According to the Federal Centers for disease control. All told, Health officials estimate, infections for which vaccines already exist kill 70000 Americans a year and s t r i k e hundreds of thousands more — costing tens of billions of dollars in medical care and lost work. It is curious that while Americans are more fussy about their health than ever before, they're neglecting the most powerful preventive measure in medicine. Shots have saved countless lives since childhood vaccines became widely used.

Atlas carpets are found wherever beautiful interiors and excellent quality come together. Our specialty is carpet for the contract market; architects and interior designers specify Atlas by name whenever style and quality are foremost considerations. Hit by a number of liability lawsuits, the pharmaceutical industry is acting defensively. Lederle Laboratories of Wayne, N. J., announced that it is boosting the price pe r shot of its vaccine to $11.40 (it was only 45 cents in 1982), holding back 8_of that amount for what company calls its 'liability reserve'.

There were 200000 U.S. Cases of diphtheria reported in 1921 — none in 1986. Paralytic polio struck around 57000 in 1952 — only two last year. But even in light of such well-knownmedical triumphs, researchers say, no more than one in five adults whose life would be jeopardized by a vaccine-preventableinfection gets immunized against it. 'Historically, we've thought of immunization as something for children', says Dr.

Alan Hinman, director of the CDC's division of immunization. 'But it's an adult thing to do'.

Are you unprotected? Whether you should prime your diseasefighting antibodies depends on your age and medical history and the probability of direct infection. For final advice, consult your doctor. So that you can take stock of your bodily defenses, here is a survey of the most threatening diseases for which va ccines are available. Influenza: In a typical year, influenza kills 10000 to 40000 Americans.

In the 1984/85 epidemic, a CDC official estimates, the toll was at least 50000. Influenza costs the nation $3 billion to $5 billion annually in productivity losses and health care, says Dr. Fedson of the University of Virginia, head of the immunization task force of the American College of Physicians. In an epidemic year, he says, the expense is about S12 billion. The CDC now recommends the vaccine for persons over 65, for sufferers of chronic lung and heart disease and for adults living with such high-riskpersons, ft is also advised for any adult who wants to lower the odds of getting the flu. The vaccine, which prevents infection in 60 to 70 per cent of recipients and lessens its severity in many others, is reformulated annually and should be taken every fall. Doctors and patients shun flu shots today partly because of fears stemming from the swine-flucontroversy of 1976, in which some 500 of the 45 million people given the vaccine mysteriously developed a neurological disease. Dma softlab crack software.