Page 118 - Bioterrorism

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Attending the meeting in Athens were key players in the bioweapons programme, including the
CEO of Novartis, Daniel Vassella, and Werner Faymann, whose government has given cover to
Baxter’s subsidiary in Austria in triggering a pandemic.

XXVIII. Evidence as to the profits of pharmaceutical companies in the event of a pandemic

According to the Times, the UK government alone has signed a deal with Baxter and
GlaxoSmithKline for 90 million doses of the vaccine.

The Austrian government has a contract for 16 million doses with Baxter.

„Baxter & GlaxoSmithKline making millions from fear of swine flu epidemic
« on: May 15, 2009, 08:40:41 AM »
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Swine flu: Government signs up for 90 million doses of vaccine
May 15, 2009
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article6293951.ece

Ministers have signed agreements to secure up to 90 million doses of swine flu vaccine despite the
fact that a pandemic has not yet been declared, it was announced today.

The deals with pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Baxter will secure “early
supplies” of a vaccine for the newly identified H1N1 strain.

Enough “pre-pandemic” vaccine has been ordered to protect at least half of the population by
December, at an estimated cost of £100 million. This is in addition to the purchase of 500 million
doses of anti-viral drugs that have already been stockpiled to help treat illness and deals to procure
vaccine in the event of a pandemic.

So far 78 cases of the newly identified H1N1 strain have been confirmed in Britain, with all those
infected showing only minor symptoms. However, experts predict that swine flu — which is
actually a recombination of existing animal and human flu strains — could cause a second wave
of more widespread illness in winter.

The Department of Health said that today’s agreement could provide enough vaccine to protect
health workers and the most vulnerable patients before a pandemic arrived, without affecting the
normal supply of seasonal flu vaccine.

The Government has already signed agreements worth £155 million to supply up to 132 million
doses of vaccine to inoculate people in the event of a pandemic. It has also procured enough anti-
viral drugs to cover 80 per cent of the population, at a cost of more than £500 million.

But it refused to disclose the additional cost of the new contracts signed today.

The World Health Organisation’s official alert level remains at phase five out of six — one step
away from declaring a global pandemic. But France, Belgium and Finland are among other
countries that are stockpiling doses of potential vaccine as a precautionary measure for such an
event. „

Re: Baxter & GlaxoSmithKline making millions from fear of swine flu epidemic
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2009, 08:51:36 AM »