erynthered Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Flu Vaccine 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 years 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich in Ohio Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 you know what i find so funny. year after year, the USA throws away nearly 1/3 of the influenza supply because people do not use all that is available. However, when we have a shortage people how have never even considered getting one....wants one. I got one last year for the first time ever, and two months later my doctor was joking with me about how it ended up being the wrong strain anyway. Bottom line is, i got the WORST case of flu that I ever had last year. I am happy to not take my flu shot this year, and leave it for some other smuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac17 Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 everything but Edwards is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCow Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 It took all of 10 seconds to find the email is bogus. Imagine that? Yet another internet smear Claim: The current flu vaccine shortage is attributable to a lawsuit handled by Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards. Status: False. The lawsuit premise is also extremely faulty. Just flip on the TV, for two weeks nearly every public health expert dismissed the link between lawsuits and the shortage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted October 26, 2004 Author Share Posted October 26, 2004 everything but Edwards is true. 86316[/snapback] Thanks Gmac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmac17 Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Yet another internet smear yup, the republican internet smear team at work again! thank God the dems don't do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCow Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 yup, the republican internet smear team at work again! thank God the dems don't do that. 86457[/snapback] Those are your words, not mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blzrul Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Another myth Since you said you're wondering if it's true, the answer is NO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted October 26, 2004 Author Share Posted October 26, 2004 Another myth Since you said you're wondering if it's true, the answer is NO. 86754[/snapback] Um thanks, but gmac gave me that info about 3 hours ago. So much for reading the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_BiB_ Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Um thanks, but gmac gave me that info about 3 hours ago. So much for reading the thread. 86761[/snapback] Wow, we haven't had a "Read The Thread" in quite some time. Cool. Are things getting back to normal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blzrul Posted October 26, 2004 Share Posted October 26, 2004 Um thanks, but gmac gave me that info about 3 hours ago. So much for reading the thread. 86761[/snapback] Sorry, I missed it - didn't see a link in GMACs post. Did see it in RCow's but too late. Write this day down, I erred. It so rarely happens after all that you spent the energy to point it out. I'm happy to have made your day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted October 27, 2004 Author Share Posted October 27, 2004 Sorry, I missed it - didn't see a link in GMACs post. Did see it in RCow's but too late. Write this day down, I erred. It so rarely happens after all that you spent the energy to point it out. I'm happy to have made your day! 86858[/snapback] I didnt read Cow's post, I have him on immature, its a new feature for only the adults here on the PPP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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