Vaccination shortages: Recurring error or criminal negligence?

Vaccination against common disease is an effective, low-cost public health measure. Yet some important vaccines, like that for influenza, are quite often in very low supply in communities that are poor or predominantly people of color, like our clinic in the Bronx. Many of the most important vaccines are for various reasons unprofitable, so the corporate pharmaceuticals are not motivated to provide adequate supplies. Conversely, sometimes newly patented, and very expensive vaccines aimed at relatively rare diseases are heavily promoted. Instead of guaranteeing vaccine availability for vaccines in underserved communities, the government has wasted enormous sums on research, development and production for anthrax and smallpox vaccines when there is no need for them. This presentation will discuss the experience of our Bronx community clinic with periodic vaccine shortages, and contrast this neglect with the wasteful smallpox inoculation program several years ago and the continued research and development to reinvent, produce and stockpile vaccines for which there is no public health need.