The above headline comes from a May 10, 2010 story by EarthTimes. In this article, it was reported that makers of the H1N1 vaccines reported sales of $3.3 billion in 2009. Healthcare market research publisher Kalorama, issued a report, “H1N1 ‘Swine Flu’ Vaccine Market Review” in which they noted that although the vaccine income did not reach the levels anticipated, that the bottom line of several of the companies was boosted by the swine flu vaccine.
In the face of all the reports showing that the H1N1 vaccine scare was dramatically overblown and may have been partially fabricated, the Kalorama report coldly stated that they, “believe the contracting, production and distribution of this vaccine will be a model for future pandemic vaccines.”
In what seemed more business than healthcare concern, the report stated, “there was no clear model to follow for the H1N1 vaccine, as marketing it in the traditional sense based on consumer need for the vaccine was not required. Companies were innovative.”
Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information, noted the business aspect of the vaccine by stating, “It was a unique product and each (vaccine) company adopted a different strategy.”
In an unrelated but ironic new story, Reuters news on May 4, 2010 reports that the “U.S. has 71 million unused flu vaccine doses.” They note that these vaccines all have expiration dates and that some of these doses start expiring in June of this year. These vaccine doses have already been paid for and should not impact the vaccine companies bottom lines.
