Public Health Decisions Impacting 1976 Swine Flu Vaccine Development
Date
April 2021
Location
Online
Description
This project examines the public health policy and population decisions related to the 1976 Swine Flu vaccination and its association with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Due to a flu-related death in February of 1976, the U.S. government rushed to manufacture a vaccine for the Swine Flu, which was predicted to emerge within the United States within mid-1976. In a few months, the Swine Flu vaccine was created and was distributed to 45 million people; however, the swine flu never became prevalent within the United States. Due to this unessential vaccination, around 450 individuals contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, causing paralysis. This affected the U.S. public and the U.S. government, making citizens hesitant to receive a vaccine and resulted in the U.S. government placing more regulations on vaccine distribution and programs. These regulations have greatly impacted public health policy in the United States, making vaccinations less dangerous by eliminating any negative health effects, but extending the availability timeline due to required prolonged testing. This analysis uses game theory to model the choices of stakeholders regarding the development and distribution of the 1976 Swine Flu vaccination.
Presentation Type
Presentation
Public Health Decisions Impacting 1976 Swine Flu Vaccine Development
Online
This project examines the public health policy and population decisions related to the 1976 Swine Flu vaccination and its association with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Due to a flu-related death in February of 1976, the U.S. government rushed to manufacture a vaccine for the Swine Flu, which was predicted to emerge within the United States within mid-1976. In a few months, the Swine Flu vaccine was created and was distributed to 45 million people; however, the swine flu never became prevalent within the United States. Due to this unessential vaccination, around 450 individuals contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, causing paralysis. This affected the U.S. public and the U.S. government, making citizens hesitant to receive a vaccine and resulted in the U.S. government placing more regulations on vaccine distribution and programs. These regulations have greatly impacted public health policy in the United States, making vaccinations less dangerous by eliminating any negative health effects, but extending the availability timeline due to required prolonged testing. This analysis uses game theory to model the choices of stakeholders regarding the development and distribution of the 1976 Swine Flu vaccination.