Article published November 06, 2009
Swine flu vaccine for Wall Street stirs protest
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - Some of New York's biggest companies, including Wall Street giants Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, received doses of swine flu vaccine for at-risk employees, drawing criticism that the hard-to-find vaccine is going first to the privileged.
Hospitals, universities, and the Federal Reserve Bank also got doses of the vaccine for employees who need it the most, such as pregnant women or chronically ill workers, according to the city's health department.
In order to receive the vaccine, companies had to have their own medical staff. Distributing large doses of the vaccine to such businesses is "a great avenue for vaccinating people at risk," said Jessica Scaperotti, spokesman for the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
But critics said Wall Street firms should not have access to the vaccine before less wealthy Americans.
"Vaccines should go to people who need them most, not people who happen to work on Wall Street," Sen. Chris Dodd (D., Conn.) said yesterday.
Meanwhile, the director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a letter yesterday to state and local health departments asking them to review their distribution plans and make sure the vaccine is getting to high-risk groups.Dr. Thomas Frieden said any decisions that appear to send vaccine beyond high-priority groups "have the potential to undermine the credibility of the program."
Swine flu vaccine has been in short supply nationwide because of manufacturing delays, resulting in long lines at clinics and patients being turned away at doctor's offices. The vaccine started trickling out in early October, and nearly 36 million doses have been made available.
The government-funded vaccine is being distributed to states, where health departments decide how it is distributed.
In New York, doctors at companies that have employee health services can request the vaccine along with other doctors but must agree to vaccinate only high-risk employees, Ms. Scaperotti said.
Last month, the city began offering vaccine to schoolchildren, as well as to pediatricians and obstetricians who asked for it.
Ms. Scaperotti said two-thirds of the pediatricians in New York City have requested vaccine.
Ms. Scaperotti said 50 employers in New York City have received the vaccine so far.
Besides Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, they include Time Inc. and hospitals such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
Goldman Sachs has received 200 doses, and Citigroup has received 1,200, health officials said.
In statements, Citigroup and Goldman Sachs said the vaccine would only go to those in high-risk groups.
Morgan Stanley received 1,000 doses of the vaccine for its New York and suburban offices, but the company turned over its entire supply to local hospitals when it learned it received shipments before some area hospitals, spokesman Jeanmarie McFadden said.
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