315 



Representative Vanik. As a matter of law, shouldn't the Federal Govern- 

 ment have a greater control of a mass inoculation program than was afforded in 

 this instance? 



Dr. ScHEELE. I personally don't believe so. 



Representative Vanik. You think then it is safe and wise, as a matter of gov- 

 ernmental policy, to permit a private organization, or someone outside of the 

 Government, to decide whether or not millions of our youngsters should be 

 inoculated, regardless of what the vaccine is? 



Dr. ScHEELE. * * * The final responsibility rests on the individual doctor who 

 gives the * * * injection. 



Representative Vanik. * * * in your opinion shouldn't legislation be enacted 

 to provide some real effective control of vaccines designed for a mass inoculation, 

 something special over [and] beyond all other biologicals? This is something dif- 

 ferent. * * * Where something is being given to a tremendous segment of our 

 population, an entire generation, it seems to me that we owe a higher degree 

 of care, a higher degree of control, than we do in the ordinary private case * * *. 



Dr. ScHEELE. * * * J think that our present biologicals control act is pretty 

 adequate.^^ 



Responding to a question by Representative Patman about equity 

 in manufacturers' prices, Dr. Sclieele replied tliat the Department con- 

 sidered the quoted j^rices to be consistent with prices for comparable 

 pharmaceutical ]^roducts. He assured the committee that there was 

 no danger of a black market in pricing, that private physicians could 

 more efficiently inoculate children than could physicians in the PHS 

 system, that he had assurances from the American Medical Association 

 that physicians would cooperate in charging only a small fee for in- 

 oculation or nothing at all, and that manufacturers had agreed that 

 the NFIP would receive the bulk of vaccine to be produced so that 

 they could complete their program of vaccinating all first and second 

 graders.^* 



Replying to additional questions about insuring equitable and geo- 

 graphic distribution in the face of the threat of a 1-6 imbalance in 

 supply and demand, Dr. Scheele assured the committee that the report 

 being completed by the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare 

 would address these questions : 



* * * Our Secretary is currently assembling material for a report to the 

 President, to be made within a relatively few days, which will contain the 

 whole background of this problem and her recommendations to the President 

 on these very things. This is not an easy matter to arrive at a quick conclusion 

 on. as you can, I think, see after the hearing this morning, because of the 

 varied factors that are currently operating, because of the complicated vaccine 

 itself and the difficulties in its production.^^ 



He suggested that the States be given an opportunity to advise the 

 committee on distribution plans : 



The States will indicate * * * to the committee * * * made up of outside people, 

 how they would like to see distribution as between tax-supported use and com- 

 mercial distribution * * * and this then, will give equity of supply flow to the 

 State, and it will give equity as the State and the people in the State see 

 fit to choose between the two uses.^" 



The Secretary's report, outlining a distribution program, was pre- 

 sented to the President on May 16. That same day Mrs. Hobby and 

 other officials of the Department appeared before the Senate Com- 

 rnittee on Labor and Public "Welfare and reported on the recommenda- 

 tions made to the President on distribution. In ofl'ering 11 specific 



13 Ibid., pp. S7, 89. 

 "Ibid., pp. 12, 15, 20, 37. 

 15 Ibid., p. 35. 

 ^ Ibid., pp. 78-9. 



