NYT: Private Doctors in Frantic Quest for Flu Vaccine (some fly to Canada)

[DeepModem Mom]

Private Doctors in Frantic Quest for Flu Vaccine
By MARC SANTORA

Published: October 21, 2004


Dr. Rodney Sherman, an oncologist on the Upper East Side of Manhattan who has 350 chronically ill patients in need of protection against the flu, is giving up on the United States government.

After weeks of trying to get answers as to whether he is in line to get vaccine - and calm his patients' fears - he has decided to take matters into his own hands.

This morning, he is flying to Canada, hoping to buy vaccine, even though he does not know if any will be available....

***

Like the rest of the country, New York doctors are trying to make the best of a difficult situation, but they say they face some unique challenges. The city has large numbers of chronically ill patients who come from around the world to receive care from top-notch private physicians. Even the way New Yorkers live, one on top of the other, adds a degree of risk.

Despite repeated assurances from public officials that there will be enough vaccine for everyone who needs it, not one doctor interviewed believed that would be the case....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/21/nyregion/21vaccine.html

[TaleWgnDg]

1. If this were not so damn serious, it would be funny . . .

sooooooooo damn funny. Here we are, the U.S. government, w/ the potentiality of importing flu-vaccine from France --- FRANCE! And now the government and USA M.D.s may also be obtaining flu-vaccine from Canada, too! I thought THAT was illegal? Didn't GWBush and his rightwing congress say so? Isn't that the law?

And, what happened to the F.D.A. fear-mongering about crappy Canadian drugs? And what about those French fries eeerrrrr "Freedom Fries?"

Lemme just pull out my flags --- vive la France: --- and Oooooh, Canada:





.

[Born Free]

17. my oncologists can not get the vaccine either

As I posted before , chemotherapy patients need the flu shot, but are unable to get them. Meanwhile the bush coward brags that he and he alone can protect ASmerican from a biologicalk attack....

[LiberalFighter]

19. I called my parents Monday because of my concern...

they both had cancer treatment. My dad had additional problems that drained his strength. They had been babysitting their grandkids for one of my sisters and I was concerned that if they didn't have flu shots that they would catch something from them.

Fortunately, they both received flu shots and they are not doing as much babysitting as well.

[drfemoe]

2. didn't I hear

that whoosh is not gonna get a shot this year?

[TaleWgnDg]

3. yeah, Bushie stated that he is not going to get a flu shot this year

due to the shortage . . . said it into the mike and cameras.



.

[Jacobin]

6. We all know he's already gotten one

What a lying sack of shit he is

[pelagius]

4. My neighbors...

...healthy people in their late 30s/early 40s managed to get flu shots yesterday and were basically bragging about it at our association meeting last night.

They're pretty clueless, so they didn't notice the response was rather like that to someone telling a "hilarious" story about driving drunk down by the elementary school.

And, yes, they're the ones with the huge Bush/Cheney sign in their yard.

[progressivebydesign]

18. How did THEY get shots????

I'm pretty curious, as even the chronically ill and elderly are being turned away EVERYWHERE??

[izzie]

5. I just do not get this. I do not get the shots and do not get the flu.

Once my sister went nuts on getting one and I had to stand in line for over an hour for this foolish thing with her and I said I am not this crazy so went back to just not getting it.Standing in line for hours with all those sick people make it a sure thing you will get the flu I am sure.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. I think the doctors in the article are concerned about...

their chronically ill patients who are at risk, need the vaccine, and, it looks like, will be unable to get it. These patients' standing in the lines you refer to, as mentioned in the article, would be dangerous, if not impossible.

And I agree with you -- flu shots are not neccessary, or advisable, for all Americans.

[Ripley]

8. But Tommy Thompson said quit panicking.

Funny how doctors and the association of ER doctors are predicting a medical disaster this winter because of this, yet the head of HHR says, relax, don't stand in line. We'll get you the drugs!*

*in January or February, but we'll get them to you!

[Child_Of_Isis]

9. This is scaring me.

What do they know that we don't? Add this to the medical draft. What if it is a deadly strain and they quarantine all of the sickies on a far off island somewhere? Or use it as an excuse to do so. Something is going on. But, I am such the paranoid type! Especially concerning this admin. It just seems that every year, the flu gets more sensationalized by the media. They start beating the fear into us earlier and earlier into the season. I don't even take the flu shot. I'm afraid of it. But this year, I am almost afraid not to take it.

[DeepModem Mom]

10. As I posted above, I think the doctors in this article...

are concerned about their chronically ill patients, who are at special risk. I hope there is no cause for panic among normally healthy individuals, who are not of advanced age.

[Laughing Mirror]

11. IHT: No flu vaccine shortage is reported outside U.S

"As far as we are aware, there are no shortages of flu vaccine and no panic," said Roy Wadia of the World Health Organization in Beijing.

In Europe, the World Health Organization has not heard of any shortages, "and it's very, very likely we would have heard if there were problems," said Dr. Nedret Emiroglu of the organization's regional office for Europe.
.
Unlike childhood vaccinations, which are standardized and tracked by the international health agency, flu vaccine is purchased from a number of manufacturers by individual countries and prescribed somewhat differently in each place.

more ...
http://www.iht.com/articles/2004/10/21/news/vaccine.html

[TrogL]

12. I listen to a lot of international news

CBC AM carries wierd stuff like Radio Poland after hours. Not a word about any problems with flu vaccines, just the usual "people are lining up at clinics" stories.

[scottxyz]

13. Love that free-market efficiency!

Private doctors hopping on jets to track down flu vaccine offshore!

The free market in action!

So much better than those socialist pinko countries like France and Canada.

[Mother Jones]

14. Here in Canada....

We have announced that clinics across the country are opening their doors to our bro's and sis's in the U.S...YES, yours will be free too!

Someone suggested we should only give them to U.S residents who produce papers showing they are registering to vote for Kerry. LOL! but not a bad idea! :toast:

[mrdmk]

15. Welcome to D.U. and very funny

:D

[progressivebydesign]

16. Why does this remind me of the Anthrax anti-biotic flap??

Remember when Bush got the Cipro pills, and then never really admitted to getting it? This whole flu shot thing reminds me of that. The government honchos made sure they were all safe with Cipro, while the postal workers were dying...

This sounds like typical Bush procedure.