20Oct 2004
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is telling people in a radio ad begun yesterday (19 Oct) that the flu vaccine shortage is President Bush's fault. An Associated Press story on Wednesday didn't quote Kerry as saying why it was Bush's fault, other than "If you can't get flu vaccines to Americans, what kind of health care program are you running?"

In fact, Bush and the Republicans have been trying for some time to address the general problem of low profit margins on vaccines, the major reason for the dwindling number of pharmaceutical companies in the vaccine business.
Insuring against lawsuits is a major expense for businesses in this country. In one of the most partisan issues in Congress, the Republicans are fighting for tort reform in medicine against an almost solid block of lawyer-supported Democrats. According to Medical News Today on 19 Oct 2004, in July of 2003 the Democrats filibustered the HEALTH Act Of 2003, which, in addition to placing caps on medical malpractice suits, "would protect manufacturers of FDA-approved medical products such as vaccines from punitive damages." The Senate Democrats, all 45 present, defeated a cloture motion on the bill. Kerry wasn't present: he was out, maybe gearing up to run for president.
QUESTION 1: Where does Kerry get the nerve to criticize how Bush is handing health care?

Excess government regulation is another factor in the disappearance of vaccine producers. According to the a Wall Street Journal editorial ($ubsription) on 14 Oct 2004, "...any company brave, or foolish, enough to make vaccines has had to run an obstacle course of price controls, regulation and tort lawyers." The WSJ specifically cited one of the remnants of Hillary Clinton's Health Care Reform plan for placing an artificial ceiling of $400 on the government price paid for a complete set of childhood disease vaccines.
QUESTION 2: Where does Clinton get the nerve to criticize how Bush is handing health care?

Possibly the most important consideration at this point is the character of John Kerry. Flu deaths in the United States are at about 36,000 per year, WITH VACCINES. One might assume the toll will be somewhat higher without vaccines. Kerry and Clinton, each a presidential hopeful, rather than admitting their own faults in the vaccine shortage, are telling citizens to blame President Bush when their parents or children die of the flu. I don't think that this campaign can get any fouler.
QUESTION 3: Is Kerry (and Hillary Clinton) really this dishonest, this vicious, or this stupid? I can't think of a likely answer that would suggest fitness for public office.

- Andrew Hadley

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