Bush will skip flu shots, Kerry sites health care flaws

5.00pm

TEMPE, Arizona - US President George W. Bush urged healthy Americans to forego flu shots, in short supply this year, and said he was not going to get one.

Possible contamination at a British factory means the loss of about half the US vaccine supply for this flu season.

"We took the right action and didn't allow contaminated medicine into our country," Bush said during his third and final debate against Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry.

Bush added that US officials are working with Canada to try to close the gap. Ironically, in last week's debate, Bush opposed importing drugs from Canada because of safety fears.

"My call to our fellow Americans is if you're healthy, if you're younger, don't get a flu shot this year," Bush said.

"I haven't gotten a flu shot, and I don't intend to because I want to make sure those who are most vulnerable get treated," the president said.

The US Centers for Disease Control has asked that only high-risk people, such as those over 65, young children, pregnant women, the chronically ill and health care workers, get shots this year. Influenza kills 36,000 Americans in an average year.

Bush blamed the vaccine shortage in part on lawsuits, a common theme as he talks about health policy. "Vaccine manufacturers are worried about getting sued, and therefore they have backed off from providing this kind of vaccine," he said.

Kerry said the flu vaccine shortage "underscores the problem with the American health-care system. It's not working for the American family. And it's gotten worse under President Bush over the course of the last years."

Five million Americans have lost health insurance since Bush took office, bringing the number of uninsured to about 45 million.

"This president has turned his back on the wellness of America," Kerry said, vowing to make health care "affordable and accessible" for all Americans. Kerry would expand federal health coverage for low-income children and protect employers who cover their workers from the highest-cost patients.

Bush cited a respected consulting group's estimate that Kerry's plan would cost US$1.2 trillion, and he said Kerry was not being straight about the price tag. "It's an empty promise," Bush said of the Massachusetts senator's pledge to give Americans the same health care as lawmakers in Washington enjoy. "It's called bait and switch."

Bush pointed out that under his administration, Congress finally passed legislation to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare, the federal health plan for the elderly. The benefit will go into effect in 2006. .

Most Democrats opposed that law, saying the benefits were scant and the tilt to private health plans could damage Medicare in the future.

- REUTERS