The Government Accountability Office has found that the US has no firm plans to deal with a flu shot shortage like the one the country is going through. In fact, the country struggles each year to make sure there’s enough vaccine and it’s delivered where it’s needed. The problem is simply more pronounced this year because of the sheer scale of the problem.
In a report issued Thursday, the GAO says, “Our work has also found continuing obstacles to delivering flu vaccine to high-risk individuals in a time of short supply.”
The GAO also says vendors take advantage of the faulty system and cash in. “With the severely reduced vaccine supply this year, opportunities exist for vendors who have vaccine to significantly inflate the price of available supplies.”
The report says the CDC has gotten 100 reports of price gouging from 33 states so far. The report says there’s a history of that:
“[O]ne physician’s practice ordered flu vaccine from a supplier in April 2000 at $2.87 per dose. When none of that vaccine had arrived by November 1, the practice placed three smaller orders in November with a different supplier at the escalating prices of $8.80, $10.80, and $12.80 per dose. On December 1, the practice ordered more vaccine from a third supplier at $10.80 per dose. The four more expensive orders were delivered immediately, before any vaccine had been received from the original April order.” (Government Accountability Office)
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