Germans Unhappy with Alternative Swine Flu Vaccine for Politicians

[icymist]

10/19/2009

Second-Class Medicine

Germans Unhappy with Alternative Swine Flu Vaccine for Politicians

Damage control is the name of the game in Berlin on Monday as politicians rush to deny that they are receiving a better, safer swine flu vaccine than ordinary Germans. The first of 50 million doses arrived in Germany on Monday.

One might think that the arrival in Germany of the first of 50 million doses of swine flu vaccine on Monday might be cause for celebration. But with news breaking over the weekend that top government officials in Berlin will be injected with an alternative vaccine -- one widely seen as safer -- a debate about an alleged two-class medical system has erupted.


SPIEGEL over the weekend reported that Chancellor Angela Merkel, a number of her ministers and other government officials would receive a vaccine manufactured by the pharmaceutical company Baxter -- the same vaccine that the German military opted for, as was reported last week.

The mass-circulation tabloid Bild on Monday plastered the story on its front page on Monday, assuring its readers that "experts are accusing the government" of serving up "second class medicine" to ordinary Germans.

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[DJ13]

1. The haves and the have nots are a worldwide problem

One of these days one of those "haves" will do a Marie Antoinette and the world will be in big trouble.

[snagglepuss]

2. Bureaucrats "responsible for approving vaccines getting the different vaccine"

Us Canadians, except for pregnant women, are getting the what most Germans are getting, vaccine with additive. Up to now I had concerns with vaccine but having weighed pros and cons, I'm opting to get it.This is unexpected news. I don't know what to make of it.

Its unsettling to say the least. Now Merkel says she another minister (wow 2 top people) will get the regular vaccine. How is anyone to believe that? Who's to know what is in the needles?

:wtf:



more from the article:

An Interior Ministry spokesman told SPIEGEL that the Baxter vaccine had been ordered for all ministries and other agencies as well as for the employees of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, the authority responsible for approving vaccines

The head of the Institute for Hygiene and Public Health at the University of Bonn, Martin Exner, said: "The fact that politicians and top civil servants in ministries will be vaccinated with a vaccine other than the people is a terrible sign. Today politicians must take what they recommend."

Virologist Alexander Kekulé Hall of the University Hospital said the fact "that the members of the Federal Government and the authorities have any other vaccine is a scandal.""