Originally Posted by
BigLar
Given that the ordinary flu vaccine is around 70%, it looks like it may be very useful, especially if they get the dosage right.
Even in years where the flu shot is a "miss" and only 20-30% effective, the 20-30% is still useful and many others experience the benefits of partial immunity and a milder illness.
My only question on the Oxford one is *why* the data looks that way. Why is a half-dose better than a full-dose? It just seems weird to those of us who don't work in a medical field. Given that PR is important to getting people to take this vaccine, a good transparent explanation to what happened and why - in a way that laypeople can understand - would be useful. This particular vaccine is important because it's the one that the traditional vaccine supply chain in the developing world can handle.
Originally Posted by
corky
I don't agree with this at all. Lots of people right now don't even have money for rent or food so coming up with $100 (even if refundable) is not an option. This shouldn't be only available to someone with money just as organ transplants shouldn't go to the highest bidder.
Originally Posted by
chgoeditor
Not to mention, we have a lot of essential minimum wage workers in this country, and I don't want to discourage someone who works in a store, teaches, provides child care or drives a cab from getting the vaccine because price is an issue.
It would be horrible for a bunch of reasons - practical, ethical, optics, etc. - if it appears that the rich can buy a fast-track to a vaccine. I have to think that the FDA and others are keenly aware that this would be a terrible, terrible look and an absolute media frenzy. I can see both the Fox News and NYT headlines already and they're both bad.
It's going to happen on the fringe because money breeds corruption, but buying your place in line won't be part of the formal process. Paying people to get the vaccine probably won't either - that seems less offensive to me personally but I have to wonder if there are ethical pitfalls there as well.