In the end, outsourcing just MIGHT kill us

[Horse with no Name]

In the end, with a global pandemic underway, countries that PRODUCE the vaccine NEVER ship it (despite previous contracts)UNTIL their own populace is vaccinated. The best that the WHO can assure is that they can TRY to get enough for the healthcare workers.
So, in the end, in our quest to save the manufacturing bucks...the US only produces 20% of the vaccine that could very well be necessary to save our lives. 70% of the flu vaccine is made in Europe. I don't think we have even begun to know what the term "Ugly American" means. If it is anything like the vaccine shortages a few years ago (where we crossed into Mexico to get THEIR allotted flu vaccines)...Americans that are able will flock to these regions of the world to obtain their vaccines. Sad thing is, that the ones that can afford to do this, are the ones who profit the most from outsourcing.
I read an excellent article about this last night and am unable to find it...but this one points out the same things, just doesn't link point A to point B like the previous one did.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/SwineFluNews/Story?id=8108039&page=2

>>>snip
"We know there's not going to be enough globally, and it will be many months before we can cover our own population," Dr. Julie Gerberding, former director of the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told "Good Morning America" today.

Already, the World Health Organization has said that at least 50 governments have placed orders for the swine flu vaccine. Experts warn that governments will be under tremendous pressure to protect their own citizens before allowing companies to ship doses of the vaccine out of the country.

"There's always a concern that when we have these international vaccine manufacturers that some of that vaccine, for example, might be embargoed or held back," said Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.

>>>snip
Meanwhile, countries in the Southern Hhemisphere, where it is winter, are already seeing a sharp increase in their death tolls from the pandemic flu strain. So far, 137 have died in Argentina, 33 in Chile and 15 in Uruguay. More than 10,000 confirmed cases have been reported in Australia, and health officials there warn that the country could face up to 6,000 deaths this year.

On edit:
Here is the article that I read
http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20090717/NEWS01/907170358/1006/RSS01
>>>snip
Experts warn that during a global epidemic, which the world is in now, governments may be under tremendous pressure to protect their own citizens first before allowing companies to ship doses of vaccine out of the country.

That does not bode well for many nations, including the United States, which makes only 20 percent of the regular flu vaccines it uses, or Britain, where all of its flu vaccines are produced abroad.

"This isn't rocket science," said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Diseases Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. "If there is severe disease, countries will want to hang onto the vaccine for their own citizens."
>>>snip
Last week, the World Health Organization reported nearly 95,000 cases of swine flu, including 429 deaths worldwide. If swine flu turns deadlier in the winter, the main flu season in the Northern Hemisphere, countries will likely be clamoring for any available vaccines.

On second edit:
Note the words regarding the healthcare system that so many RW'ers are set to hate. It sets their entire argument on its head.
Research and manufacturing CAN AND DOES continue to flourish under "a socialist health plan"
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/07/17/first-nations-swine-flu-help.html
>>>snip
Recently, Canada's chief public health officer, David Butler-Jones, noted that this country is one of the few that actually can get enough H1N1 vaccine to meet the needs of its own population.

[Horse with no Name]

1. kick. n/t

[many a good man]

2. Profits over people

Profits over common sense. Immorality and stupidity have become the top American characteristics. Their rise has corresponded in parallel with income inequality. I demand change.