A good analysis of five ways that RFK could undermine vaccines and seriously risk public health (gift link): https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/health/rfk-jr-vaccines-hhs.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bE4.HiIB.xkvxWcjWmAIG&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb
The one I’d never thought of is weakening legal protections for vaccine manufacturers. It’d require congressional approval, but lawsuits, even frivolous ones, could make vaccine makers say hey we don’t need to be in this business
(this highlights, of course, our big dilemma: the way huge for-profit pharma companies play such a crucial role in public health)
+bonifartius 𒂼𒄄
@bonifartius
Yeah it's a good question
my sense is it's because while most vaccines don't cause problems in the vast majority of cases, they do cause rare complications!
A society that wants them widely available (b/c the avoiding the major infectious diseases requires herd immunity) needs them cheap
litigation can drive prices up
But: what about people harmed in those rare cases?
That's why the US set up two compensation programs, decades ago
they're imperfect; I'd strengthen them