Tuesday
Nov172009
Loose Distribution Plans Responsible For H1N1 Vaccine Confusion
Tuesday, November 17, 2009 at 6:13PM
A high ranking Center for Disease Control and Prevention official told the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Tuesday that federal authorities did not instruct local governments to distribute H1N1 vaccines only to top-priority patients, despite having knowledge that there would be less of the vaccine available than initially believed.
“We did really feel that local and state experts and authorities were in a better position than we were ... to know how to best reach the populations in their midsts,” said Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
“When it was clear that the production of the vaccine was going to be so much lower than expected and predicted, [HHS] should have just nationally said ‘you decide, states and locals, whose going to give it out, but here’s the most at-risk population,” committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) responded.
The national shortage, compounded with the decision, has many at-risk Americans unable to receive the vaccination.
“Parents are frustrated that they cannot get vaccine for their children,” Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a statement. “Americans across the nation are frustrated because they cannot take recommended steps to help protect themselves or their family’s health.”
“We did really feel that local and state experts and authorities were in a better position than we were ... to know how to best reach the populations in their midsts,” said Anne Schuchat, director of the CDC’s Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
“When it was clear that the production of the vaccine was going to be so much lower than expected and predicted, [HHS] should have just nationally said ‘you decide, states and locals, whose going to give it out, but here’s the most at-risk population,” committee Chairman Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) responded.
The national shortage, compounded with the decision, has many at-risk Americans unable to receive the vaccination.
“Parents are frustrated that they cannot get vaccine for their children,” Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a statement. “Americans across the nation are frustrated because they cannot take recommended steps to help protect themselves or their family’s health.”
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