Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-21
BY JOHN McKELWAY

The passage of time, that great
healer, is moving in on the polio
vaccine situation and restoring
some calm and composure.
1t will take more time to clear
the air completely Of the confu-
sion that followed the announce
ment of the vaccine's effective
ness. Meanwhile, there are strong
indications there is enough time
left before the peak of the polio
season arrives to spread ade-
quately the protection the vac
cine promises.
Representatives of three of the
six vaccine manufacturers indi-
Gated yesterday there would be
sufficient vaccine in the Wash
ington area to meet the tremen-
dous demand before August is
well under way.
The pharmaceutical houses are
not speaking in terms of arrival
dates. The business of rolling
out drugs for public consumption
is one of the stiffest competitive
fields existing and trade secrets"
are closely guarded.
But faced with anxious doctors,
as they were yesterday, drug rep
resentatives at least dropped a
few hints that all would be well
with little more time.
. Priorities recommended
Meanwhile, to take care of the
present problem of not enough
vaccine to go around, officials of
the District Medical Society have
recommended three priorities for
its use.
1t was urged that these stand,
for the time being, in the hope
of discouraging a general scram-
BILE by everyone to get what
vaccine does begin to dribble
into the Washington area.
The prioritieS selected are:
Children from 3 to 5 years of
age, first; children 8 through 10
and pregnant women beyond the
third month of pregnancy, Sec
ond; children below the age of
3 and above 10, third.
The priorities are based on
national polio statistics, which
indicate the highest incidence of
the disease is in these groups in
that order. The chance that
pregnant women, for example,
will pick up polio is seven times
greater than for women of the
same age who are not expecting.
Medical society officials who
drew up the list included DR..
Preston A. McLendon, president,
and Drs. George Maksim and
Milton Greenberg.
Hope Tor Compliance
What we are trying to do"
DR.. Greenberg said, sis show
people we are trying to establish
some workable method in ham
ding the vaccine situation.
I'VE, naturally, hope doctors
will observe the priorities, at
least until enough vaccine is on
hand.
ut will also give us something
to go on when telling the mother
of, say a 14-year-old, it's more
important to get the vaccine in
children from 3 through 5. She'll
just have to wait awhile"
At yesterdays meeting, attend
ed also by representatives of the
District Pharmaceutical Associa-
ton, it was decided to drop one
idea proposing a central distrib-
uting point for the vaccine. Both
druggists and drug company
spokesman feel the established
channels Of getting drugs from
the manufacturer to the druggist
to the doctor to his patient will
hold up, despite the pressure for
the product.
One drug representative said.
well be begging you doctors
to take this stuff (the vaccine)
in December"
Another representative said the
furore over attempts to get the
vaccine is unnecessary.
Everybody" he said, wants
us to get the vaccine in tomor-
row."
He pictured the vaccine ship
ments as arriving gradually until