Fw: [Vaccination-Liberation] !!! New Law Will Stop Litigation Abuse Against Vaccines

[Guest guest]

Elizabeth Elliott

eliz3378

 

-

" scap_64 " <scap_64

<Vaccination-Liberation >

Friday, October 22, 2004 9:15 AM

[Vaccination-Liberation] !!! " New Law Will Stop Litigation Abuse

Against Vaccines "

 

 

 

 

Sheri Nakken <vaccineinfo@t...>

Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:01 am

New law will help stop litigation abuse against vaccines

 

what the heck is this????????

1. " protecting flu vaccine manufacturers from excessive lawsuits "

2. " tax incentives for vaccine makers to build production facilities "

3, flu vax has now been added to " Vaccine Injury Compensation

Program " ??????

 

They GOT exactly what they wanted.

 

Did anyone know about this..........obviously hidden as a rider in

this JOBS bill.

And Bush will sign it into law. Isn't that special. Anyone??????

 

Sheri

 

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=5701

 

New law will help stop litigation abuse against vaccines

 

Posted By: News-Medical in Pharmaceutical News

Published: Thursday, 21-Oct-2004

Â

U.S. Senator Larry Craig announced that legislation will be signed

into law in a few days by President Bush which will help avert future

flu vaccine shortages.

 

â?oPresident Bush pushed Congress to pass the Jumpstart Our Business

Strength (JOBS) bill, and he should sign it very soon. That

legislation contains provisions protecting people financially from

harm that might result from a bad reaction to a flu shot, and at the

same time protecting flu vaccine manufacturers from excessive

lawsuits. This is an important move for Americaâ?Ts seniors and for

the nation as a whole,â? said Craig, who serves as chairman of the

U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.

 

The bill President Bush is expected to sign expands coverage under the

Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to include vaccinated adults.

Since 1986 people hurt by childhood vaccines have been compensated

under that federal fund. The U.S. Justice Department reports that

since the creation of that law, the compensation fund has paid out in

excess of $1.4 billion to nearly 1,800 people.

Funding for the program comes from a tax collected on vaccines.

 

â?oItâ?Ts an insurance policy if you will,â? said Craig. â?oThis bill

isnâ?Tt the final step, though. Itâ?Ts part of many efforts that are

being made to ensure an abundant supply of vaccine in the future.â?

 

Craig noted that the Bush administration has made serious strides on

the flu vaccine issue already. â?oThis is the first administration to

begin developing a pandemic response plan and to create a stockpile

of vaccines and antiviral medications. The Bush administration has

also increased the payment rates under Medicare for vaccines to make

them more cost effective for doctors and others to provide,â? Craig

said.

 

Three weeks ago Craigâ?Ts committee held a hearing on flu vaccine at

which a company official from Chiron, a flu vaccine maker, as well as

public health officials expressed their belief that the nation would

have a record supply of flu vaccine this year. But a week later

British regulators ruled that the Chiron vaccine was unfit to be

shipped.

 

â?oWe now have all of our eggs in only a couple of baskets,â? Craig

said.

â?oWe need to decrease that risk and get more companies into the

vaccine manufacturing business within the United States.â?

 

The Idaho Republican noted that the fear of litigation is a factor in

the process.

 

â?oCritics contend that lawsuits are a minor story when it comes to

vaccines.

But the untold story is that the other firm which makes flu vaccines

for senior citizens declined to appear at our hearing because of

concerns about lawsuits. We need to curb our culture of excessive

litigation,â? Craig said.

 

In 1967 there were 26 companies making a variety of vaccines in the

United States. Today there are only four that make any type of

vaccine, and just three that make flu vaccines. Of the three, only

two make flu vaccines that can be used by older Americans, and one

canâ?Tt ship its product â? " leaving the U.S. with just one flu

vaccine supplier for the nationâ?Ts seniors.

 

â?oSen. Evan Bayh and I introduced the Flu Protection Act earlier

this year and I have asked my staff to review it and explore the

possibilities of getting it passed when Congress reconvenes in

November. While it doesnâ?Tt address the issue of litigation, under

that bill vaccine makers would receive a guarantee of reimbursement

by the federal government for a certain number of the vaccines if

they go unused. I believe it will be an important incentive to bring

more manufacturers into the vaccine making business, and that is step

one,â? Craig said.

 

During the 2002-2003 flu season manufacturers lost approximately $120

million through unused vaccines. As a result,12 million fewer

vaccines were produced for last yearâ?Ts flu season.

 

â?oStep two in our bill is the inclusion of tax incentives for

vaccine makers to build production facilities in the United States.

Right now the only flu vaccine made in this nation is produced at one

plant in Pennsylvania,â? Craig said.

 

In closing out his comments, he commended his home state of Idaho for

the way in which officials there have handled the flu vaccine

situation.

 

â?oIn some areas of the country, the police are being brought in to

control crowds. But in Idaho, the stateâ?Ts Department of Health,

local health districts, and private providers are working in a

coordinated way, setting up specific appointments for seniors and

others at risk to get their shots. The people in Idaho have really

set an example on how business should be conducted,â? Craig said.

 

http://aging.senate.gov/