Chiron Corp.
4560 Horton St., Emeryville, CA 94608
www.chiron.com


Max Mustermann wrote:

How the vaccine works:

Influenza vaccine is produced by growing the virus in eggs. The virus is
killed and processed to create the vaccine, which is given by injection
under the skin. The body then produces antibodies to the virus over the
next two to four weeks. If the immunized person then comes into contact
with the influenza virus, the antibodies attack and kill the virus before
it has a chance to cause infection. The vaccine contains the 3 most likely
strains to be active during the "flu season"


Why the shortage:

Almost half of the nation's flu vaccine will not be delivered this year.
Chiron, a major manufacturer of flu vaccine, will not be distributing any
influenza vaccine this flu season. Chiron was to make 46-48 million doses
vaccine for the United States. Chiron is a British company. Recently
British health officials stopped Chiron from distributing and making the
vaccine when inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the labs. Some lots
of the vaccine were recalled and destroyed.

Why is our vaccine made in the UK and not the US?

The major pharmaceutical companies in the US provided almost 90% of the
nations flu vaccine at one time. They did this despite a very low profit
margin for the product. Basically, they were doing us a favor. In the late
80's a man from North Carolina who had received the vaccine got the flu.
The strain he caught was one of the strains in that year vaccine made by a
US company. What did he do? He sued and he won. He was awarded almost $5
million! After that case was appealed and lost, most US pharmaceutical
companies stopped making the vaccine. The liability out weighed the profit
margin. Since UK and Canadian laws prohibit such frivolous law suits UK and
Canadian companies began selling the vaccine in the US.

By the way...the lawyer that represented the man in the flu shot law suit
was a young ambulance chaser by the name of John Edwards.

I researched this subject for a project. Here's the summary:

Why can't we get a flu shot?

We are the only industrialized country in the world that leaves the
public health decisions to private industry. Decisions are profit
related. Leaving the supply to the lowest bidder, and not having a
backup plan caused the shortage.

Why can't over 50 get the nasal vaccine?

The age for testing was cut off at 49, just because they had to cut it
off somewhere.

It was felt that 50 and above are more LIKELY to get regular physicals,
and therefor more likely to get a flu shot.

That's why, arbitrary decisions based on profit.

One has to wonder how we are planning for terrorist threats. . .

Jim

Chiron Corp. 4560 Horton St., Emeryville, CA 94608
www.chiron.com


Max Mustermann wrote:

How the vaccine works:

Influenza vaccine is produced by growing the virus in eggs. The virus is
killed and processed to create the vaccine, which is given by injection
under the skin. The body then produces antibodies to the virus over the
next two to four weeks. If the immunized person then comes into contact
with the influenza virus, the antibodies attack and kill the virus
before
it has a chance to cause infection. The vaccine contains the 3 most
likely
strains to be active during the "flu season"


Why the shortage:

Almost half of the nation's flu vaccine will not be delivered this year.
Chiron, a major manufacturer of flu vaccine, will not be distributing any
influenza vaccine this flu season. Chiron was to make 46-48 million doses
vaccine for the United States. Chiron is a British company. Recently
British health officials stopped Chiron from distributing and making
the
vaccine when inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the labs. Some
lots
of the vaccine were recalled and destroyed.

Why is our vaccine made in the UK and not the US?

The major pharmaceutical companies in the US provided almost 90% of the
nations flu vaccine at one time. They did this despite a very low profit
margin for the product. Basically, they were doing us a favor. In the
late
80's a man from North Carolina who had received the vaccine got the flu.
The strain he caught was one of the strains in that year vaccine made
by a
US company. What did he do? He sued and he won. He was awarded almost $5
million! After that case was appealed and lost, most US pharmaceutical
companies stopped making the vaccine. The liability out weighed the
profit
margin. Since UK and Canadian laws prohibit such frivolous law suits
UK and
Canadian companies began selling the vaccine in the US.

By the way...the lawyer that represented the man in the flu shot law
suit
was a young ambulance chaser by the name of John Edwards.

And we are the major inventor of new medical devices and vacines.
Bill

"Jim" wrote in message
k.net...
I repeat. We are the only country in the world that leaves public
health decisions to the private sector.

We are also the only country that has a shortage of flu vaccine.

Calif Bill wrote:
All decisions are profit related. Do you have any concept of the cost
of
clinical trials? Former company I worked for spent about $10,000,000 to
do
clinical trials on 150 women. Did include minor surgery. How many
products
does your employer give away?
Bill

"Jim" wrote in message
nk.net...

I researched this subject for a project. Here's the summary:

Why can't we get a flu shot?

We are the only industrialized country in the world that leaves the
public health decisions to private industry. Decisions are profit
related. Leaving the supply to the lowest bidder, and not having a
backup plan caused the shortage.

Why can't over 50 get the nasal vaccine?

The age for testing was cut off at 49, just because they had to cut it
off somewhere.

It was felt that 50 and above are more LIKELY to get regular physicals,
and therefor more likely to get a flu shot.

That's why, arbitrary decisions based on profit.

One has to wonder how we are planning for terrorist threats. . .

Jim


Chiron Corp. 4560 Horton St., Emeryville, CA 94608
www.chiron.com


Max Mustermann wrote:


How the vaccine works:

Influenza vaccine is produced by growing the virus in eggs. The virus

is

killed and processed to create the vaccine, which is given by
injection
under the skin. The body then produces antibodies to the virus over
the
next two to four weeks. If the immunized person then comes into
contact
with the influenza virus, the antibodies attack and kill the virus
before
it has a chance to cause infection. The vaccine contains the 3 most
likely
strains to be active during the "flu season"


Why the shortage:

Almost half of the nation's flu vaccine will not be delivered this

year.

Chiron, a major manufacturer of flu vaccine, will not be distributing

any

influenza vaccine this flu season. Chiron was to make 46-48 million

doses

vaccine for the United States. Chiron is a British company. Recently
British health officials stopped Chiron from distributing and making
the
vaccine when inspectors found unsanitary conditions in the labs. Some
lots
of the vaccine were recalled and destroyed.

Why is our vaccine made in the UK and not the US?

The major pharmaceutical companies in the US provided almost 90% of
the
nations flu vaccine at one time. They did this despite a very low

profit

margin for the product. Basically, they were doing us a favor. In the
late
80's a man from North Carolina who had received the vaccine got the

flu.

The strain he caught was one of the strains in that year vaccine made
by a
US company. What did he do? He sued and he won. He was awarded almost

$5

million! After that case was appealed and lost, most US pharmaceutical
companies stopped making the vaccine. The liability out weighed the
profit
margin. Since UK and Canadian laws prohibit such frivolous law suits
UK and
Canadian companies began selling the vaccine in the US.

By the way...the lawyer that represented the man in the flu shot law
suit
was a young ambulance chaser by the name of John Edwards.

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Calif Bill wrote:
And we are the major inventor of new medical devices and vacines.
Bill

"Jim" wrote in message
k.net...
I repeat. We are the only country in the world that leaves public
health decisions to the private sector.

We are also the only country that has a shortage of flu vaccine.


For a modern western nation, we have some of the worst health care
statistics there are. We're in a dream world regarding how well we
supposedly take care of our citizens.





First. What relevance does this have in regards to the post. Second, we
have lots of 3rd world immigrants, which will skew the statistics. And I
have not noticed the streets littered with dead and dying.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...
:
: "Harry Krause" wrote in message
: ...
: Calif Bill wrote:
: And we are the major inventor of new medical devices and vacines.
: Bill
:
: "Jim" wrote in message
: k.net...
: I repeat. We are the only country in the world that leaves public
: health decisions to the private sector.
:
: We are also the only country that has a shortage of flu vaccine.
:
:
: For a modern western nation, we have some of the worst health care
: statistics there are. We're in a dream world regarding how well we
: supposedly take care of our citizens.
:
:
:
:
:
: First. What relevance does this have in regards to the post. Second, we
: have lots of 3rd world immigrants, which will skew the statistics. And I
: have not noticed the streets littered with dead and dying.
:
:
I hope i am not out of line with my observation.My best friend who at the
time he was diagnosed with lymphoma(sp)cancer did not have insurance.he was
admitted to MD Anderson and treated.he is cancer free now and has been for
12 years.My Granny was diagnosed with the same class of cancer and had
insurance thru my grandfather's military retirement insurance and was
treated at UTMB and is now cancer free as well after 8 years.The quality of
care given to them both was exceptional.I have faith in our current health
care due to these personal experiences and do not believe it is as bad as
some would have me believe.
Chad

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 23:24:17 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

Calif Bill wrote:
And we are the major inventor of new medical devices and vacines.
Bill

"Jim" wrote in message
k.net...
I repeat. We are the only country in the world that leaves public
health decisions to the private sector.

We are also the only country that has a shortage of flu vaccine.


For a modern western nation, we have some of the worst health care
statistics there are. We're in a dream world regarding how well we
supposedly take care of our citizens.

What country has the best health care system then?

That's a subjective decision.

"60 Minutes" did a story a while ago comparing health care systems.
They profiled similar cases of care for a broken leg in 4 or 5 different
countries.

It was a real eye opener.


John S wrote:

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 23:24:17 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:


Calif Bill wrote:

And we are the major inventor of new medical devices and vacines.
Bill

"Jim" wrote in message
link.net...

I repeat. We are the only country in the world that leaves public
health decisions to the private sector.

We are also the only country that has a shortage of flu vaccine.


For a modern western nation, we have some of the worst health care
statistics there are. We're in a dream world regarding how well we
supposedly take care of our citizens.


What country has the best health care system then?