Swine Flu Stirred Profits, but Fewer Deaths than Predicted
Sunday, January 31, 2010
From the U.S. government to the United Nations, the warnings last spring were that H1NI was going to infect billions of people and kill hundreds of thousands. But it turned out the panic produced only millions in profits for pharmaceutical companies that made swine flu vaccines and preventive care.
In 2009, President Barack Obama’s science advisers warned the virus could infect up to 120 million Americans and kill 90,000. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicted H1N1 could infect two billion and claim hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide.
So far, the dreaded flu has killed a confirmed 14,711 around the world. The exact total in the U.S. is unclear, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirming 4,000 deaths, but estimating up to 16,500 in case of underreporting. These numbers are not only smaller than what was predicted but also are far less than the normal mortality rate for ordinary flu seasons.
The one thing that was up last year was earnings for makers of H1N1 vaccines. CSL Limited saw its profits rise 63% above 2008 levels by June 2009, while GlaxoSmithKline enjoyed a 30% jump by the third quarter. Roche, maker of the preventive Tamiflu, enjoyed a twelve fold leap in profits from the second quarter of 2008 to the same period in 2009.
The Council of Europe is reportedly investigating whether WHO officials “faked” the pandemic to boost revenues for drug companies.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Swine Flu Didn't Fly (by Niko Kyriakou, Truthout)
The Pandemic Is Political (by Michael Fumento, Forbes)
Profiting from Swine Flu (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)
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