Administration of Vaccine Programs Throughout

¶ … administration of vaccine programs throughout the United States is a contentious public policy issue. Illnesses such as the influenza (flu) impose a heavy burden on society and there has been an effort by those in authority in the public health field to advocate for the widespread inoculation of the citizenry in an effort to protect society for the effects of influenza. Unfortunately, the administration of the influenza vaccine program in the United States has been fraught with problems for a number of years which has limited its effectiveness.

These problems have been heavily discussed and studied and there are a number of studies detailing the nature of these problems and offering suggestions as to how to address them. Not unexpectedly, the studies and discussions have not resulted in a consensus. One of the major problems in the influenza fight, one that seemingly reappears every year, is the apparent shortage of available vaccine.

Every year public health officials spend countless hours encouraging the public to participate in the vaccine program only to face the likelihood that shortages will not allow everyone who seeks vaccination to be inoculated. One study has addressed this concern by suggesting that litigation concerns are affecting the supply of available vaccine. In an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association this issue was addressed and studied (Mello, 2005).

The authors offer that litigation issues are a definite factor in the shortage of available vaccine and suggest that the laws governing the liability of pharmaceutical companies providing vaccines should be reformed in an effort to minimize said companies exposure and encourage them to produce more vaccine. In another study from the Vanderbilt School of Medicine, factors other than manufacturing shortages are examined (Jones, 2004).

In this study it is suggested that barriers such as misperceptions regarding the risk of vaccination, the fear of side effects, and the effectiveness of vaccination all contribute to the effectiveness of the vaccination program in the United States. It was also argued that the delivery system used by public health authorities and the private sector also contribute to the situation. The study suggests that a more aggressive approach by health care providers might stimulate public interest in the vaccination program.

A third study addressed another concern that often arises in the country's influenza program: who should the program be targeting. The study, done through the auspices of the Emory University, addressed how the limited resources and vaccination supply was better utilized in preventing the overall incidents of influenza throughout the nation (Longini, 2005).

The study suggests that the long-standing policy of vaccinating the high risk groups first has been ineffective and that a more reasoned approach might be to vaccinate the groups that are more responsible for the transmission of the influenza such as school children. The three studies noted are a small sampling of those available on the issue but demonstrate the wide range of issues associated with the vaccination program in the United States.

There is no shortage of available studies on this issue which reflects on the serious and acrimonious nature of this problem in the United States. 3. Analysis As the articles suggest, an enormous effort is made every year in the United States to combat influenza. Part of this effort is the production of influenza vaccine and delivering it to the public. In light of the fact that such efforts are not reaching the bulk of the U.S. population the question must be asked whether such efforts are justified.

Due to the fact that the effects of influenza continue to impose a heavy burden on society the various problems associated with the nation's vaccination problems must be addressed. The gap between public policy and the present results of the nation's vaccination program are large and it.