This is my first entry, so I am not sure where to go. I am feeling my way through this, sorry if this in not the right forum. I just thought that I could be useful if people had some questions about the company I work for.
That having been said, I work for Chiron, the company that had all of its vaccine grounded in England this year and is responsible for the current shortage.
Let me say one spin that I haven't really heard yet is that the British blocked the vaccine, and isn't that giving them a veto power over the US health care system?
The US FDA had inspected our operation in September, and thought it was OK to go ahead with production and shipment. The UK regulators inspected in early October, and thought otherwise. This surprised us, and the FDA, and HHS, CDC, etc.
Now, I am not trying to take responsability away from Bush. The reason that there are only 2 manufacturers goes right to the heart of this. For most companies it isn't worth it, and it has nothing to do with being sued. It has everything to do with how hard and complicated it is to make. You start making it in February, the recipe changes every year, it has to be tested in clinical trials every summer, and if you make too much of it, you have to throw the rest away.
If the government were to buy up the excess at the end of the year, I think you would see more companies entering the market.
Anyway - What do you think? Is there any way that I can be useful to any of you?