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Deadly Flu

Aired December 08, 2003 - 13:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now the other story we've been talking about, of course, is that flu vaccine, and adding to the demand are new recommendations for vaccinating very young children and new reports of several children killed by the flu in four Western states.
CNN medical correspondent Holly Firfer joins us now to talk about this. A lot of people are wondering, should we panic about not having vaccines out there?

HOLLY FIRFER, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, and according to the CDC and many health officials, no, do not panic. There are vaccines out there. Let me give you a number, 70 to 75 million Americans were vaccinated last year. This year, pharmaceutical companies have made 83 million vaccines. Now only 80 million were used last year. So if you add up the numbers, they're still out there. The problem is in distribution mostly. The pharmaceutical companies have distributed them all to doctors, hospitals, people who will gel them, but it's where they are in the region. In other words, don't panic, they're out there, you just have to look to find them.

PHILLIPS: All right, so I'm looking at the research that you did here, only two companies making the flu shots, one making the flu mist, and then there are only five vaccine makers countrywide. Why is this?

FIRFER: Well, it's really economics. It's a matter of supply and demand, and it's really not a profitable business, making vaccines. Two companies, as you said, do make the vaccine. They're not adding any more to the pipeline. As a matter of fact, one of the pharmaceutical companies Aventis (ph), is already working on next year's vaccine. They've already distributed everything they made from last year. Now it's distribution. It's a matter of finding it. They're in the pipeline. It's a matter of getting at them. It's kind of like what we call, or I like to call the Elmo situation. Remember a couple of years ago when Elmo was the popular toy.

PHILLIPS: You had to go where you had to go to get it.

FIRFER: Exactly, you had to go to three counties to get your child Elmo to make sure they got what they want for Christmas, you know, or for the holidays. But for this, you may have to drive a little farther, you maybe have to look a little more, but it's out there, you just have to go get it, you have to be persistent.

PHILLIPS: A lot of us hanging around, how do you decide who should get it and who should not get it? They're saying the elderly and children.

FIRFER: Yes, certain recommendations, people who are immune- compromised. If you have HIV, if you have heart done conditions, diabetes, if you are over the age of 50, if you're a young child, if you're pregnant and you are past your three-month mark. Those are the people who need it. If you live in a long-term care facility, like a nursing home, and if you're a health care worker, or if you care or tend to somebody young or old at your home. Those are the people who are at risk and you can pass that on. So there are certain people they recommend should definitely get it.

PHILLIPS: Alternative, if you can't get the flu shot.

FIRFER: Flu mist, and it's out there, and they say there are plenty of those available. If you are 18 to 49, you don't even need to go to the doctor to get a prescription. Just go to the pharmacy, they can get it for you. It's a bit more expensive than the flu shot, but it's worth it. If you're from 5 to 18, a parent should take you to the doctor. You can get a prescription for it. They want to check you out to make sure you are safe to have it. But the flu mist is out there, it's available, if you're a doctor or local health care provider doesn't have a flu shot.

Holly Firfer, fighting the flu herself.

FIRFER: Well, it's a cold.

PHILLIPS: Did you get the shot?

FIRFER: I'm getting the shot this week.

PHILLIPS: OK, go get vitamin C right now.

All right, thanks, Holly.

FIRFER: Sure.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired December 8, 2003 - 13:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now the other story we've been talking about, of course, is that flu vaccine, and adding to the demand are new recommendations for vaccinating very young children and new reports of several children killed by the flu in four Western states.
CNN medical correspondent Holly Firfer joins us now to talk about this. A lot of people are wondering, should we panic about not having vaccines out there?

HOLLY FIRFER, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, and according to the CDC and many health officials, no, do not panic. There are vaccines out there. Let me give you a number, 70 to 75 million Americans were vaccinated last year. This year, pharmaceutical companies have made 83 million vaccines. Now only 80 million were used last year. So if you add up the numbers, they're still out there. The problem is in distribution mostly. The pharmaceutical companies have distributed them all to doctors, hospitals, people who will gel them, but it's where they are in the region. In other words, don't panic, they're out there, you just have to look to find them.

PHILLIPS: All right, so I'm looking at the research that you did here, only two companies making the flu shots, one making the flu mist, and then there are only five vaccine makers countrywide. Why is this?

FIRFER: Well, it's really economics. It's a matter of supply and demand, and it's really not a profitable business, making vaccines. Two companies, as you said, do make the vaccine. They're not adding any more to the pipeline. As a matter of fact, one of the pharmaceutical companies Aventis (ph), is already working on next year's vaccine. They've already distributed everything they made from last year. Now it's distribution. It's a matter of finding it. They're in the pipeline. It's a matter of getting at them. It's kind of like what we call, or I like to call the Elmo situation. Remember a couple of years ago when Elmo was the popular toy.

PHILLIPS: You had to go where you had to go to get it.

FIRFER: Exactly, you had to go to three counties to get your child Elmo to make sure they got what they want for Christmas, you know, or for the holidays. But for this, you may have to drive a little farther, you maybe have to look a little more, but it's out there, you just have to go get it, you have to be persistent.

PHILLIPS: A lot of us hanging around, how do you decide who should get it and who should not get it? They're saying the elderly and children.

FIRFER: Yes, certain recommendations, people who are immune- compromised. If you have HIV, if you have heart done conditions, diabetes, if you are over the age of 50, if you're a young child, if you're pregnant and you are past your three-month mark. Those are the people who need it. If you live in a long-term care facility, like a nursing home, and if you're a health care worker, or if you care or tend to somebody young or old at your home. Those are the people who are at risk and you can pass that on. So there are certain people they recommend should definitely get it.

PHILLIPS: Alternative, if you can't get the flu shot.

FIRFER: Flu mist, and it's out there, and they say there are plenty of those available. If you are 18 to 49, you don't even need to go to the doctor to get a prescription. Just go to the pharmacy, they can get it for you. It's a bit more expensive than the flu shot, but it's worth it. If you're from 5 to 18, a parent should take you to the doctor. You can get a prescription for it. They want to check you out to make sure you are safe to have it. But the flu mist is out there, it's available, if you're a doctor or local health care provider doesn't have a flu shot.

Holly Firfer, fighting the flu herself.

FIRFER: Well, it's a cold.

PHILLIPS: Did you get the shot?

FIRFER: I'm getting the shot this week.

PHILLIPS: OK, go get vitamin C right now.

All right, thanks, Holly.

FIRFER: Sure.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com