The Vaccine

This subject of lawsuits has been raised before and it has been mentioned that it’s a relatively common occurrence, especially in the States.

I’m sure it would be far too complex to offer people a choice of which vaccine to have. The logistics of the Pfizer one, needing to be stored at-70 are complex enough.

I will have whichever one I am offered, but I suspect by the time it is my turn, maybe not until February or March, it will probably be the Oxford one.

I just did a very crude calculation - the government have purchased enough of the Pfizer vaccine for 20million people. There are 12.5 million over 65s and about 3million health and care staff - so we would all be covered by the Pfizer vaccination purchase if necessary - it depends on the phasing of the supply, and on the approvals and phasing of other vaccines - but I agree with you JenniferEccles, I don’t think as individuals we will be able to pick and choose, particularly now they are considering that maybe the best protection will be gained from having two different types of vaccine anyway.

Aren’t they a bit obsessed with suing drug companies/hospitals in America? I’m sure I read years ago that more Caesarians were performed in American hospitals because they were so worried about being sued. Probably due to people having health insurance. But I am going by my terrible memory.

SorryJenniferEccles. I wrote that post then went off to do something else before I pressed the post button so hadn’t read what you’d written.

Pfizer didn't need to be sued it admtted liability in many cases. Some of the actions against it were by state legislators. But there have been actions about drug side effects and supplying substandard products, like heart valves

In 1994 the company agreed to pay $10.75 million to settle Justice Department charges that it lied to regulators in seeking approval for the valves; it also agreed to pay $9 million to monitor valve patients at Veterans Administration hospitals or pay for removal of the device.

In 2004 Pfizer announced that it had reached a $60 million settlement of a class-action suit brought by users of Rezulin, a diabetes medication developed by Warner-Lambert, which had withdrawn it from the market shortly before the company was acquired by Pfizer in 2000. The withdrawal came after scores of patients died from acute liver failure said to be caused by the drug.

In 2004, in the wake of revelations about dangerous side effects of Merck’s painkiller Vioxx, Pfizer agreed to suspend television advertising for a related medication called Celebrex. The following year, Pfizer admitted that a 1999 clinical trial found that elderly patients taking Celebrex had a greatly elevated risk of heart problems.

In 2005 Pfizer withdrew another painkiller, Bextra, from the market after the FDA mandated a “black box” warning about the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks of the medication. In 2008 Pfizer announced that it was setting aside $894 million to settle the lawsuits that had been filed in connection with Bextra and Celebrex.

According to the news tonight some care home staff are refusing to have the vaccine
I know it is their choice,but i am surprised that in that job they are allowed to refuse and carry on working with the elderly and possibly ill residents

This was discussed on the radio yesterday. The owner of a care home had investigated the legality of insisting that her staff have the vaccine. Apparently, the law does not allow this. Nor can she refuse to employ new staff on the grounds that they were not vaccinated.

As someone with allergies, mainly to medications, like penicillin, etc. i hope, that as we live near Oxford, we will get the Oxford vaccine.

Having said that i had the flu jab this year for the first time without any reaction at all. The problem is, my reactions are so random.

Same here M0nica! Hope they won’t be too quick to offer me the Pfizer one, would like to wait for the Oxford one.

Mr C booked for 19th and he cannot wait!!

I had the Pfizer vaccine yesterday and am delighted! no ill effects apart from a sore arm - a bit like the flu jab, and getting better. It has high efficacy and I have to live with the expectation that it will protect me without dire side effects. Life is a series of choices and I am glad to have taken this one - time will tell, but I think it will be OK and a whole lot better than risking gettig Corid 19. We all have to weigh up different risks.

Pleased to hear that Applegran! So you didn’t get a headache which seems to be what some people get after they’ve had the vaccine. I’m quite envious of you: I can’t wait for mine!