Re: [VENT-L] In Search Of The Elusive Flu Shot

[Jim Lubin]

I'm paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a respirator to breathe 24/7 due to Acute Transverse Myelitis. I have never gotten a flu vaccination and don't plan to either. Just stay away from people who are sick.

But since you asked why we can't produce enough flu vaccine, you can thank the bad policy decisions of the Clinton administration in the early '90s that drove most of the companies in this country to stop producing vaccines. Due to  price controls to excessive regulation, the companies were not able to make a profit and stopped producing them.

Jim

At 11:17 AM 10/20/2004, rmauro wrote:

For a severely disabled person like me, who uses a respirator, like the late Christopher Reeve, to breath twenty-four hours a day, not being able to get a flu shot is very scary, to say the least. For us disabled people, a flu shot could be a matter of life and death.

It is an absolute outrage that we disabled Americans must be put through such stress to find a possibly life saving flu shot. In a country that can spend 200 billion on a foreign war, our government should be able to produce enough flu vaccine for all its citizens.

Each year an average of 36,000 people die of the flu. If 4000 more than that 36,000 die this year as a result of this vaccine shortage, that will be 1000 more than died in 9/11 -- and that is truly an outrage!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I have post polio syndrome and use a vent like the late Chris Reeve to breath 24/7.
Bob Mauro, KZ2G
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Jim Lubin              
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Bothell, WA, USA     
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disAbility Resources: http://www.makoa.org
Transverse Myelitis Association: http://www.myelitis.org/HowToHelp