell your doctor to prescribe you ........" This is one better, government will order vaccinations. Not here, blackmailers. Eat right, take the vitamins and strengthen your immune system. Flu will fly off.
Keep your freakin' needles away from me.....every time I have ever taken one I have gotten sick.....and I almost never get flu.
"I can't take a flu shot. I tried it three times and each time it made me sick as hell. I'll take my chances unless without one unless it is to prevent something like bird flu which at this time isn't a threat here."
You must be allergic to some component in the vaccine (like eggs, or chicken). The vaccine itself uses a dead virus, so you can't get the flu from it; but some people do have terrible reactions to its components.
The article lists the population of the U.S. at 280,000,000. It goes on to say that "estimates suggest that in an average year, flu infects about 82 million people nationwide, hospitalizes 200,000 and kills 36,000".
The odds are you won't even come down with the flu. I've never had it and I've also never had a flu shot. Maybe one of these years I'll catch it, but until then.... no shot for me.
(If my figures turn out to resemble the results of "new math", let me know.)
At least that's the idea.
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