Wall Street Banks Getting Swine Flu Vaccine Before Many High-Risk Groups (VIDEO)

[NOTE: BusinessWeek originally broke the news of Wall Street banks and other large employers receiving early batches of the H1N1 vaccine. Read their entire story here.]

While thousands of at-risk Americans wait, some big Wall Street banks have already secured the hard-to-find H1N1 vaccine for their employees.

Building on a story that BusinessWeek broke, NBC reports that employees at the New York Stock Exchange, bankers at Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and employees at the Federal Reserve have all received swine flu vaccine doses to administer to their employees.

In particular, NBC reports that Goldman Sachs has received 200 doses of the vaccine -- the same amount as Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Wall Street banks, like many other companies, put in requests for the vaccine but seem to have had something of a leg up on securing doses.

Dr. Nancy Schnyderman, NBC's chief medical editor, chimed in on this seeming disparity:

"I think they probably played by the rules, there are corporations all over the country who put in there dibs...But, what a sore eye for Wall Street. Wouldn't have been lovely if they had said, look we put it in our dibs, we played by the rules, but we're going to donate our 200 doses."

Some corporations seem to be getting the doses before doctors and hospitals. Here's more from Schnyderman:

"If we know that the distribution is the weak part of this entire thing, why not put doctor's offices and hospitals at the top of the line, and say to corporate America, no matter who you are, you're you're going to have to go through clinics and hospitals like everyone else."

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Comments

[felica devers]

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY
As someone who has done quite a bit of research on the billion dollar pharmaceutical industry, I can assure you drug companies DO NOT want to cure you of any ailment. There is no money/profit in a patient no longer needing their medication.

Drug companies spend more money on creating newer variations of their current top-selling drugs, than they do researching completely new drugs for different illnesses. Why you ask, I’ll tell you, so when their money generating drug patent on top selling HEART DRUG X runs out, they can still hold onto that market share ( and those patients) by obtaining a new patent for HEART DRUG X ER (Extended Release). Patients don’t have to switch to a new companies version of the drug i.e the patient’s drug dollars remain in the original drug companies coffers. They do not care about making you well, they just want to keep you alive and paying for their pills.

Doctors do not want to cure you either. It’s about their bottom line as well. If doctors keep prescribing drugs to you, you have to keep returning for office visits (which aren't FREE) to receive new prescription refills or to try NEWER medications to replace the previous drugs that had too many side effects. More money into the drug companies pockets and more money into the doctors pockets.

DRUG COMPANIES DO NOT WANT TO CURE YOU!

[Mark701]

I've often said the same thing. There is no money in coming up with cures. I often wonder if one of these companies inadvertently came up with a cure for cancer if we'd hear about it.

[samaire]

Thats cool, they are "swine" ya know.

[malcolmnext]

There is no end to the corruption...I'm not even shocked anymore. Ok ....we get it...the rich and powerful are doing us with no vaseline. Seriously, why even get mad anymore....every story shows how corrupt our politicians are. It shows how men use legalese and trickery to manipulate facts and rules.....­.whatever.­.....

[Phil Waste]

Is it true that FOX NOISE got two hundred H1N1 flu shots?

[karela]

If my baby died without the vaccine because it went to a fat cat banker with connections, I believe I might go a little crazy.

[kkrimmer]

Who at CDC did Goldman pay off?

[totaldisbelief]

the CDC didn't do this, the responsible agency was a part of the New York state system.

[Mark701]

you mean with all the thousands of businesses in NYC Goldman Sachs just happened to get their first? Obviously someone in the NYC Dept of Health received a hefty bribe.

[PuffDragon]

BankCorp executives never even turn their own doorknobs - yet they get preferential treatment over high-risk groups like pregnant women and children.

This has to be a violation of US health emergency protocols.

It is a NATIONAL DISGRACE, coincidentally the same week as "an historic health care bill" is voted on. Yet, it reveals an unspoken truth about the American Way that has been true for over 100 years:

Those who control the money, control the government.

[karela]

How does the fact that we're in an official national medical emergency impact this?

[Babele]

According to scientists, the swine flu will mutate this winter anyway, rendering the vaccine useless.

In addition, WHO is not differentiating the stats on normal seasonal flu and swine flu. Doctors are being told to assume it is swine since it is the "dominant flu" right now. It is expensive and time consuming to grow viral cultures on every patient with the flu. So, the data is useless as well.

[LannyNorth]

The Bottom Line is we live in The UNITED OLIGARCHY, no longer the USA. This is the state of
our democracy as the Republicans and Conservatives have raised the Monied and Corrupt to the
level of Overlords via the endless chant for the Free Market Free for all. Teddy Roosevelt bravely
took on this same Viscious Empty Philosophy of Greed at the end of the 19th Century when our
Grandfathers were being poisoned by the food they ate, ripped off by every form of Corporate
shell and pea game, and left only the option to die. Franklin Roosevelt (as my adoring Grandfather) would
preach was one of the few who gave a tinker's damn for the common citizen. We have again arrived back to the days of Teddy and
universal hardship for all but the top 1%. They again have the audacity to declare they "do God's
work" and deserve bonuses for their failures and thievery. Now they are all in a sweat to protect
their divine selves with doses of Swine Flu Vaccine before Women (Conservatively proper behavior I might note), even Pregnant Women.
Look back to Corporate America in the Robber Baron age and you will find exactly the same practices gleefully played out by those who then had the same conviction that they had been divinely Chosen
to be Naturally Selected to Survive and Intitled to any aid the Government might offer to assure that they would.
Back to the Future folks.

[factotem]

Only fitting. Swine flu vaccines for swine.

[loki]

Not surprising. I saw on tv the other night that even though everyone is charging at least $40 for the H1n1 shot around here, go an hour to St. Louis area they are giving them out free. But only in the much better and more wealthy neighborhoods, and only to limited approved people. So I am sure that means if your license doesnt reflect the proper address, your not getting the shot. The people who cant easily afford $40 times the whole family for shots, have to pay or face death. Never understood why the rich get things free or super cheap, and the everyone else pays out the nose. Just like health care, most of the richest people most likely dont pay for their own insurance. The corporations do. The rest of us can just die as far as they care. Ivy greed rules America. Talk about a Caste system.

[txfriend]

There is no fee for the H1N1 vaccine. What is being charges is probably a service or adminstrative fee.

[msjimmied]

Morgan Stanley did the right thing when they found out that pregnant women and young children were still waiting for the vaccine. They donated the 200 doses they applied for to local hospitals. Lets give them guys credit. The other guys should have followed suit....pigmen don't need a vaccine against swine flu, their immunity is granted with their DNA.

[loki]

I wouldnt be surprised if it was doses that were not refrigerated properly and are questionable.
Thats the only reason I could see them giving anything away.

[Sardonica]

Says Wall Street about Main Street: "Let them eat Nyquil"

[JoeBridgeman]

where are the teabaggers when we need them? shouldn't they be protesting these wall street execs?

[PuffDragon]

Exactly!!! I'm sure Fox Noise will ignore or spin this to suit their pro-corporate agenda.

[falco]

What, and we're supposed to be jealous?