An interesting piece came in an e-mail today.
Subject: Flu Shot Info
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.
Just thought that you should know.
Subject: Flu Shot Info
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.
Just thought that you should know.