NY Reps. on H1N1 Vaccines For Wall Street Firms

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11/13/09 -- Washington, DC -- Yesterday, Congressman Tim Bishop (NY-1) and members of the New York Congressional Delegation sent a bipartisan letter to federal, state and city officials expressing outrage over reports that over a dozen Wall Street firms were approved to receive some of the limited H1N1 vaccines available to the public. According to BusinessWeek, these private companies have received as many as 1200 units each in recent weeks as colleges, nursing homes and schools face severe shortages.

“At a time when H1N1 vaccines are unavailable to most Americans, the limited supplies should only be given to high priority individuals,” said Rep. Bishop in the letter. “It is unconscionable that well-connected bankers and investors should appear to receive special treatment over those who need the vaccine most.”

The letter was addressed to New York Governor David Paterson and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as well as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Thomas Frieden. The Representatives requested an immediate investigation into the process and handling of H1N1 vaccines distribution.

Congressman Bishop was joined on the letter by New York Representatives Gary Ackerman, John Hall, Steve Israel, Peter King, Daniel Maffei, Carolyn McCarthy, Michael Arcuri, Michael McMahon, and Eric Massa.

In order to get full answers from New York officials involved in the distribution of H1N1 vaccines, the letter specifically requests the release of all the records relating to the policy, protocols, and practices of distributing H1N1 vaccine and the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine to any and all private businesses not engaged directly and primarily in the provision of health care services.

Last week, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government, filed a Freedom of Information Act request for similar documentation contending that some agencies have not provided full explanations of why private companies received priority distributions.

Full text of the letter::

Dear Governor Paterson, Secretary Sebelius, Mayor Bloomberg, and Director Frieden,

As members of the New York Congressional delegation, we are outraged by recent news reports that over a dozen Wall Street firms were approved by agencies under your jurisdictions to receive some of the limited H1N1 vaccines available. We request that you launch an immediate investigation into the process and handling of H1N1 vaccines distribution.

At a time when H1N1 vaccines are unavailable to most Americans, the limited supplies should only be given to high priority individuals. It is unconscionable that well-connected bankers and investors should appear to receive special treatment over those who need the vaccine most.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that specific groups of people have been prioritized to receive H1N1 vaccine; these include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. Can you therefore verify that the firms which received the vaccines adhered to these guidelines outlined by the CDC?

According to reports, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene approved orders by twenty employers after disbursements of vaccine were cleared by the Centers for Disease Control for delivery to states and municipalities. Therefore, we request that you immediately use your authority to ensure that any unused H1N1 vaccines distributed to these firms be redirected to appropriate health facilities that can be made immediately available to those at-risk members of the public identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Furthermore, we request your office release to our staff all the records relating to the policy, protocols, and practices of distributing H1N1 vaccine; and the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine to any and all private businesses not engaged directly and primarily in the provision of health care services.

We look forward to your immediate response to our request and will continue to work with you to ensure public health is protected.

Source: Congressman Tim Bishop