Page 1
SOUND
SCIENCE ?
CONSISTENT
MESSAGES ?
The Flu ... a "Severe Illness"?
"Influenza (often called the flu) is not just a bad cold. It's a
serious illness that can lead to pneumonia and even death."
(CDC Website)
"And keep in mind, most people with flu will have an annoying
illness but will recover just fine." (Dr. Julie Gerberding,
Director of the CDC)
Antivirals - a good idea?
"Influenza antiviral medications are an important adjunct to
influenza vaccine in the prevention and treatment of influenza."
(CDC Website, "Information for Health Care Professionals")
"There is really scant-to-no evidence that antiviral drugs for
influenza prevent death or other serious complications in
patients who are infected." (CDC Report, 2004)
36,000 Flu Deaths Every Year?
"1968-69, 'Hong Kong flu,' [A (H3N2)], caused about 34,000
deaths in the United States." (CDC Website, "Influenza
Pandemics During the 20th Century")
"An average of36,000 people die each year from the flu" (CDC
Website)
Predictable Flu Seasons?
"Early Evidence SuggestsCurrent Flu Season Could be Severe"
(CDC Press Release, Nov 17, 2003)
"Influenza seasons are unpredictable. Although epidemics of
influenza occur virtually all every year, the particular viruses
and the beginning, peak, severity, and length of the epidemic
can vary widely from year to year. " (Dr. Julie Gerberding,
testimony to Congress, Nov 18, 2004)
2003?04: A "Severe" Season?
"This is the time for Americans to really step up to the plate
and get vaccinated against influenza, especially because this
could be a worse-than-usual flu season." (Dr. Julie Gerberding,
Director of the CDC, NPR: All Things Considered, December
23, 2003)
"The aspect of the season that is relatively clear is that it was
medium in terms of overall impact" (CDC influenza expert
Keiji Fukuda, Feb 23, 2004)
Flu Shots - the best protection?
"The single best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated each
fall." (CDC Website)
"... we recorded no convincing evidence that vaccines can
reduce mortality, admissions, serious complications, and
community transmission of influenza." ("Assessment of the
efficacy and effectiveness of influenza vaccines in healthy
children: systematic review," The Lancet 2005; 365: 773-80)
Meager Profits?
"Vaccine makers can not guarantee enough future supplies of
flu vaccines unless the government can help ensure
profitability, drug company officials told U.S. Congress on
Thursday." (Reuters, 12 February 2004)
"We see the vaccine market as being a profitable piece of our
business, and we see it as continuing to grow" (Philip Hosbach,
vice president for new products and immunization policy,
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccine division of Sanofi-Aventis.,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 11, 2005)
"Sales of our flu vaccines were $332.4 million, $90.0 million
and $74.7 million in 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively."
"Vaccines gross profit as a percentage of net product sales was
53% [in 2003]..." (Chiron Annual Report, 2004)
... or Guaranteed Profits?
"A contract for additional doses shall provide that the
manufacturer will be compensated by the Secretary [via CDC]
at an equitable rate negotiated by the Secretary and the
manufacturer for any doses that-- `(A) were not sold by the
manufacturer through routine market mechanisms at the end of
the influenza season for that year;" ("Flu Protection Act of
2005," S. 375, HR 813)
Just Who's Serving Whom?
"We must continue and strengthen our promotional efforts to
educate the public about the importance of routine influenza
immunization to create the demand to vaccinate high-risk
individuals, alleviate surges in demand, and develop a
consistent market so manufacturers can better gauge vaccine
supply." (Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director of the CDC, testimony
to Congress, February 12, 2004)
"At that point, the manufacturers were telling us that they
weren't receiving a lot of orders for vaccine for use in
November or even December. It really did look like we needed
to do something to encourage people to get a flu shot." (Dr.
Glen Nowak, Media Relations, CDC, NPR: All Things
Considered, December 23, 2003)
[ Compiled by Peter Doshi / April 20, 2005 ]
Page 2
Will you do it for a pizza?
"Healthcare workers owe it to their patients, their families, and to themselves to be vaccinated. No excuses. ... Monitoring and
reporting vaccination rates could be used to create friendly competition between various units in the facility. You could even
provide an incentive to the unit with the highest vaccination rate. If workers won't be vaccinated to protect themselves and their
patients, they might do it for a pizza."
("Immunization Update 2004," CDC, August 19, 2004)
S
OURCES
The Flu ... a "Severe Illness"?
"Influenza (often called the flu) ..." (CDC Website,
<http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/tcyd/vaccin.htm>.
Retrieved 20 April 2005.)
"And keep in mind, most people ..." (Dr. JulieGerberding,
Public Service Announcement,
<http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/0405psa2.pdf>. Retrieved 20
April 2005.)
Antivirals - a good idea?
"Influenza antiviral medications are ..." (CDC Website,
"Influenza Antiviral Medications: 2004-05 Interim
Chemoprophylaxis and Treatment Guidelines November 3,
2004",
<http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/treatment/0405antiviral
guide.htm>. Retrieved 20 April 2005.)
"There is really scant-to-no evidence ..." (Scott Harper, M.
D., "Clinician Outreach & Communication Activity
Conference Call: Avian Influenza Update (February 5, 2004)",
<http://www.bt.cdc.gov/coca/summaries/pdf/avianflu020504.p
df>. Retrieved 20 April 2005.)
36,000 Flu Deaths Every Year?
"1968-69, 'Hong Kong flu,' ..." (CDC Website, "Influenza
Pandemics During the 20th Century"
<http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/pandemics.htm>.
Retrieved 20 April 2005.)
"An average of 36,000 people ..." (CDC Website, "Real
People, Real Solutions (Flu Prevention Toolkit)",
<http://www.cdc.gov/flu/toolkit/stories/over65-vacc.htm>.
Retrieved 20 April 2005.)
Predictable Flu Seasons?
"Early Evidence Suggests ..." (CDC Press Release, "Early
Evidence Suggests Current Flu Season Could be Severe", Nov
17, 2003.
<http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r031117.htm>.
Retrieved 20 April 2005.)
"Influenza (flu) seasons are unpredictable. ..." (Dr. Julie
Gerberding, testimony to Congress, Nov 18, 2004.
<http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/t041118c.html>. Retrieved 20
April 2005.)
2003?04: A "Severe" Season?
"This is the time for Americans to ..." (Dr. Julie Gerberding,
Director of the CDC, NPR: All Things Considered, December
23, 2003)
"The aspect of the season that is ..." (Dr. Keiji Fukuda,
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Feb 23, 2004.)
Flu Shots - the best protection?
"The single best way to prevent ..." (CDC Website,
"Preventing the Flu",
<http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm>. Retrieved
20 April 2005.)
"... we recorded no convincing evidence..." (The Lancet
2005; 365: 773-80.)
Meager Profits?
"Vaccine makers can not guarantee ..." (Reuters, 12
February 2004)
"We see the vaccine market as being ..." (Philip Hosbach,
quoted in Christopher Snowbeck "Lawsuits, regulation make
vaccines a tough business" Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 11,
2005.)
"Sales of our flu vaccines were $332.4 million..." (Chiron
Annual Report (2004) Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission. Commission File Number: 0-
12798.
<http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/706539/0001047469
04006411/a2129339z10-k.htm>. Retrieved 20 April2005.)
... or Guaranteed Profits?
"A contract for additional doses shall..." ("Flu Protection
Act of 2005," S.375, HR 813)
Just Who's Serving Whom?
"We must continue and strengthen..." (Dr. Julie Gerberding,
testimony to Congress, 12 February 2004,
<http://www.hhs.gov/asl/testify/t040212a.html>. Retrieved 20
April 2005.)
"At that point, the manufacturers ..." (Dr. Glen Nowak,
NPR: All Things Considered, December 23, 2003)
[ Compiled by Peter Doshi / April 20, 2005 ]