Hospitals balk at smallpox vaccine: More doctors consider risk to staff too great

USA TODAY ^ | Jan 21, 2003 | Laura Parker

[Alpha One]

RICHMOND, Va. -- When doctors at the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals here announced in December that they would not participate in the Bush administration's program to vaccinate 11 million Americans against smallpox, they were criticized for making a deplorable decision that could undermine the president's plan.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

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[NetValue]

I hope that the decision makers are correct. If there were a smallpox attack and a bean-counter had decided for me, I just might go looking for him for retribution.

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[w1andsodidwe]

I just don't know any of us that received this shot as children stayed alive long enough to grow up. Reading this, it sounds as though the shots are worse than the disease.

But it also points out what lawyers have done to this country. I bet none of these hospitals would be so worried if it wasn't for the litigation threats.

[B-bone]

There is risk associated with receiving the smallpox vaccine. There is risk with everything in life. We balance risks with every decision we make in life.

What is missing in this case is what is the risk that one will contract smallpox. Right now, we don't know--and those that do know aren't talking.

One cannot make an informed decision as to whether to receive the smallpox vaccine unless you know what your risk of contracting smallpox is.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

I just found this out at work, hospitals are indeed in my area foo pawing this vaccine saying NO WAY.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

I suspect that these decisions reflect, in large part, the leftist politics of the physicians in the top positions at these hospitals- a lot of whom would have been in college and medical school in the 1960's. There are a surprising number of left-wing doctors out there (surprising, because I think the principal tenet of the Left is the rejection of meritocracy: and medicine is, or used to be, a meritocratic system).

In other words, this is more of a political thumbs-down for President Bush than it is a reasoned medical decision.

[Alpha One]

My own doctor, whom I just spoke with yesterday, has some serious doubts about the vaccine. He's not one of those that is against vaccination in general, he just has doubts about the smallpox vaccine itself.

[FITZ]

For some reason, hospitals and doctors aren't too worried about over-medicating and over-vaccinating. They're practically forcing non-essential vaccines like measles and chickenpox and Hepatitis A here.

[Servant of the Nine]

These wussies don't want to get sued now in case anyone is injured and think a Smallpox atack can never happen.
They calculate that if we are atttacked with Smallpox, everyone will be too busy halting the epidemic and nuking the bad guys to bother sueing them.

So9

[Mears]

I don't get it. I had to have the snallpox vac and my children all had it.We couldn't enter school without it.I don't know of anyone that ever had a problem with the vaccine.

Is it fear of litigation that is causing all this fear? If that is the reason something should be done about tort reform.

[Alpha One]

In other words, this is more of a political thumbs-down for President Bush than it is a reasoned medical decision.

So you think medical decisions are based on politics? Do you think they would have decided differently if Clinton has proposed smallpox vaccinations? How would we have reacted if it had been Clinton that had issued the order?

[PAR35]

15 to 49 of every million people vaccinated for smallpox for the first time will suffer serious side effects,

So most folks over 30 aren't going to have any problem at all from the vaccine. ( in 1972, when the smallpox vaccinations were last routinely given in the USA. )

Since Doctors are generally about 30 before they complete all of their training, there should be almost no fully trained doctors who would be at risk from the vaccine.

Thus, folks who suggest that these "professionals" may have another motive may be on to something.

[Alpha One]

Is it fear of litigation that is causing all this fear? If that is the reason something should be done about tort reform.

I can't see fear of litigation as being the motivating factor here, as there is immunity from litigation embedded in the Homeland Security Act specifically citing mass immunizations in relation to bioterrorism.

[Alpha One]

Thus, folks who suggest that these "professionals" may have another motive may be on to something.

I just see it as those who have the background to make the proper decisions are doing just that. Politicians with no medical background might want to do the right thing, but if they are in conflict with the opinion of quite a few health care professionals, I'd have to agree with the professionals.

[Alpha One]

One cannot make an informed decision as to whether to receive the smallpox vaccine unless you know what your risk of contracting smallpox is.

Exactly right. From what I've read from the CDC smallpox website, smallpox isn't that contagious, as you've got to be within 6 feet of a contagious person for a prolonged period of time in order to catch it. Of course, you can still catch it easily from infected linen, just like the Indians did when English settlers gave them infected blankets full of scabs and pus.

[pitinkie]

My hubby is supposed to get it soon..he is an ED Doc.

[Mamzelle]

Leftist docs--what hooey. The leftist docs don't practice medicine, they join the AMA and try to have lunch with Hillary.

They're debating, that's all, and it is prudent not to rush into vaccination now that we have accumulated a stockpile of vaccines and the vaccines are sitting in warehouses within easy driving (and flying) distance of major population centers. These same "leftist" docs ponder for weeks to set up disaster drills, and if they are hesitant to immunize then let them hesitate and think about it. You're talking a major upheaval of a hospital, and the biggest risk is exposing patients to a live vaccine.

[Alpha One]

These wussies don't want to get sued now in case anyone is injured and think a Smallpox atack can never happen.

But doesn't the Homeland Security Act provide them immunity?