Tommy
G. Thompson
Secretary of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Ave., S.W.
Room 615-F
Washington, DC 20201
Today’s flu shot rationing is inexcusable. With pharmaceutical plants pumping out generous supplies of Vioxx, Viagra, Botox, Levitra, Rogaine, Cialis, Propecia, Lamisil, and many other life style drugs, there is no shortage of manufacturing capacity. The flu vaccine manufacturing process has been well understood for decades, so there is no manufacturing difficulty. The flu season occurs every year, so there is no problem in forecasting demand. Quality management systems effective in pharmaceutical plants are well known. The Department of Health and Human services has responsibility to take reasonable action to protect the public health. They failed in this basic mission, as you stood by and watched it happen.
Why did this happen? Is it the result of gross incompetence, conspiracy, or manipulation? Is it to promote sales and acceptance of FluMist, named by the CDC as a substitute for flu shots? Was it planned to demonstrate of the power of the pharmaceutical companies, perhaps as a manipulative warning not to control their pricing and profits or open their markets and distribution channels? Is it yet another demonstration of the power of managed health care? Was it simply gross incompetence by the CDC and the agencies we rely on for basic public health protection? Does it give one political party an advantage as we approach the elections?
[Describe the impact of this on you and your family. Describe the difficulty you had in getting immunized. Describe the dangers you and your family face as a result of this.]
Fix this inexcusable and very dangerous problem now to protect country’s public health. Shift the burden of this fiasco onto the drug companies and the CDC, and remove this unfair burden from the citizens.
Get to work and don’t play politics.
Very truly yours,
[Sign your name]