Poll Shows Americans Blame Drug Companies for H1N1 Vaccine Shortage

The USA Today and Gallup jointly conducted a poll to discover who American citizens believed was to blame for the swine flu vaccine shortage. They compiled information over the phone from approximately 1,500 adults who were of at least 18 years of age. It was discovered that the Americans who were polled placed most of the blame on drug companies and the federal government.

While both drug companies and the federal government received a substantial amount of blame, drug companies proved to be the main target of Americans' frustration. A staggering 62 percent of the approximately 1,500 individuals who were polled believed that drug companies deserved to accept a substantial portion or a moderate amount of the blame for the current H1N1 vaccine shortage.

Although Americans predominantly placed the blame on drug companies, they also believed that the federal government has played a significant factor in the vaccine shortage. 58 percent of those who were polled by The USA Today and Gallup expressed their belief that the federal government played a substantial or moderate role in the swine flu vaccine shortage.Representative for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention Kristine Sheedy said in response to the poll, "We know we need to do some things better, like improving vaccine production technology so that we can get more vaccine out."