Swine Flu Vaccine Makers Get Immunity
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Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, signed a document last month that gives vaccine makers and federal officials immunity from lawsuits that might arise surrounding any new swine flu vaccine. The Boston Globe reported last week that the immunity sought by drug manufacturers was spurred on by vaccines created for the last swine flu outbreak and the resulting thousands of lawsuits filed against those vaccine makers for side effects suffered from the shots.
The document signed by Secretary Sebelius allows for a compensation fund, if needed, for claims made against the drug manufacturers. The government has taken these steps in order to encourage drug companies to actually make the vaccine and so far, five manufacturers have contracted with federal officials to make a swine flu vaccine.
The last time the government faced a new swine flu virus was in 1976. Cases of swine flu in soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., including one death, made health officials worried they might be facing a deadly pandemic like the one that killed millions around the world in 1918 and 1919.
Federal officials vaccinated 40 million Americans during a national campaign. A pandemic never materialized, but thousands who got the shots filed injury claims, saying they suffered a paralyzing condition called Guillain-Barre Syndrome or other side effects.
Because vaccines are not as profitable to drug companies as other products, many will not pursue the manufacturing of vaccines unless immunity is guaranteed. However, some worry about the costs to consumers. Because the government will most likely campaign for people to get vaccinated to prevent further spread of the disease, some question whether or not these people will truly be protected if they are actually harmed by the vaccine.