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Free to buy vaccines, for everyone’s good

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    Posted: August 29 2006 at 1:41am
Free to buy vaccines, for everyone's good
Kevin A. Schulman
DURHAM - Here's an ironic update for anyone who was concerned about his family's safety a few months ago, when everyone was talking about a deadly bird flu pandemic and government officials said there was no vaccine available.

Just recently, a pharmaceutical company announced it had developed a new, and possibly much better, vaccine to prevent bird flu. The company, GlaxoSmithKline, says it's ready to produce enough vaccine for 80 million Americans, which would go a long way toward heading off a crisis.

Public health officials want more test results before approving the vaccine for widespread use, which is reasonable. But they haven't offered the company a contingent contract to begin producing vaccine quickly if the results are favorable.

Why not? Because our country' system for producing vaccines doesn't allow that -- just one of many ways in which the system remains broken.

Little has changed since the Institute of Medicine, in a 2003 report, called for a new financing system to encourage companies to develop and distribute vaccines. That report was followed by widely publicized vaccine shortages, and then by the bird flu problem, which highlighted the urgent need for action. Yet the problem persists.

As a physician and health economist, and also as a parent, I would welcome the opportunity to start protecting my family on my own.

For instance, I would be happy to buy a bird flu treatment kit for my family that would include doses of medication that we would only use in a pandemic. If the medications expired and I had to buy another kit next year, I would still be glad that I had acted to protect my family. State Medicaid programs could make the same option available to those who cannot afford to pay for this "insurance."

How about prepayment? I could buy my influenza vaccine dose in advance, and manufacturers could be assured of a significant market before production. I would receive discounted pricing from my vaccine provider of choice.

There is a market for wine futures and "dread disease" insurance. Why not a futures market on vaccines? I could buy my dose in advance and share in the risk of development. Manufacturers would be assured of a significant market before taking on the costs of production. They would also receive some advance financing. That's a lot more than a company like GlaxoSmithKline gets under the current system.

We could apply the same approach for threats besides bird flu, notably including bioterrorism possibilities such as smallpox or anthrax that are remote but present a high risk. Again, I'd be willing to spend my own money to protect my family from these biological agents, purchasing the supplies myself and thereby easing the burden on the public purse. If others joined me, we would thereby expand the market, making it more attractive for manufacturers to produce supplies. Government would assume responsibility for those unable to buy supplies privately.

If that sounds a little cold-blooded, consider the market-based solutions we've developed for other areas of health care. For example, we expect people to pay for drugs that reduce their cholesterol levels; indeed, the worldwide market for cholesterol-reducing agents now totals $32 billion annually. In contrast, so long as we continue to view vaccines strictly as a public health tool, the market size will remain uncertain and payment rates will remain so low that companies will have little incentive to invest in producing vaccines rather than in something more profitable.

This is especially true for flu vaccines, since companies need to develop a new version annually, which requires a substantial scientific investment with only one year to possibly earn a return.

These approaches are not the only market-based alternatives to our current broken system. Once we start looking at the problem with new eyes, it's possible to identify a variety of approaches to encourage more companies to get involved while enhancing the public health.

The bottom line is this: The current system is broken. I'm willing to pay for vaccines. You might be, too. So long as the government steps up to its responsibility to protect those unable to pay, we should stop spinning our wheels and try to find ways for each of us to take steps toward preventing the next public health crisis.

(Kevin A. Schulman, M.D., is a professor of medicine and management at Duke University and director of the Health Sector Management Program at Duke's Fuqua School of Business.)

All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be published, broadcast or redistributed in any manner.
Kevin A. Schulman, M.D., is a professor of medicine and management at Duke University and director of the Health Sector Management Program at Duke's Fuqua School of Business.
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Sorry to be a wet blanket , but I should have thought that the approval for public use would be essential as a safety measure (at least under current legislation), whoever bought the vaccine -governments or private individuals.
 
As for buying it in advance to fund production, many governments have placed orders for Tamiflu.  The position is not dissimilar to the vaccine situation.
 
Private purchasers are also willing to buy it, but are unable to in many cases because legislation in their countries requires them to get a prescription.  Production speed has increased, but it appears there is still not enough to meet the whole of the demand. Many governments have instructed their doctors not to give prescriptions unless people actually have the flu.  Catch 22.
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Okay Dr., there are quite a few things here I find deeply disturbing. Please take this in the spirit it is meant, but I would like for not only myself, but the readers here be given a little clarification.
 
1) Why copyright a post?  I can see patenting a vaccine, but since I daily write articles which could easily be in the media or in magazines, I am not concerned with people copying and reprinting them. They are a free gift to the forum. This copyright business - well why?
 
2) Second of all, I realize the forum is going to become more commerical with ads and such, but there is quite a difference from selling an UNTESTED UNAPPROVED possibly HIGHLY DANGEROUS VACCINE to people as opposed to on line  face masks, C-rations, safe prep articles.
 
3) I have posted as an ex-whatever as well as a current whatever the extreme danger of creating resistant strains of virus by selling vaccine on the Internet. It might be comforting to have your own little stack of Tamiflu or Relenza in your cupboard, but I have posted some clear genetic data showing step by step the formation in real people of resistant strains which will then make all the Tamiflu stocks we have for our health people, military, and and infrastructure worthless. This is scary. Akin to buying your Vicodin from your on-call  Internet M.D.
 
Human Avian is not in the U.S. We do not have a Pandemic of Avian and (no one is poking me to write this stuff) this is extreme. I work with Universities daily and I would love to see your legal department take a look at this. I do not think Duke University would associate itself with this kind of enterprise knowing the regulations and laws concerning this type of thing.
 
Personal opinion: I would not be a a wet blanket in this - I would be a triple thick put out the dangerous fire blanket.
 
4) Not meant to be a harsh post. No doubt people will commercialize on the coming Pandemic with the cost of water soaring, weapons sales, and prey on the fear of disease with a vengeance surpassng the most Via_gra mountains of spam I get everyday. Can you imagine how my pregnant wife and I look at the Via_gra ads? Point to my wife's tummy. Too late.
 
Opinion: and I don't work for drug or insurance companies. Don't create a strain of Avian which is going to cremate the value what little effectiveness the Tamiflu and Relenza we have.
 
What do you other Docs out there think about this? Doesn't this kind of destroy the entire concept of vaccination centers, proper dosing, the governments basic plan to intelligently deal with a Pandemic? Human safety testing?
 
And most of all, and please don't take offense. This is the network. If you are going to come out and say "I am a doctor at Duke University and I want you to go to this web page and buy drugs with no prescription - I think it is time to sub some credentials to Albert ASAP."
 
Probably an unsolicited comment here - but this type of thing could hurt the forum, someone buy some of this, and die - law suits, nasty nasty mess. Just a comment.
 
 
 
 
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A MD didnt post this, a blogger on the forum copied it.
I think what the Dr. is trying to say, and I have thought so myself, is not that we buy the medicine without a prescription. We buy futures in it, in other words we would put in a order ourselves. The Govrnment would buy it for those who could not afford to, this would be so that the vaccine making companies felt comfortable to produce the vaccine and make money. I have seen over and over, that vaccine production left the USA because there is no money in Vaccines and a lot of liability. By pre ordering the vaccine, it makes it so that the companies producing it, want to do so, as they see profit in it, by amounts pre ordered. I know in a lot of business as hard as it sounds, they wont produce until they have the business to warrant it.
 
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Medclinician,
 
I live in NC and I am a UNC Chapel Hill Hospitals person myself and I am not a physician.  I could see the value in that vaccine plan.  You invest in  the vaccine so you lend monetary aid to its development, the ethical issue comes into place is if the vaccine works, the people who invested get it first as opposed to those who are at highest risk?  That would lead to best medicine for those who can most afford it.  How to come up with a solution that is ethical???.............all that donate $25 or more per person will be able to receive the vaccine?  Could the pharmaceutical company get enough funds to do the development needed?  I really have no answers just pondering questions.........your thoughts and others opinions would be appreciated.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote VtDoc Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2006 at 6:52pm
I don't quite understand how this would work. 
 
He compares this to the futures market.  The futures market is for buying tangible commodities, with some gamble taken on the future supply and price.  But at least you know that there is such a thing as pork bellies, etc.  This would be more like investment banking, where you provide capital for a new venture and then get a cut if it works out.  However, this also is a flawed analogy, since the return on investment is usually money (or something equivalent, like stock).  Most people don't invest money, taking on risk, so they can have one unit of the final product.  You don't finance a Hollywood movie so you can get a free ticket. 
 
Then there's the very real possibility that the vaccine will not work, or will not be produced in time, or that a competitor will be first.  And which vaccine company should I pre-buy from?  The one with the best ads?  Or should I buy from all companies that are looking for a vaccine, to increase my odds?
 
It's an interesting concept and I definitely favor using a market-based approach if possible, but I don't think this is it.
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I think the Dr. s use of the word investment is wrong and it is throwing people off. I do think he is saying, pay up front for yours and your famlies shots. I would gladly pay that for each family member in every company working on a vaccine. At 25 bucks a pop for eight people that would be two hundred bucks to each company. They are paid up front so they Know if someone does beat them out, they dont loose. There maybe some competition if people only had enough to invest in A company or two based on which they thought was the best. I think it would stimulate a lot of work. The buck often does.  Even if I lost a couple grand because no one came up with one on time, the money may still help and I have spent that small amount of money on a lot worse things. This money would be in addition to any other funds or grants they recieved.  The Dr. states that the Government would pay for those who were on welfare or could not pay, I would also assume that a lot of folks may be able to put out a lot more money if they so choose.
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I don't think this would work either.  How would you go about getting people to prepurchase vaccines?  You'd have to run a marketing campaign of some kind, which costs alot of money and takes time.  As much as I don't like the idea of government-controlled health care, I think this is different.  Infact it almost qualifies as a national defense issue.  I understand the doctor's frustration and like his creative thinking, but wish he would have used his authority to call for citizens to both prepare and to be active in keeping this issue on the government's front burner.

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the return on investment is usually money (or something equivalent, like stock).  Most people don't invest money, taking on risk, so they can have one unit of the final product.  (VT Doc)
...............................................................................................................
 
One invests to get the return of... one's life.
 
And why does it have to be a conventional vaccine?
 
Go Nanoviricides!
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http://dukemednews.duke.edu/experts/detail.php?id=304
..
 
Photo and contact info.
 
Kevin A. Schulman, M.D.
Professor of Medicine and Business Administration; Director, Center for Clinical and Genetic Economics; Director, Health Sector Management Program, The Fuqua School of Business; Vice-Chair, Department of Medicine for Business Strategy
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Alot of people Forum will try to make money of this. It makes you sick.Its just how the world works now.Sad.
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It seems to me that the Dr. is asking for thinking outside the box. Bottomline is that the govt. has NOT taken any action to ensure that vaccines will be available, so he is throwing out an idea of what he thinks might work.
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First, I am not taking issue with the poster, but the post on this. There are departments in the FBI which deal with hundreds of thousands of cases of where persons invest money in a list of ventures which promise returns from self-employment pyramid schemes, to complex credit card number mail, to as many different formats for getting you to invest money as possible. There are thousands of credit card deals where people pay a registration fee and never, could never receive a credit card, and yet money goes in, shop closes, and social security checks a nicked and damaged. Unfortunately, there are many institutions which operate legally and may live in the gray area where you can still put in money, and for whatever reason, never see a return on your investment, including a product.
 
Okay - this is the focus - Business -
 
 
 
Originally posted by HappyCamper HappyCamper wrote:

Free to buy vaccines, for everyone's good
Kevin A. Schulman  (material covered by Kevin Schulman's copyright has been posted at the initial post of this thread and is in white)
DURHAM - Here's an ironic update for anyone who was concerned about his family's safety a few months ago, when everyone was talking about a deadly bird flu pandemic and government officials said there was no vaccine available.

Just recently, a pharmaceutical company announced it had developed a new, and possibly much better, vaccine to prevent bird flu. The company, GlaxoSmithKline, says it's ready to produce enough vaccine for 80 million Americans, which would go a long way toward heading off a crisis.

 
I have spoken to people from GlaxoSmithKline. Human trials of the "vaccine" have already begun (this is more in reference to the patients in Belgium). There is no mention of funding needed to conduct these trials.
 
GlaxoSmithKline initiates human trial programme with two H5N1 pandemic flu vaccines
 
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced today the start of an international clinical trial programme to test two pandemic vaccines against the H5N1 strain of the avian influenza virus in humans. This dual approach reflects the company’s commitment to provide health authorities with concrete options to face the threat of a pandemic.

A clinical trial just initiated in 400 healthy adult volunteers in Germany is testing a pandemic flu vaccine using a classic alum adjuvant to improve individual’s immune response and possibly allow a lower amount of antigen to be used per dose. This trial supports a dossier GSK submitted to European regulators in December 2005. Should a pandemic flu strain be identified by the World Health Organization, a variation to the dossier would allow rapid European registration and production of a pandemic vaccine.

In parallel, a clinical trial conducted in Belgium in 400 healthy adults is testing a candidate pandemic flu vaccine that contains a novel adjuvant system. GSK is hopeful that a vaccine formulated with this novel adjuvant will further enable individual’s immune system to respond to different H5N1 virus strains, offering a broader protection against the threat of a pandemic. GSK’s novel adjuvant technology is also expected to further reduce the amount of antigen needed per dose, increasing the number of doses the company could make available worldwide. Such a vaccine would offer governments additional options of stockpiling and vaccinating ahead of a pandemic outbreak.

Both trials are testing the vaccine’s safety and ability to boost individuals’ immune response against H5N1. Tested vaccines are made from inactivated (killed) H5N1 virus. Different dose levels are being studied. Volunteers are to receive two vaccinations approximately three weeks apart. The studies will allow GSK to select an optimal dose and formulation for subsequent safety trials in groups at high risk of complications following influenza infection, such as children and the elderly.

Preliminary results from the clinical trials are expected in the third quarter of 2006. GSK plans to have a pandemic flu vaccine in production before the end of the year.

Jean Stéphenne, President of GSK Biologicals, the vaccine division of GSK said: “We are moving forward with clinical trials of vaccines which could prove a vital part of the world’s response to a flu pandemic. While the first vaccine candidate aims at mounting a strong defence against a pandemic outbreak, the second vaccine may offer governments a preferred option to proactively stockpile and begin vaccination before the onset of a pandemic, significantly increasing the speed of a public health response in the event of an outbreak.”

Emmanuel Hanon, GSK head of Flu operations worldwide explained:“We believe that vaccinating populations with the appropriate H5N1 vaccine will help educate the body’s immune system and reduce expected morbidity and mortality associated with a pandemic. This means that if the current bird flu virus mutates to allow human-to-human transmission, a vaccinated person will be better prepared to combat the H5N1 pandemic flu virus.”

H5N1 avian influenza infections lead to severe disease in both birds and humans. Public health experts fear that the virus may evolve into a strain that is easily transmitted between people, triggering a worldwide pandemic. Influenza pandemics are global outbreaks that involve viruses to which humans have little or no immunity. H5N1 is one such flu virus strain.

GlaxoSmithKline, a leader in Flu treatment and preparedness

GlaxoSmithKline has an active research and development program targeted at both seasonal and pandemic influenza and has recently committed over a billion pounds ($2 billion) to expand capacity for manufacturing flu vaccine and its anti-viral influenza treatment Relenza® (zanamivir for inhalation).

GSK was the first company to submit a “mock-up” dossier for a pandemic vaccine with traditional alum adjuvant to European regulators in December 2005. Under new European rules, the vaccine was given accelerated review status. Should a pandemic flu strain be identified by the World Health Organization, a variation to the dossier would allow rapid registration and production of a pandemic vaccine more closely matched to the circulating pandemic strain.

In North America, GSK recently acquired a major influenza vaccine manufacturer, ID Biomedical Corporation. This acquisition provides GSK with a significant increase in flu vaccine manufacturing capacity. The production capacity of the newly acquired Canadian facilities - combined with GSK’s expanded vaccines manufacturing plant in Dresden, Germany - is expected to reach around 150 million doses per year by 2008. These numbers are based on production of trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine. The production capacity of a monovalent flu pandemic influenza vaccine can be expected to be significantly higher.

GlaxoSmithKline is one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and health care companies. GlaxoSmithKline is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For company information visit: www.gsk.com.

 
However if one wanted to invest directly in GlaxoSmithKline :
 

European Analyst/
Investor enquiries:

Duncan Learmouth

(020) 8047 5540

Anita Kidgell

(020) 8047 5542

Jen Hill

(020) 8047 5543

David Mawdsley

(020) 8047 5564

 
GSK is also the producer of Relenza. It is an alternative anti-viral - which  is much more difficult for the current human pathogenic Avian strains to develop a resistance to. Developing a vaccine for the current form of human Avian would be in most cases inneffective to new mutated highly virulent pathogen which does not exist yet. A new vaccine (except as cited in a type of reserach which focuses on parts of the the virus common to many strains) would probably need to be developed.
 
One researcher at one source quoted me a very off-the-cuff amount of $500 per dose cost, it fairly large amounts were manufactured. Whether this is directly to purchaser of large quantities or to each patient (unlikely) considering the value, this is not over the top.
 
There is sizable grant money available from national Federal health coffers for vaccine and research.
 
 
Public health officials want more test results before approving the vaccine for widespread use, which is reasonable. But they haven't offered the company a contingent contract to begin producing vaccine quickly if the results are favorable.
 
All of us researchers and research institutions compete and desire federal grants.

Why not? Because our country' system for producing vaccines doesn't allow that -- just one of many ways in which the system remains broken.

 
Some real research needs to be done here. For one, Congressional Representatives and Senators can introduce funding bills and it is a common practice to make money available, sometimes immediately (given a national security or national health emergency). Is our system broken? Do we need to start sendng money directly to "whom?" to speed up the process? Or would it be more effective to directly contact congressional people from your district, make them aware of your concerns, and have them push for funding?
 
Little has changed since the Institute of Medicine, in a 2003 report, called for a new financing system to encourage companies to develop and distribute vaccines. That report was followed by widely publicized vaccine shortages, and then by the bird flu problem, which highlighted the urgent need for action. Yet the problem persists.
 
This is a highly sweeping statement. For one, there has been a massive mobilization at all levels of government to deal with a possible Avian pandemic. CDC, WHO, and Homeland consisting of countless workers are on this 24/7. Most of the time you will never know when or what they have done to protect the country, but their efforts have stopped, as was publicized recently attacks and saved millions of lives. Not only are 30 institutions we know of working and some testing vaccines, but around the world top researchers have taken on this problem head on and tackling the problem.
 
In someways, since SARS, Katrina, and now the outbreak of human Avian, massive plans as well as programs have been put in place to deal with these issues. As much has changed in some sectors, not all visible to the public, as has changed in fighting "hostile anti-American groups" before 9/11.

As a physician and health economist, and also as a parent, I would welcome the opportunity to start protecting my family on my own.

 
I think the term "human being" would sufficient trying to save lives. True I could say with an expectant wife, and a huge family group, etc. But the inference here is that our own people and research teams are not up to the task with the backing they have to create a vaccine. It has already been done. There several. Financing for testing? Human trials are being done in several companies. Billions of dollars are already being invested. This is so interesting worded so that you can "prepay" to be sure that you will be sure to get your dose, because if you do not, you may not get it.
 
For instance, I would be happy to buy a bird flu treatment kit for my family that would include doses of medication that we would only use in a pandemic. If the medications expired and I had to buy another kit next year, I would still be glad that I had acted to protect my family. State Medicaid programs could make the same option available to those who cannot afford to pay for this "insurance."
 
Sounds like some pretty fancy marketing to buy something which is untested and may not even be developed.
 
 
How about prepayment? I could buy my influenza vaccine dose in advance, and manufacturers could be assured of a significant market before production. I would receive discounted pricing from my vaccine provider of choice.
 
This is like saying there will be a huge chunk of money in a bank account for X person to develop the vaccine which assures us that someone will develop it. Am I missing something here? You have 30 companies working at top speed to develp this at least.
 
It may have been the opinion, and has been heavily publicized that the development of a vaccine for Avian would not be as profitable and therefore has resulted in many companies balking at this, in the past - but looking towards the purchase of 400,000,000 doses of Tamiflu is hardly a low market item. Also, in the case of current outbreaks which are present in foreign countries you are looking at already existing market of the nations which already have the disease.
 
Prepayment, subsidizing research, marketing division of a known university?  Some of the most difficult problems in our country will be the production and distribution of the vaccine once it is developed. The current  mode would be vaccine or anti-viral innoculation sites whose locations will be kept secret until the substance has been transported, is under armed guard, and will be given by health professionals.
 
In recent trials of Tamiflu given in improper dose and course, resistant organisms developed in the first group.  Given the fact that a Pandemic may be crippling to our postage service, delivery services of all kinds, shipments of the drugs may be stolen and there will be no mailback rebate coupon or product support line - no need to belabor the point.
 
It has been an interesting thread. It would be a comforting thought to have a nice little vaccine kit sitting there, but unless we can develop a vaccine which can anticipate and is effective against what is coming, billions of dollars worth of money, salaries, and grants may go into something which simply doesn't work.
 
 There is a market for wine futures and "dread disease" insurance. Why not a futures market on vaccines? I could buy my dose in advance and share in the risk of development. Manufacturers would be assured of a significant market before taking on the costs of production. They would also receive some advance financing. That's a lot more than a company like GlaxoSmithKline gets under the current system.
 
Open for shots on this one, but it would be more likely for insurance companies to exclude a massive pandemic as an "Act of God" type clause with either capped medical coverage (what exactly are they going to do if they have no safe vaccine?) They certainly aren't going to get higher premiums and more money to pay for this. So I guess we are hearing, for your "donation" you will be first in line to get a "brand new vaccine kit."  When the "big one" (earthquake) hit in California and I was actually with a patient at the time on the 7th floor of Kaiser Hospital in the "Unit" a lot of "earthquake insurance" packages blossomed forth.
 
Unfortunately, the deductables, and the wording of the contracts was such that the value of the home (deprecieated and then decreased even more) provided no realistic protection.
 
One does not want to be too harsh, but it is akin to a disease announcement being made and the Instant Tellers being either shut down or miniscule withdrawals allowed. All of this works in business as usual environment, but it is unlikely if there are complications - and that is what the military and government are looking at - people are not likely to behave themselves.
 
We could apply the same approach for threats besides bird flu, notably including bioterrorism possibilities such as smallpox or anthrax that are remote but present a high risk. Again, I'd be willing to spend my own money to protect my family from these biological agents, purchasing the supplies myself and thereby easing the burden on the public purse. If others joined me, we would thereby expand the market, making it more attractive for manufacturers to produce supplies. Government would assume responsibility for those unable to buy supplies privately.
 
Where is this "own money" going to go? Is there an online downloadable business plan for this venture?
 

These approaches are not the only market-based alternatives to our current broken system. Once we start looking at the problem with new eyes, it's possible to identify a variety of approaches to encourage more companies to get involved while enhancing the public health.

The bottom line is this: The current system is broken. I'm willing to pay for vaccines. You might be, too. So long as the government steps up to its responsibility to protect those unable to pay, we should stop spinning our wheels and try to find ways for each of us to take steps toward preventing the next public health crisis.

 
 
I probably need some clarification here. In a national pandemic with an emergency vaccine, I doubt we are going to be processing Medicaid numbers.
 
Conclusion of Comment :  I am sure that this is mostly, it sounds like a great idea. I sounded like a great idea when the Red Cross was shipping food to Africa and the rebels were unloading from the boats and using to feed their armies. We don't even have a Pandemic and already insurance companies, marketing firms, Wall Street, and banks are hustling with contingency plans. Call me unrealistic. If we can, I am sure the government, state, local - whoever will be trying to supply water, food, and hopefully vaccine as best we can. Anyone who tells you that you can buy a pre-paid reservation for a save your familiy virus kit.
 
OPINION:
 
no thanks.
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Originally posted by femvet femvet wrote:

It seems to me that the Dr. is asking for thinking outside the box. Bottomline is that the govt. has NOT taken any action to ensure that vaccines will be available, so he is throwing out an idea of what he thinks might work.
 
Disclaiming any access to special information - Please do not assume, from press releases and public knowledge, what actions have been taken by the government. The government is taking action to ensure vaccines will be available to as many people as quickly as is possible. Their ability to do so has improved since the Executive Office first announced plans in November - more was announced in March, and just because there is no need to panic everyone and thrash the economy does not mean people are not doing things to protect and deal with not just one, but dozens of other pressing issues to the best of their ability.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 30 2006 at 11:33am
MedClincian,
 
How might the government feel if ordinary citizens (such as those in this group) create and distribute preparedness materials similar to those on their web site? Would they be happy to see Americans stepping foward to also help inform and educate? Thanks, Argyll.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 30 2006 at 12:30pm
Originally posted by argyll argyll wrote:

MedClincian,
 
How might the government feel if ordinary citizens (such as those in this group) create and distribute preparedness materials similar to those on their web site? Would they be happy to see Americans stepping foward to also help inform and educate? Thanks, Argyll.
 
Definitely a personal opinion Argyll, but I have posted a lot of links to government sites, also CIDRAP, CDC, etc. The sites are up there for people to read and learn, and as both of us know by now, it is a lot of work.
 
I don't know about making your own fliers, but I doubt there would be a problem with asking for a stack of what they have and passing around to people. You must admit, what is out there is getting more current, more readable, and there are hotlines and contact info lines you can call.
 
Personally, even as a health researcher, I try to leave certain lines open considering the millions of Americans who would like to speak to someone and get more information.
 
As I may have mentioned before, no one is poking me to say this, but I have read documents which are accessable now, and I think there has been a switch from simply planning, to beginning the first steps and doing.
 
We are beginning a new era of learning to deal with and handling global disease. It is because we must.
 
Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 30 2006 at 1:21pm
Thanks, MedClinician. I think AFT did a fine job creating a 7 step brochure that I hope benfits a lot of people. I personally learned some new things from that leaflet ( i.e. using a tent for wamth during the winter). We did make reference to current web sites for up-to-date information, so I hope that helps. Time to set to those plans in motion. Thanks again, Argyll.

Edited by argyll - August 30 2006 at 4:55pm
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