Every year I try to get in on flu shots as early as possible. Not just for me but for my family as well. I always check first with the local clinic that is part of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center to determine when we can get signed up for the shots. This year with all the worry about H1N1 virus and the vaccine that will not be available until October, we thought we would get in early to get the normal flu shot taken care of to eliminate at least one risk.
During a normal visit for a physical we asked when we could get signed up for the flu vaccine. We had heard in the news that flu shots were now available. The attendant gave us a distant and almost angry stare after we asked the question. She said curtly that we were in a long line of people asking the same question and she couldn’t answer it. In fact, due to all the questions she had inquired directly to UMass Medical and they couldn’t tell her when. “Well, why can’t we get a flu shot, don’t you have any? Walgreens and CVS are offering the shots now. Why can’t a normal clinic or hospital get the vaccine?” She was quite angry that her organization couldn’t answer her questions (or wouldn’t) and could not get the vaccine (or wouldn’t). This started to disturb me as these types of things do and I started to ask questions and dig around the net. I found several things off the World Health Organization site:
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/Influenza_vaccine_manufacturers2009_05.pdf - Flu manufacturers; http://www.who.int/immunization_standards/vaccine_quality/pq_suppliers/en/index.html
I also started digging into US-based manufacturers of the vaccine and found more information:Sanofi, Novartis AG and GlaxoSmithKline PLC all have begun shipments of seasonal flu vaccine earlier than usual, with Glaxo and Novartis both starting shipments Wednesday and Sanofi on July 27. Novartis said it was starting “weeks ahead of schedule;” Sanofi is about two weeks early, and Glaxo is a little ahead of its normal mid-August start. - http://blog.taragana.com/n/manufacturers-shipping-seasonal-flu-vaccine-early-as-swine-flu-pandemic-concerns-boost-demand-132002/
Novartis announced on August 5th that it was shipping vaccine ahead of time - http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/media-releases/en/2009/1332676.shtml (didn’t say to whom).
I check GlaxoSmithKline and find that you can order it if you are a healthcare professional https://www.gskvaccinesdirect.com/gsk/en/US/adirect/gsk?cmd=GSKSysUserPreRegData&GroupKey=103&Action=NewRegistration&isFirstTime=true so why wouldn’t the medical center order it?
When I search the Sanofi-Aventis site for flu, influenza, vaccine; I cannot find anything for the 2009 year.
Anyway, I decided I would go to a nearby Walgreens who had the advertisement for flu shots strategically placed near the road next to their store. I proceeded back to the pharmacy section. Two customers (senior citizens) were ahead of me filling out forms for the flu vaccine. When it came my turn, they requested my doctor’s name, phone number and fax number. I could provide the name and number since it had it stored in my Blackberry. Apparently they notify your doctor when receiving the vaccine. I filled out the forms and waited my turn. I provided my insurance card assuming my insurance would cover the shot. Silly me. I had to pay $24.99 for the shot either cash or a direct debit against my healthcare spending account. This was definitely a profit making enterprise to receive something that could save my life. So for the $24.99, of course I paid the fee and received the shot indicating I would be bringing my family back the next day.The next day we arrived and my wife and kids entered the store only to find out that they were not authorized/allowed to give shots to anyone under 18. So, my two kids were not allowed to get the flu shot. The next business day we again called the clinic to find out when we could get our kids in for their flu shots. The same answer as before.
What perplexes me about this whole situation is that this seems to smack of a purely profit making venture not in the spirit of healthcare but of corporate profits. What worries me even more is that schools, colleges and universities are prime breeding grounds of flu and H1N1 (the death this past weekend of a student at Cornell form the H1N1 and other universities experiencing huge numbers of sick students are indications of the seriousness of the H1N1). If I can get a normal flu shot for my kids who spend six hours a day in one of the prime breeding grounds, what are we going to face with the H1N1 when the vaccine is ready for distribution? Are we going to face a decision between corporate profits and a pandemic situation? Who is going to get the vaccine first for this?
Something just does not seem to be right here but I just do not have enough insider information as yet.
I have tried one solution that seems to be working so for (see picture above) but I may be under investigation soon for cruelty to stuffed animals and my kids are voicing some concern as well. Does anyone out there have any insights as to how drug companies and pharmacies work together and why hospitals cannot seem to get the vaccine first?
Really.. It's all profit making. How did you not get this? Remember that vaccine? For cancer of some sort.. That one they gave to all females a while back. That was given out _before_ testing was over. By all rights, that company should be blown up. Like really blown up. To release a "vaccine" without proper testing procedures being done is quite possibly one of the stupidest things I have ever seen. That company would get $ for manurfacturing of course, plus a little extra to keep em going. I think it was paid for by the government.. But that just means tax money.
And like the person above said. There is a reason you don't get flu shots in September.. They are only active for a certain amount of time. Not that the pharmacy is going to tell you that of course. To be honest, you sound like a sucker for a good con. Believe anything you see. GET A FLU SHOT NOW AND SAVE YOUR KIDS LIVES!!!
At $25 a shot, guess how much they're going to make off of all the overreacting parents..
On another note, I love the stuffed animal pic. :D
Pharmacies get priority delivery on the flu vaccine because they order huge quantities at a higher price then doctor's offices. My doctors office placed an order for the vaccine in 12/2008 and have been told that our anticipated 9/22/09 has been delayed until further notice due to the manufacturer. Happens every year.
By the way, the earliest the vaccine should be given is in October to last the whole flu season. Pharmacies give it early to capitalize on patient fear and ignorance.
Flu shots have been found to have toxic substances in them like thimerosol. Flu shots actually make your immune system weaker in the long run by depending on flu shots to replace your immune system. The last time we had mandatory swine flu vaccinations, many people developed worse health problems from them and died. Are you going to trust untested vaccines and be one of the guinea pigs for the pig flu?
Am I the only one who is dumbfounded by the vacinees we run to the doctors for? What are we taught about viruses in BIO 101 in gradeschool? They build resistence and mutate. Flu shots are only creating stronger flu strains, not protecting us. I also learned recently that kids are given chicken-pocks vacinees. It is harmless when your are a kid, but can be deadly if you get them when you are adults. Come on people! Think! Getting sick and having to stay at home for a couple of days is no big deal.
MPM
Hi Jeff,
I walked into Harvard-Vanguard HMO on September 8th for a routine checkup. The first thing the doctor, syringe in hand, asked was "Do you want a flu shot?"
Good Luck!
George Morgan (former IBT-er)
The entire thing is a profit making scheme. People that get flu shots still get sick anyway, what's the problem there? I dont' get flu shots, and only occasionally get sick... rarely with the flu....
Can't get the shot that's been shipping since July huh? Just wait if Obama-Care gets passed.... Good luck getting the shot at all, there'll be a 2 year waiting list.
Ex
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