Banks' H1N1 Flu Vaccines Stir Outrage

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Citizens for Responsibility & Ethics in Washington, a D.C.-based watchdog, is asking Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to investigate why the CDC approved the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine to Wall Street firms. "In what world do Wall Street employees deserve to be vaccinated ahead of high-risk children, pregnant women, and health-care workers?" said executive director Melanie Sloan in a statement on Nov. 5. "Unfortunately, for the thousands being turned away in clinics across America, the CDC has decided to prioritize the millionaires over the masses."

Representative Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) also criticized the Obama Administration's distribution approach."While many Missourians are still at risk, Wall Street bankers are at the head of the line for H1N1 vaccine," said Blunt, who's hoping to grab a Missouri Senate seat in next year's midterm elections.Reuters reported that Representative Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) also expressed concern upon hearing the news.

CDC Will Reemphasize Priority List

In a press conference Thursday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the story has "led our director of the CDC to call state and local officials and remind them that there's a priority list for who should receive H1N1 vaccine, and will be sending a letter to states and localities again to remind them of what that is."

Wall Street firms are not the only city institutions receiving the vaccines. Large employers that have received or are scheduled to receive vaccine so far include Time Warner (TWX), Memorial Sloan-Kettering, New York Presbyterian Healthcare System, and New York University, according to Jessica Scaperotti, press secretary for the New York City Health & Mental Hygiene Dept.

In order to register to receive the vaccine, says Claire Pospisil, spokesperson for the New York State Health Dept., "you have to indicate how many high-priority individuals you plan to serve." Allocation amounts are then determined in proportion to population, and are intended to ensure access for populations most in need.

Citi indicated its intent to do just that in a memo sent to employees last week. "Persons who are not included in one of the priority groups above are being asked to defer vaccination at this time," said the memo. "Vaccine production capabilities are rapidly expanding, and when state and local health officials determine there is a sufficient quantity, this recommendation may change."

Providers are also required to sign a federal waiver agreeing that they'll administer it to only high-risk populations. "The immunization provider agrees to…administer the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) monovalent vaccine according to the recommendations of CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as adopted by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention," in addition to other requirements, reads the Vaccine Provider Agreement. All providers must sign such an agreement in order to receive the vaccine, says Pospisil.

Deprez is a reporter for BusinessWeek.