Originally posted by ChrisCrikey
The U.S.government has shown little interest in public health in the past (and this may be "uniquely American"), certainly not in disaster or
pandemic preparedness and people would surely be suspicious if suddenly the government took an interest in their health.
Remember, there's a difference between interest in public
health and widespread vaccination. Everyone in a position to mandate and implement
such a program stands to profit considerably directly from the vaccine production, sale and distribution.
Believe it or not, the last time this happened was for the mythical
swine flu pandemic of 1976. One person died of the Swine flu during that
pandemic but hundreds were killed and thousands left paralyzed by the "
The National Influenza Immunization Program".