"We are facing a potential public health disaster."
This isn't campaign rhetoric. It's commentary on the flu-vaccine shortage by Dr. Arthur Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania that's on MSNBC.com today. (read it here)
In addition to his observations on the seriousness of the crisis and the growing problems of distributing the tiny amounts of existing vaccine (transplant patients begging for protection, while black-market vaccine peddlers try to sell theirs for $800 a shot), Dr. Caplan also comments on the Bush Administration's insane reaction to the shortage:
The Bush administration has also suggested Canada as one possible source for extra vaccine. But the degree of hypocrisy in turning to the north for vaccine -- when the president and his health officials have been bellowing all summer that drugs from Canada are not safe -- is impressive. And it is not clear that our neighbors over the border will come through.
just a bit more below
In the closing days of this election, this article and the information it contains are a must-read. The Bush Administration -- through lack of foresight, lack of planning and misplaced priorities -- has created a public health crisis.
The nation now knows it exists. We need to make sure they know why.