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This file contains a response to a Newsweek article on problems in the program.
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1515951
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Swine Flu - Meeting with the President and Dr. Cooper, July 9, 1976
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1515951
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Swine Flu - Meeting with the President and Dr. Cooper, July 9, 1976
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This file contains a response to a Newsweek article on problems in the program.
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The original documents are located in Box 34, folder "Swine Flu - Meeting with the
President and Dr. Cooper, July 9, 1976" of the James M. Cannon Files at the Gerald R.
Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 34 of the James M. Cannon Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT AND
DR. COOPER
Friday, July 9, 1976
12:00
Oval Office
15 minutes
FORD GERALD LIBRARY 938870
The - Mathem mus my misum
con as medicators wf
Health
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
flu
July 9, 1976
Program
NOTE:
On Wednesday, July 14, a report on the results of
JMC, LOR. R. FORD LIBRARY
Secretary Mathews, and Dr. Cooper's meeting with the
President should be given to the President.
HEW G NTT tues.
week
NEWS ARTICLE ON SWINE FLU "SNAFU"
Here is a comment on each of the points made in
today's Newsweek piece:
1. One manufacturer inadvertently turned out
3 million doses of the wrong vaccine.
FORD i LIBRARY GERALD
Parke-Davis did in fact produce 3 million doses
of vaccine using the wrong seed virus before it
was discovered by HEW. This will not cost the
federal government anything, as the production
costs are borne by the manufacturer. It
appears that other manufacturers can produce an
additional 3 million doses for the stockpile.
2. Various state and municipal health officers warn
funds would be inadequate.
Some state and local health officers have
indicated funds would be inadequate, as they want
to finance a great deal of their overhead through
this program.
Dr. Cooper and other HEW witnesses before the
Appropriations Committee continue to indicate
that the amount you requested is adequate.
3. Insurance companies refuse to cover the
manufacturers against suits.
The insurance carriers have informed the vaccine
manufacturers that they cannot cover them against
suits that could arise from side effects caused
by the vaccine beyond the scope of the
manufacturers' delivering a safe and effective
vaccine. HEW and the Justice Department feel
that the manufacturers can be adequately protected
by contract language between HEW and the
manufacturers.
Representatives of HEW, Justice Department, the
insurance companies, and the manufacturers are
meeting this afternoon to continue to review this
problem.
4. Albert Sabin backs off earlier recommendation for
large-scale massive program for the entire population.
Dr. Sabin is now of the view that the inoculation
2
should be limited to high-risk groups and that
the vaccine should be stockpiled for large-scale
use only if an epidemic actually arises.
There is no general support for Dr. Sabin's view
from the scientific community. They still back
the recommendations that were made to you when
you met with this group.
?
In summary, the program is still on track. The legal
problems should be resolved in the next two weeks.
The clinical trials of the vaccine will be completed
in the next three weeks. Early results indicate
that the vaccine is not as effective with children
as it is with adults.
FORD : LIBRARY 978839
The Swine-Flu Snafu
Sabin's major objection to mass inocu-
caused such side effects in 19 per cent of
lations was based on the results of the
a group of 6- to 10-year-olds. "It is evi-
During the past four months, the Fed-
first clinical trials of the new vaccine,
dent to me," said Sabin, "that the origi-
eral government's unprecedented $135
announced late last month. The tests,
nal plan for mass vaccination
is
no
million campaign to vaccinate virtually
which involved more than 5,000 volun-
longer possible." Rather, he suggested,
every American against swine influenza
teers, showed that the vaccine produced
immunization should be limited to "high
has suffered one setback after another,
good antibody responses in adults over
risk" groups, such as those over 65 and
and last week there was a distinct possi-
the age of 23, but was not nearly so
persons with debilitating illnesses. The
bility that the program wouldn't get go-
effective in children.
rest of the vaccine, he said, should be
ing at all. First, one manufacturer inad-
The tests also showed that children
stockpiled for large-scale use if an epi-
vertently turned out 3 million doses of
were more likely than adults to develop
demic arises.
the wrong vaccine, delaying the entire
fever, muscle aches and nausea as a re-
Old Rival: Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of
production schedule. Then various state
sult of the shots. One of the vaccines
the first polio vaccine, disagreed with his
and municipal health officials warned
old medical rival and favored full-scale
that the funds voted by Congress would
inoculations. The vaccine, said Salk,
be woefully inadequate to finance the
"does more good in people's arms than in
mass inoculations. More recently, insur-
the refrigerator."
ance companies refused to cover the
But the dispute between the virus ex-
manufacturers against suits that might
perts could become an academic exer-
arise from side effects caused by the
cise unless the question of the manufac-
vaccine. And finally last week, one of the
turers' liability is settled somehow. The
nation's leading virologists came out flat-
fear of suits stems from the case of a
ly against the idea of inoculating every-
Texas girl who became paralyzed after
one in the U.S. against swine flu in the
receiving oral polio vaccine in a public
first place.
program. The vaccine maker was held
Dr. Albert Sabin, the 69-year-old de-
responsible for the failure of the people
veloper of oral polio vaccine, raised
conducting the program to inform par-
doubts about the swine-flu program at a
ents of the possible risks of the vaccine.
Congressional hearing. Sabin ques-
The four firms making the swine-flu
tioned whether the swine-flu virus, iso-
vaccine sought legislation that would
lated last February at Fort Dix, N.J., was
indemnify them against claims arising
really as virulent as the supposedly simi-
from vaccine reactions. But late in the
lar virus that contributed to the deaths of
week, a House subcommittee refused to
20 million people in 1918-19. Normally,
consider such a proposal. This means
an emerging flu-virus variant causes lo-
that unless the manufacturers and Feder-
cal outbreaks before it produces a world-
al health officials work out an alternate
wide epidemic. But no outbreaks of
plan, the inoculation program may
swine flu have been recorded anywhere
James K. W. Atherton-The Washington Post
stop-at least for the time being.
since the Fort Dix episode.
Sabin: Time to shelve the program?
MATT CLARK with MARY LORD in Washington
July 12, 1976
73
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