Flu vaccine pricing jumps; Ashcroft launches "probe"

[Carolab]

Flu vaccine offered at up to 10 times normal prices
By Julie Appleby, USA TODAY

Some distributors of flu vaccine are offering to sell doses at prices as much as 10 times normal, prompting angry reactions from pharmacists — and lawsuits from at least two states.

Raymond Villasenor gets a flu shot from Denise Straulea Oct. 8 in Cooper City, Fla.
By J. Pat Carter, AP

Prices began climbing within hours of last week's quarantine by British regulators of vaccine produced there in plants owned by California-based Chiron, cutting the U.S. supply by about half.

<snip>

Attorneys general in Kansas and Florida filed a lawsuit against Fort Lauderdale-based distributor Meds-Stat under state laws that prohibit price gouging. Kansas' lawsuit alleges that on Oct. 8, Meds-Stat proposed to deliver vaccine to a Kansas City pharmacy for $900. The same amount sold for $85 on Oct. 1. The law firm representing Meds-Stat did not return calls.

Sixteen states have anti-price-gouging laws; most kick in during declared emergencies, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.


http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2004-10-12-chiron-flu-probe_x.htm

Justice Dept. scrutinizes flu debacle
By Jim Hopkins, USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO — Chiron (CHIR) said Tuesday that it is being investigated by the Justice Department after British regulators suspended its license to deliver as much as half of the USA's flu vaccine this year.
The company said it had received a grand jury subpoena from the U.S. Attorney's Office in New York City seeking documents and other materials related to its Fluvirin production and the license suspension.

"Chiron intends to fully cooperate with the U.S. Attorney's office in its investigation," it said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2004-10-12-chiron-flu-probe_x.htm

[lil-petunia]

1. Johnie boy, can you say SUPPLY? can you say DEMAND? Can you

say that your administration screwed the pooch yet again?

[Booster]

2. Has Ashcroft launched an investigation into voter fraud?

Of course I'm sure voter fraud isn't at the top of his priority, but seems to me it's just as urgent as the flu problem.

[tooncesj0nes]

3. whats all the fuss?

..what do people think this is?- some socialist country?...why Bush even said it himself' our healthcare system is the ENVY of the world'....how dare Ashcroft intervene ...grover Norquist would be very upset to know that this is just one more example of government intervening in private affairs. disgraceful.Whatever happened to the invisible hand of free market capitalism sorting out the winners and losers...heck, if you cant afford the flu shot, by free market capitalism definitions you must be a LOSER! A guy cant even make a buck in this country....:-)

[kanrok]

4. Tell Ass-crack to launch a probe

up his sludge-heap.

[louis-t]

5. Hey, Ass-crap

Probe this.

[skooooo]

6. thank god for john ashcroft!!

[Jacobin]

7. He'll probably indict some more prostitutes in New Orleans

:eyes:

[realFedUp]

8. I don't understand why we aren't making this in this country

Can anyone give me some facts.

[leQ]

10. isn't this tied into tort reform somehow?

n/t

[hatrack]

11. Because it's expensive and risky - and Big Pharma doesn't like doing it

They're very expense- and risk-averse these days. Let's face it, the dream of every drug company is to come up with potions that let aging rich people grow hair, look young or fuck. That's what sells, that's what'll keep on selling, and that's the big brass ring for them.

Given that, why should they bother with vaccines? Flu, in particular, is a bitch to culture and process. It requires incubating the virus in millions of chicken eggs, which is very expensive and time-consuming.

And when it's done, there's no guarantee that anyone will actually buy the vaccine. Vaccines are potentially big money-losers for drug company investors, especially flu. It's for economic reasons that we've gone from (I believe) six companies making flu vaccine 10 years ago to two today.

Of course, amid all the dollars and cents, people kinda forgot about what would happen in the absence of sufficient production. There was clear warning of this last year with the flu outbreak in Colorado. The strain wasn't particularly deadly, but spot shortages emerged all across the state and continued for weeks. And that's what happened when there were two companies manufacturing the vaccine.

Now, with Chiron out of the picture, we have exactly one company on the planet manufacturing vaccine. We can wish for a mild flu season, and if wishes were horses, rides would be free.

[realFedUp]

13. thanks for that explanation

[Pig_Latin_Lover]

9. I'm prayin' for Brother Ashcroft

May he chase away the demons from our flu shots.

[lil-petunia]

12. Hey, not while I have a drink in my hand. Laughter can be deadly

Oh yea, brother, let us prey.

[crossroads]

14. Hey y'all think this *shortage* was planned all along... for the loot?

This is a Corp from England eh? Tony Blairs' birthplace?! Maybe it's artificial like the oil shortage or the diamond shortage? A figament of big business... A consevatives' con!
I don't trust anybody anymore, I've been lied to so much...lol!
:eyes:



:tinfoilhat: :think:

[DemBones DemBones]

15. And to frighten us all. With three chronic health conditions

and no way to get a flu shot, I'm a little frightened. The last time I had the flu,
I was 20-25 years younger and had no health problems.

[Pithy Cherub]

16. Why wouldn't imbecile ashcroft

just borrow O'Lielly's 'probe'? Hmmmm, would the price of gas perchance qualify as well for a full 'probe' or would that be twice biting the hand that feeds him...

[Swamp Rat]

17. I hope it's an anal probe of himself.