Flu Shots -- Lies, facts and a flip-flop

[radfringe]

More Lies from Bush (so what else is new?)

During the October 13, 2004 debate a question regarding the flu shots was asked. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/debatereferee/debate_1013.html)

SCHIEFFER: New question, Mr. President, to you.

We are talking about protecting ourselves from the unexpected, but the flu season is suddenly upon us. Flu kills thousands of people every year.

Suddenly we find ourselves with a severe shortage of flu vaccine. How did that happen?

BUSH: Bob, we relied upon a company out of England to provide about half of the flu vaccines for the United States citizen, and it turned out that the vaccine they were producing was contaminated. ]And so we took the right action and didn't allow contaminated medicine into our country.

We're working with Canada to hopefully -- that they'll produce a -- help us realize the vaccine necessary to make sure our citizens have got flu vaccinations during this upcoming season.

My call to our fellow Americans is if you're healthy, if you're younger, don't get a flu shot this year. Help us prioritize those who need to get the flu shot, the elderly and the young.

The CDC, responsible for health in the United States, is setting those priorities and is allocating the flu vaccine accordingly.

I haven't gotten a flu shot, and I don't intend to because I want to make sure those who are most vulnerable get treated.

We have a problem with litigation in the United States of America. Vaccine manufacturers are worried about getting sued, and therefore they have backed off from providing this kind of vaccine.

One of the reasons I'm such a strong believer in legal reform is so that people aren't afraid of producing a product that is necessary for the health of our citizens and then end up getting sued in a court of law.

But the best thing we can do now, Bob, given the circumstances with the company in England is for those of us who are younger and healthy, don't get a flu shot.

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The Lie: Bob, we relied upon a company out of England to provide about half of the flu vaccines for the United States citizen, and it turned out that the vaccine they were producing was contaminated.

The Fact: Chiron Corporation is an AMERICAN company based out of Emeryville, CA -- it does have a manufacturing plant in England. (http://www.oaoa.com/news/nw101604a.htm) A supply breakdown at one of the two flu vaccine manufacturers, Emeryville, Calif.-based Chiron Corporation, has cut the nation’s vaccine supply to 40 million doses, half of the needed 80 million, Solla said.

The Lie: And so we took the right action and didn't allow contaminated medicine into our country.

The Fact: As of the night of the debate -- WE did not shut down production of the vaccine - British Drug Authorities did.
( http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20041014-084642-7681r ). It is looking more and more like the violations that led British drug authorities to nix half the U.S. supply of flu vaccine were mostly process problems, not widespread contamination of shots. In other words, the company that made the vaccine was not trying hard enough to keep its factory proficient and pristine.

The Lie: We have a problem with litigation in the United States of America. Vaccine manufacturers are worried about getting sued, and therefore they have backed off from providing this kind of vaccine.

The Fact: ( http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041014/nyth205_1.html) President Bush also missed the mark when he said that frivolous lawsuits were causing manufacturers to get out of the business of making vaccines. Bernard said, "While frivolous lawsuits may be a problem in other parts of the healthcare system, vaccine manufacturers and health care providers are specifically protected from legal action by the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. That said, I would caution our leadership in Washington not to consider vaccine injury cases -- including those related to mercury -- as frivolous. We are talking about real children who have really suffered or died, and that is never a trivial matter.

"The decreasing number of vaccine manufacturers is not a result of lawsuits, but rather a direct result of the 15-year trend of major pharmaceutical companies merging," explained Bernard. "That the flu shortage announcement came during a Congressional hearing questioning the delay in getting the Thimerosal out of flu vaccines may have deflected the media's attention from the topic, but coincidence has not been lost on parents who want safe, effective, mercury-free vaccines."

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program enacted in 1988 -- ( http://www.hrsa.gov/osp/vicp/INDEX.HTM )

The Flip: We're working with Canada to hopefully -- that they'll produce a -- help us realize the vaccine necessary to make sure our citizens have got flu vaccinations during this upcoming season.

The Flop: In previous debates, on the campaign stump and during the Congressional debates regarding the Medicare reforms -- Bush and republicans to allow importation of Canandian drugs and to allow Americans to purchase drugs from foreign markets (including Canada). (http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/opinion/editorials/041017a.shtml )

They cited "saftey concerns" as the reason -- but now Bush* wants to import Flu Vaccines from Canada -- did Canadian drugs suddenly become safe -- or is Bush pushing to import "unsafe" drugs -- or was the previous "concerns" a smoke-screen to protect American Drug Industries' profits?

Importation of Flu Vaccine from Canada is now a moot point. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=15087 Canada --- Says No to Americans Wanting Flu Vaccine

[MatrixEscape]

1. Thanks! Good post.

It sounds like * is now playing with many American lives by manipulating any given situation to serve his bid for another term.

It is getting so very transparent that I wonder if he, and his Administration, simply take us all for fools who will buy it.

In that respect, voting for Kerry is the ONLY way we can prove his insane assumptions wrong. On his watch we are being put in harm's way more than we ever could imagine.

[radfringe]

2. feel free to grab the info/post

and send it around to friends/family Letter-to-Editor etc.

need to get this info out into the mainstream

there has been stories about this -- but not with all the dots connected, nor do they point out all the "mis-leads/speak"

[MatrixEscape]

3. Roger, wilco! n/t

[ClintonTyree]

4. Yet...................

about half of registered voters (if we can believe the polls) believe this Idiot is truthful, honest,and looking out for the safety and well being of we Americans. Honestly, I don't know what it would take to wake these people up from their self induced comas. He's a liar, a cheat, and absolutely the WORST President this nation has ever had to endure.

[radfringe]

5. please keep this kicked for late Sunday morning risers n/t

[radfringe]

6. **kick**

[leftchick]

7. Check this out, to add to the ineptness of chimpy*...

...Gee, it almost sounds like they didn't care...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=15096


Why did Chiron Flu Crisis Affect USA more than England?


Why did the British never allow themselves to become dependent on just two flu major flu vaccine suppliers like the Americans did? According to health experts, they did this in case the current Chiron flu vaccine crisis happened - to make sure the nation's people were not left in a vulnerable position.

Last August UK officials, with the same information the US officials had, decided something had to be done in case the Chiron supplies, 14% of UK supplies, went belly up. The US officials decided to believe Chiron and gamble 48% of their supplies on an assurance that everything would turn out fine despite some worrying set backs.

When October 5th arrived, the British authorities pulled the plug on the Chiron, Liverpool, supplies. US authorities were caught out - nothing had been done in advance, the country had allowed itself to get into this situation.

Even without this crisis, the UK authorities have always had a situation where they can fall back on six or seven suppliers that have been pre-approved by UK authorities. The US, on the other hand, only has two - one of which has let them down. Had the US had more pre-approved suppliers, had the US started to do something about this problem last August when alarm bells were ringing, had the US…….? This is what many Americans are now starting to ask.

[radfringe]

8. Last August UK officials

In August smirk-boy was prepping for the convention, didn't have time to worry about flu vaccines for old Auntie, ya know