Swine Flu Conspiracy

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION3

Purpose of the Study3

Background of the Problem3

Research Question6

Rationale6

Significance of the Study7

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY9

Qualitative Secondary Research9

Literature Selection Criteria9

Search Technique9

CHAPTER 3: RESULTS11

Baxter and WHO Case11

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION13

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION16

REFERENCES18

Chapter 1: Introduction

Purpose of the Study

In June, the World Health Organization (WHO) alerted the public that a worldwide pandemic of swine flu (H1N1) was sweeping the globe.  Health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have stated that the swine flu virus could infect up to 40% of Americans over the next couple of years.  At last count, the CDC said there are 43,771 swine flu cases that have been reported in America, and 302 deaths have been associated with the disease. Despite signs that the Swine Flu was being highly blown out of proportion, the WHO, the CDC and a multitude of other foreign and domestic health agencies continued claiming that the pandemic was growing out of control. As a result, governments around the world spent tens of billions of dollars on untested vaccines. In the U.S. alone, $2 billion was spent on vaccines and another $7.5 billion was allocated for supplemental H1N1 preparedness. Much was written about the creation of the pandemic when it began, questioning the accuracy and motives that were behind it(Hampson 2009).

Background of the Problem

The sales or profits of drug-makers not involved in the swine flu panic (such as Pfizer) actually went down in the third quarter of 2009 as opposed to the revenues and net income of those who were. Novartis expects to make an extra 400-700 million USD in the last quarter of 2009 and first quarter of 2010. Sanofi-Aventis has sold a mere 120 million worth of swine flu related goods, but this will shoot up to 1 billion in the six months to March 2010. Similarly, While Astra-Zeneca's tally is a meagre 152 million USD, yet it constitutes 2% of its growth and one third of its sales in the USA. It foresees another 300 million USD in revenues. Finally, GlaxoSmithKline has pushed whopping 1.6 billion USD worth of swine flu vaccine out the door plus an extra 250 million USD in related products till end-September 2009. Pandemics are good for business, no two ways about it. (Hampson 2009)

The aura of the pharmaceutical industry is such that people seamlessly lump it together with weapons manufacturers, the CIA, Big Tobacco, and other usual culprits and suspects. Drug manufacturers' advertising budgets are huge and may exert disproportionate influence on editorial decisions in the print media. Pharma companies are big contributors to campaign coffers and can and do bend politicians' ears in times of need. There is a thinly-veiled revolving door between underpaid and over-worked bureaucrats in regulatory agencies and the plush offices of the ostensibly regulated. Academic studies are often funded by the industry. People naturally are suspicious and apprehensive of this confluence of power, money, and access. Recent scandals at the FDA (America's much-vaunted and hitherto-venerated Food and Drug Administration) did not help ...