Meanwhile, in the trenches, practicing physicians became outraged by how the flu season was taking shape. Much of their frustration and anger was directed at a delivery system that allowed retail chains, health clubs and large employers to obtain the vaccine and exercise free market rights, rather than public health responsibility. Delays are very problematic for anyone trying to schedule immunization campaigns or conducting outreach to high-risk groups. Beyond that, many physicians also may not understand the delivery system and why some outlets and health care facilities got their vaccine deliveries earlier, she said. Because it is operated as a private enterprise, it involves all different types of distributors and vendors.
Physicians are sometimes two or three steps away from the manufacturer.
In a normal year, the resulting gaps never become evident. But this year, flu season has brought with it examples of the best and worst that capitalism has to offer. The Baptist Minor Medical Centers, a network of eight urgent care clinics in Memphis, was among the first in that region to receive the flu vaccine in early October 2000. At that time, virtually no area physicians had any supplies of their own. Dr. Meenan attributes this interest to the amount of media attention given to the vaccine's delay.