Shots in the Arm

President Ford got a shot in the arm last week that he very much wanted: after heavy presidential pressure, congressional opposition to federal liability insurance for Ford's massive flu vaccination program collapsed. The legislation breezed through Congress by unanimous voice vote in the Senate and by 250 to 83 in the House. Now more than 200 million Americans will eventually have a chance to get a shot in the arm that some may need, and others not, that some will want, and others will not. Under the law, participation will be entirely voluntary. The Department of Health, Education and Welfare must try to educate the country about the vaccine's advantages--and possible disadvantages.

The new act restarts the machinery to get the vaccine, much of it already made, packaged for use. This had stalled weeks ago partly because of the refusal by private insurance companies to handle the liability. Many Congressmen still believe that the President's program sets a dangerous precedent for the Federal Government and is even (some medical experts argue) totally unnecessary. "I hate this bill," said co-sponsor Senator Ted Kennedy last week, "but suppose there is a swine flu epidemic? They'll blame me."

Whether it proves to be a case of political jitters or a wise move so far badly handled, the program is already nearly two months behind schedule. Once planned to start in August, it now cannot get rolling until the fall. Only 100 million doses will be available by mid-October--just about the time the flu season normally begins. Administration of adult doses will start Oct. 1, but the proper dosage for children will not even be worked out until mid-September.

The program's eventual cost to the Government, through insurance claims, could be appalling (estimates range from $50 million to $25 billion), but whatever the figure, it can only be evaluated, as the President has pointed out, against the possible toll of a swine flu epidemic. Since health officials in other countries have shown no such concern as U.S. authorities, the President's effort is still very much a shot in the dark.

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