United State
of America

PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES

es

 

 

OF RHOLE ISLAKD
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

7

Tucsdau, Way 3, 1035

iv, FOGARTY. Mr. Speaker, I ask
unanimous consent to speak out of order.
The SPEAKER. Is there objection to
the request of the gentleman from Rhode
Island? |

There was no objection.

Mr. FOGARTY. Mr. Speaker, I have
asked for permission to speak out of
order only because I am deeply con-
cerned with a situation which I feel
sincerely is rapidly approaching what we
must refer to as critical. Iam disturbed
because many of my colleagues have
sought me out to inquire about the plans
of the Department of Health, Education,
and Welfare relative to the distribu-
tion—and the most effective use of the
Salk yescine

# these brief and neces-
sails i ae mark cs Tet me remind my
colloagucs thas Thave always been in the
forefront in expressing my oppo 1 to
measures which weuld bring about the

econtrol by the Federal Government of
those agencies and institutions which
minister to the health of our pcopi:e.
Tho Fedora Government, however, does

 

 

    

  
 
 

oe responsibility in rotation | to the

heath o all our citizens and as long as
this responsibility is kent in the proper
poy. spsctiv ve I think it is mandatory that
we in Congress acknowledge it and take
the neces ary sieps toward discharging

 

 

that responsibility.
Althougn the EcoUurge 0

145 besn mounting s Bt

lation through they y

of polomyeiitis
a ns in cur posu-
sk

     
 

 

seer g
answer to cur prayers for the wine
withal te cope with it.

For over 150 years the disease
as polio has been Known to medic
ence Yet, no coherent theory of the
disease had been established. Scientists
were not sure whore the disease came
from or how it ens red ue bady, nonce.
there could be no s i i > an
effective means of inn oon-
trol.

It was not until i 1966 that scienso

an unraveling tha miyste

344640-—54531

  

we know

    

2 really

beg There

le Vaccine Probler

 
 
 
 

dostors and
who nave contrib-
2 discoveries which in
ur time brought about the vaccine
whieh offers us so much hope for our
children and the children of tomorrow.
In recent weeks news stories and articles
in all sorts of pericdicals have recounted
the various steps which led to this most
important discovery of the Salk vaccine.

I would like to take this brief moment
of your time to pay my personal tribute
and acknowledge my everlasting grati-
tude to Dr. John Enders, of Harvard Uni-
versity, whose cultivation of the polio-
mayelitis virus in tissue cultures gave me
the first thrilling feeling that a preven-
tive vaccine could be produced.

As you well know, many people have
contributed much—in dimes and in dol-
lars—in an effort to find the cause and
a prevention of polio. The money our
people gave made many things possibile.
Scientists and physicians could be spe-~-
cially trained for polio research. Addi-
tional scientists were recruited to lend
their talents to the never-cnding search.

  
      

  

Laboratories were established and
equipped at great cost to aid in the
wer ‘hich was naturally highly spe-

 
 

    

cialized. All this and the glorious results
which have been achieved were the re-
sult cf the contributions of many peo-
ple—'n money, in time, in effort, in
ecientific knowledge and skill—and in
prayer.

re. are on the verge ofa great deve
6 in our, a ist if
our ¢

 

   
   
 
 
      

   

 

for the é
vaceine,

My hem x Ae
cont med an editorial cn the su
which is worthy of the consideration of
all of us. I sincerely request that you
read i it the cicse cf my remarks I
shail ask for permis:ion to insert this

editcrial in the Recorp for the atten-
ticn of my colleagues.

‘There are two major problems in-
volved in assuring that every child—
every person who is susceptible to polio—

 

gets the benefit of this great vaccine
discovery.

The first is the problem of supply.
How much vaccine is available now and
how much will be ready for use by the
peak of the polio season? How soon,
within the limits of productive capacity,
can shortages be overcome?

The second is the problem of distribu-
tion. How can we make sure that avail-
able supplies are being properly used?
How can we plan for a patient, an or-
derly, and an equitable distribution pat-
tern, so that the vaccine goes first to the
most susceptible groups in the popula-
tion? How can we maintain public con-
fidence, minimize black or gray market
operations, and prevent profiteering or
injudicious use of the vaccine? In short,
how can be assure the American people
of a calm, rational, and fair disuribution
of this great boon to health?

This, I submit, is our great responsi-
bility to the American people. It is our
best way of keeping faith with them and
with Dr. Salk and all the scientists who
worked so hard and so long to make this
medical miracle possible.

&£s to the auesticn of supply, it has

é estimated, on the basis of data
submitted to the Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare by the pharma-
ceutical firms licensed to manufacture
the vaccine, that there was enough vac~-
cin availabie on May 1 to immunize al-
most 6 million people. All but about 10
ohn of this supply is committed to
tional Foundation for Infantile
This will be used, under the
gram, for va ccinating 9
and second
S a tine ‘close of the school year.
rT phace cf the program, according to
project plans, should be completed by
duly 16.

By August 1, according to the Surgeon
oe of the Public Health Service,
the rc ould be enough vaccine to im-
mu nize al jl children between the ages of
lj and 9, the most susceptible age groups.

The critical period, therefore, is the
next 3 months, the time between now
and August 1, when polio traditionally
begins to hit its seasonal peak. This is
the period when the vaccine will be in
extremely short supply and yet when
the demand will be greatest.

In considering the question of alloca-
tion and distribution of the polio vac-

 
  

 

 
  
  

oe

fa
2

cine while it is in short supply, the cen-
tral problem is the equitable distribu-
tion of available supplies so that each
State receives its fair share of vaccine
regardless of ability of the consumer to
pay. Within the States, vaccine must
be made available for purchase by tax-
supported agencies for use in school and
health devartments and for private prac-
titioners for use with their patients.
Other problems which must be consid-
ered are allocations for export, and al-
locations for the dependents of the
Armed Forces and of Federal employees
stationed abroad.

Finally, there is the problem of mak-
ing the vaccine available to those per-
sons who are unable to purchase it and
pay for the services of a private physi-
cian. Five States have already appro-
priated funds for purchase of the vac-
cine and 13 other State legislature are
considering appropriations for this pur-
pose. In addition to this State aid,
many national groups have voiced their
opinion of the necessity for some form
of financial assistance from the Federal
Government for low-income families.

These, therefore, in their briefest out-
line—summarize the problems of supply
and distribution of the Salk polio vac-
cine.

All the discussions I have had—all
the information I can obtain on the
problems of supply and distribution—
lead me to the conclusion that the Fed-
eral Government would not have to exer-
cise the authority I propose in the joint
resolution I have introduced today for
longer than a period of a few months.
I feel certain that by the time next
winter rolls around the vaccine supply
will be closely approaching the demand
and we can expect the voluntary controls
to take over. Until that time, however,
we as guardians of the Nation’s welfare
have. a direct obligation to intitiate
immediately a temporary national pro-
grdm insuring equitable allocation and
distribution of this previous Salk vac-
cine.

To that end I have introduced the
resolution which, I understand, will be
referred to the House Committee on
Banking and Currency. I have talked
with the chairman of that committee,
my dear friend, the Honorable Brent
Spence, of Kentucky, and have been as-
sured by him that the bill would be
scheduled for hearing at the earliest pos-
sible moment. I plead with you for your
sympathetic consideration of this most
important problem and I am including
in these remarks a copy of the bill for
your review and attention:

844640—54531

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD

Joint resolution directing the Secretary of
Health, Education, and Welfare to exer-
cise, for a limited period of time, certain
emergency controls with respect to the
distribution and use of the Salk vaccine

Resolved, etc., That the Congress finds that
the Salk vaccine for the prevention of polio-
myelitis affords, at this time, the only effec-
tive means for preventing that disease, that
the demand for the Salk vaccine far exceeds
the supply, and that this temporary short-
age in the supply of the vaccine has given
rise to an emergency health problem which,
being national in its scope and nature, re-
quires the exercise for a limited time, as
provided in this resolution, of certain emer-
gency controls with respect to the distribu-
tion and use of such vaccine.

Src. 2, (a) The Secretary of Health, Edu-
cation, and Welfare (hereinafter referred
to as the “Secretary”)—

(1) shall establish such priorities as he
determines necessary to insure that the
available supply of the Salk vaccine shall
be distributed first to the most susceptible
age-group (based on existing medical
knowledge) and thereafter to other age-
groups in descending order of their suscepti-
bility to such disease, and such priorities,
to the extent deemed appropriate by the
Secretary, may be established on a regional
basis; and

(2) shall establish a price per unit for
the Salk vaccine (exclusive of the cost of
administering such vaccine) which is fair
and equitable to the sellers of such vaccine.

(b) The Secretary, on the basis of priori-
ties established under subsection (a), shall
allocate to each State its share of the avail-
able supply of the Salk vaccine.

(c) The health department of each State
shall establish a program, approved by the
Secretary, governing the distribution, sale,
and use, in accordance with this resolution
and the requirements established under au-
thority thereof, of the Salk vaccine allocated
to such State.

Src. 3. (a) No Salk vaccine shall be solid
at a price other than the price established
in accordance with section 2 (a) (2).

(b) No Salk vaccine shall be sold in a
manner, or upon terms or conditions, in con-
flict with the applicable program established
by the health department of a State pursuant
to section 2 (c).

Src. 4. The supply of Salk vaccine which
has been purchased or contracted to be pur-
chased by the National Foundation for In-
fantile Paralysis shall not be subject to the
provisions of this resolution so long as such
supply of vaccine is owned and distributed
by such National Foundation.

Sec. 5. The Secretary shall issue such regu-
lations and orders as he deems necessary to
carry out the provisions of this act (includ-
ing regulations and orders with respect to
the sale and distribution of the Salk vaccine
in any State prior to the establishment and
approval of a program in such State pursuant
to section 2 (c)).

Src. 6. Whoever willfully does any act
prohibited,. or willfully fails to perform
any act required, by the provisions of this
resolution or of any regulation or order is-
sued under this resolution shall, upon con-

viction, be fined not more than $5,000 or
imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or
both.

Sec. 7. As used in this resolution—

(1) the term “health department” means
the department, agency, or authority of a
State having jurisdiction over public health
matters; and

(2) the term “State” includes, in addition
to each of the several States of the United
States, the District of Columbia, and any
Territory or possession of the United States.

Src. 8. This resolution shall cease to.be in
effect at the close of May 31, 1956, except
that if, prior to that time, the Secretary
finds, and makes a public announcement,
that the emergency which necessitated the
enactment of this resolution no longer exists,
then this resolution shall cease to be in effect
at the close of the day upon which such pub-
lic announcement is made.

 

PLANNING THE ANTIPOLIO INCCULATION PRo-
GRAM For RHopE IsLAND

Rhode Island’s doctors, through their med.
ical society spokesmen, have proposed a sen-
sible formula for local handling of the polio
inoculation program,

The recent Washington conference on na-
tional aspects of the problem provided for
machinery to insure a fair distribution of
existing vaccine supplies around the coun-
try generally. But the individual States were
left to take it from there on the basis of
plans laid by local health authorities and
doctors. And the Rhode Island Medical So-
ciety wasted little time in doing its share
toward such planning here.

The doctors recommend that first priority
for inoculations be granted to children from
1 to 6, and that those from 7 to 11 be next in
line. This would provide protection first
where it is most needed as indicated by medi-
cal experience in our region. The medical
society offers the services of its members
without charge to administer the vaccine to
children of families on the welfare roles and
to the children of others who are unable to
pay doctors’ fees. And it recommends that
the State government purchase the vaccine
this year for families unable to afford it for
their children.

How the priorities would be enforced, and
how distribution of vaccine would be con-
trolled locally remain to be determined, pre-
sumably by the State health authorities in
cooperation with representatives of the doc-
tors. And it will fall fully to the State to
find the money to pay for the vaccine pur-
chased for welfare families and those others
who are unable to pay for it themselves,
This may prove a fairly costly item in the
end, particularly since the proposed need
formula is loosely phrased.

But there can be no argument with the
medical society’s recommendation that “no
child in the eligible priority age groups in
Rhode Island shall be denied the polio vac-
cine * * * because of the inability of the
parents to pay for either the vaccine or the
services of a physician.” That is the only
right and moral objective to pursue, and the
State’s doctors have made a useful contribu-
tion and an unselfish pledge toward its
achievement,

U.S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1955