finally someone else notices

If this country (and others) were *really* worried about health care costs rather than just the specific pockets of insurance lobbyists, they would invest and subsidize vaccine research and production rather than worry so much about post-infection costs to society.

Why does the smallpox vaccine still have side effects that make it riskier than potentially getting exposed to the disease?  because in the hands of a corporation, working strictly on profit potential, there's no market in it.  this is the point where a government should get involved for the benefit of society and support research into finally getting the vaccine without side effects people can feel secure that the "cure" won't be as bad as the disease.

There is no reason at all that America's (normal) flu shots have to come from England and put up with factory risks that are beyond America's controls.

Oh, and while I'm on the subject of medicine, I'll reiterate my gripe (not that its a hot topic today) that "cheap drugs from Canada" are not cheap: they are paid for by Canadian taxpayers.  If you really want to solve the "cheap drugs" question, get Congress to start hearings into why American drug companies are charging Canadians less per dose they export than they charge American insurers for drugs consumed within the borders...