The Government Paid for All Swine Flu Vaccines. Is this Socialism?
According to a USA Today article (last paragraph in the link below) the U.S. Government paid for all of the Swine Flu vaccines. Although a clinic can charge to administer it, the vaccine is basically "free" as taxpayers foot the bill for it.
Is this socialized medicine?
Is it right for clinics to charge for it?
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 … -flu_N.htm
100- frogdropping
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Liam I'm thinking it takes the Michael when the drug is pre-paid - and yet the clinic administering the vaccine can charge for it if they choose to do so. That smacks of dirty profit.
No clinic should be allowed to put a price on a medicine that's already paid for. The whole thing is wrapped up in enough controversy as it is.
Sheeesh
frogdropping wrote:
Liam I'm thinking it takes the Michael when the drug is pre-paid - and yet the clinic administering the vaccine can charge for it if they choose to do so. That smacks of dirty profit.
No clinic should be allowed to put a price on a medicine that's already paid for. The whole thing is wrapped up in enough controversy as it is.
SheeeshI'm unfamiliar with "takes the Michael." What does that mean?
100- Patty Inglish, MS
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What about the group of people that are allergic to the vaccine - if anyone is forced to pay for it even though it's paid for already and forced to take it and dies from it, what a double mess. My father was allergic to all vaccines made via the use of chicken eggs. Me too, but less so than he was.
91- Pearldiver
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But You've Gotta Love Roche scrip
Apparently the vaccine was trialled on bankers before being paid for by the government insider trading unit!Patty Inglish, MS wrote:
What about the group of people that are allergic to the vaccine - if anyone is forced to pay for it even though it's paid for already and forced to take it and dies from it, what a double mess. My father was allergic to all vaccines made via the use of chicken eggs. Me too, but less so than he was.
My wife has an allergy to anything chicken or turkey. She's already gotten the winter flu vaccine and will be getting the Swine Flu vaccine when available.
What do you mean when you say "forced to take it"?
To date I have not heard of any vaccine made with any other technique than using chicken eggs. But I'll look into it.Pearldiver wrote:
But You've Gotta Love Roche scrip
Apparently the vaccine was trialled on bankers before being paid for by the government insider trading unit!
Good! Are bankers the new lawyers?
"What's a thousand bankers at the bottom of the ocean?"
"A good start!"
96- Rochelle Frank
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Running a clinic is a business. It employs people. It uses supplies (needles, cotton, antiseptic, bandaid, etc.)to administer the vaccine. The clinic has to be cleaned, heated, cooled etc. There is paperwork. I would think it reasonable to expect a small charge even if the vaccine itself is free.
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- frogdropping
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LiamBean wrote:
I'm unfamiliar with "takes the Michael." What does that mean?
Ummm ... polite way of saying it takes the piss *doesn't cuss much*
If there's a justified reason for clinics charging for it fine. But sitting here, I can't think of one. The question is this "is this socialism since the government paid for it?"
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- Rochelle Frank
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frogdropping wrote:
LiamBean wrote:
I'm unfamiliar with "takes the Michael." What does that mean?
Ummm ... polite way of saying it takes the piss *doesn't cuss much*
If there's a justified reason for clinics charging for it fine. But sitting here, I can't think of one.(See my answer above your question.)
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- frogdropping
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LiamBean wrote:
The question is this "is this socialism since the government paid for it?"
Liam I know but you also asked if charging for the vaccine was justified
I was answering that part. And I believe Rochelle came up with a reasonable justification. 
92- Michael Willis
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I don't anyone should be charged for the flu shot at a clinic when it is FREE to them. Shows how Greed is ruining this country.
There is a sign on the WalGreens Store here that is charging $24.99 for the Flu shot. (Regular flu, not H1N1). So, if you can afford it, you get shot, if not..too bad. I may be able to afford this, but there will be some, especially families that will not get the shots because of the price.
I think anyone that does charge should be held accountable if there is any reactions to the shot. They make profits from it, so hold them accountable.
And to the question is this Socialism?...By some definitions I have read on forums, I guess it is. Hey, if it is from Government it must be Socialism (Or was that if it is from Obama?) HmmmAparently Novavax has developed a vaccine that contains the proteins that coat the surface of the 2009 H1N1 flu. Their version does not require the use of eggs. From what I read Novavax vaccine can simulate a viral attack (to the immune system) with just those proteins. Their preparation does not require the use of eggs. They use VLPs (virus-like particles), but the FDA has not yet approved them though the vaccine is in trials.
From the Scientific American article on this: "The advantage of Novavax's approach is that a vaccine can be made rapidly and in high volume, compared with the egg-based approach that's used today, says Ted Ross, an associate professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Vaccine Research (CVR). "In the Novavax system, you generate a vaccine that looks just like the virus without being infectious," he adds."
So, no, there is not a publicly available alternative to the egg based attenuated flu vaccine.
Here's the link;
http://www.scientificamerican.com/artic … lu-vaccineMichael Willis wrote:
I don't anyone should be charged for the flu shot at a clinic when it is FREE to them. Shows how Greed is ruining this country.
There is a sign on the WalGreens Store here that is charging $24.99 for the Flu shot. (Regular flu, not H1N1). So, if you can afford it, you get shot, if not..too bad. I may be able to afford this, but there will be some, especially families that will not get the shots because of the price.
I think anyone that does charge should be held accountable if there is any reactions to the shot. They make profits from it, so hold them accountable.
And to the question is this Socialism?...By some definitions I have read on forums, I guess it is. Hey, if it is from Government it must be Socialism (Or was that if it is from Obama?) Hmmm
Obamalism?
85- A Texan
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Maybe they should have used egg beaters!
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- Michael Willis
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LiamBean wrote:
Michael Willis wrote:
I don't anyone should be charged for the flu shot at a clinic when it is FREE to them. Shows how Greed is ruining this country.
There is a sign on the WalGreens Store here that is charging $24.99 for the Flu shot. (Regular flu, not H1N1). So, if you can afford it, you get shot, if not..too bad. I may be able to afford this, but there will be some, especially families that will not get the shots because of the price.
I think anyone that does charge should be held accountable if there is any reactions to the shot. They make profits from it, so hold them accountable.
And to the question is this Socialism?...By some definitions I have read on forums, I guess it is. Hey, if it is from Government it must be Socialism (Or was that if it is from Obama?) Hmmm
Obamalism?
lol,according to some.
Eggbeaters! There ya go!
So is $24.99 too much?
And there's a side topic. I've noticed most chain pharmacies are making a big deal about having flu vaccine. I see it on television commercials pretty often.
But, none of them point out that it's just the regular winter flu vaccine; not the swine flu vaccine...which no one has yet.
Is that <cough> kosher?frogdropping wrote:
LiamBean wrote:
I'm unfamiliar with "takes the Michael." What does that mean?
Ummm ... polite way of saying it takes the piss *doesn't cuss much*
If there's a justified reason for clinics charging for it fine. But sitting here, I can't think of one.I'm sure glad my name isn't Michael.
91- LondonGirl
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LiamBean wrote:
A
Is this socialized medicine?
Wrong question, surely? Does it matter if it can be catagorised as "socialist medicine"? The more important question should be whether or not it's a good idea.
