ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- Flu vaccine manufacturers expect to make a
record number of doses for the next flu season despite concerns that
demand may drop because this year's vaccine was largely ineffective.
This flu season was the worst in four years for adult deaths from flu
and pneumonia.
The five companies that make flu vaccine for the U.S. market plan to
make at least 143 million doses for the 2008-09 season. They made 140
million doses for the current season, the worst in four years for
adult deaths from flu and pneumonia.
Part of the problem was that the vaccine didn't work well against the
viruses that ended up circulating.
Each year, health officials essentially make an educated guess and
formulate a vaccine against three viruses. Their guess usually works
well.
But two of the three strains for the current season were not good
matches, and the vaccine was only 44 percent effective overall,
according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Re****ts on that data "probably doesn't help us going into the flu
season, when people are thinking, 'It didn't really match, so how can
we rely that this vaccine's OK?' " said Paul Perreault, executive vice
president of CSL Biotherapies, one of the five manufacturers.
- - - - - -
Nothing better than scientests "guessing" - with your
life in the balance, eh ?
The '07 vaccine mix was a serious LOSER - with at least
one gawdawful bug going around that left people wiped
out for a month, and apparently killed its share too.
If just a few people get sick or die from a batch of
bad spinach or hamburger they treat it like a biowar
attack and freak out ... but if thousands, or tens
of thousands, die of influenza virus - no biggie.
Kinda odd dontchathink ?
Oh wait, keeping flu victims at home for a few days
until they're less contagious - MIGHT HURT *PROFITS*
a little at Slavedriver Inc .....
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