Flu Vaccine Pusher Greg Poland says “Anything Goes”
One person has been instrumental in creating flu vaccine mandates in the US, and he continues to push them overseas as well: Mayo’s Greg Poland, MD.
From the Mayo Clinic website comes this 2010 accolade to Poland:
Dr. Poland is a special government employee with appointments with the U.S. Department of Defense and the CDC. He has sat on every federal committee that deals with vaccines. Representing the American College of Physicians, he and fellow committee members advise the Department of Health and Human Services on vaccines and who should receive them. In his government work, he is particularly proud of one accomplishment.
“I had introduced a resolution to this committee three times to recommend universal influenza immunization, and this past meeting in February they finally approved it,” he says proudly. “Now every American will be recommended to receive the influenza vaccine this year.”
Am J Public Health. 2011 Feb;101(2):212-6. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2009.190751.
Vaccinating health care workers against influenza: the ethical and legal rationale for a mandate.
Ottenberg AL, Wu JT, Poland GA, Jacobson RM, Koenig BA, Tilburt JC.Bioethics Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. ottenberg.abigale@mayo.edu
Abstract
Despite improvements in clinician education, symptom awareness, and respiratory precautions, influenza vaccination rates for health care workers have remained unacceptably low for more than three decades, adversely affecting patient safety. When public health is jeopardized, and a safe, low-cost, and effective method to achieve patient safety exists, health care organizations and public health authorities have a responsibility to take action and change the status quo. Mandatory influenza vaccination for health care workers is supported not only by scientific data but also by ethical principles and legal precedent. The recent influenza pandemic provides an opportunity for policymakers to reconsider the benefits of mandating influenza vaccination for health care workers, including building public trust, enhancing patient safety, and strengthening the health care workforce.
Acknowledgments
Abigale L. Ottenberg, Joel T. Wu, Barbara A. Koenig, and Jon C. Tilburt have no disclosures. Gregory A. Poland has offered consultative advice on novel influenza vaccine development to Merck & Co., Inc., Avianax, Theraclone Sciences (formally Spaltudaq Corporation), MedImmune LLC, Liquidia Technologies, Inc., Novavax, Sanofi Pasteur, and PAXVAX, Inc. Robert M. Jacobson serves as the Principal Investigator on a Pfizer-funded study ex- amining PCV 13 in adults, which involves, in part, adult receipt of the influenza vaccine.