Comments on: H1N1 Flu Vaccine Shortage: All Flu Vaccines In Short Supply! Grrr. http://thesmarterwallet.com/2009/h1n1-flu-vaccine-shortage-flu-vaccines/ Money Tips, Consumer News and Product Reviews To Improve Your Finances Sat, 13 Mar 2010 21:32:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Mogden http://thesmarterwallet.com/2009/h1n1-flu-vaccine-shortage-flu-vaccines/comment-page-1/#comment-11339 Mogden Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:10:43 +0000 http://thesmarterwallet.com/?p=9288#comment-11339 Until we learn that prices are our friends, by transmitting information about scarcity and value, we will continue to suffer. Central planning, as we see here with vaccine distribution, does not work efficiently. Until we learn that prices are our friends, by transmitting information about scarcity and value, we will continue to suffer. Central planning, as we see here with vaccine distribution, does not work efficiently.

]]> By: The Smarter Wallet http://thesmarterwallet.com/2009/h1n1-flu-vaccine-shortage-flu-vaccines/comment-page-1/#comment-11334 The Smarter Wallet Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:13:23 +0000 http://thesmarterwallet.com/?p=9288#comment-11334 When it comes to health care, you're not going to get anyone to fiddle with costs and prices in the way that makes rational and logical sense. As it is, there's the ongoing health care debate that whips everyone up in a frenzy. I think it makes sense to raise the price of anything to control supply and demand, but it sure won't work in a society that will view such price manipulations in the areas of health and life care, as discriminatory. When it comes to health care, you’re not going to get anyone to fiddle with costs and prices in the way that makes rational and logical sense. As it is, there’s the ongoing health care debate that whips everyone up in a frenzy. I think it makes sense to raise the price of anything to control supply and demand, but it sure won’t work in a society that will view such price manipulations in the areas of health and life care, as discriminatory.

]]> By: Mogden http://thesmarterwallet.com/2009/h1n1-flu-vaccine-shortage-flu-vaccines/comment-page-1/#comment-11322 Mogden Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:12:20 +0000 http://thesmarterwallet.com/?p=9288#comment-11322 The problem is that we aren't letting supply and demand balance. While the vaccine is in limited supply, the price should go up. That way, only people that are the most in need, or most fearful, will be willing to pay the price. By artificially setting the price low, we are causing a significant amount of waste. Firstly, people are having to go through hassles to get the vaccine (calling frequently, standing in line, etc.). Secondly, the people who luck into getting the vaccine are not the people who need it the most. What should happen is that when the vaccine first comes out, the price should be very high. Once supplies loosen, the price should come down. Just like a regular good. The problem is that we aren’t letting supply and demand balance. While the vaccine is in limited supply, the price should go up. That way, only people that are the most in need, or most fearful, will be willing to pay the price.

By artificially setting the price low, we are causing a significant amount of waste. Firstly, people are having to go through hassles to get the vaccine (calling frequently, standing in line, etc.). Secondly, the people who luck into getting the vaccine are not the people who need it the most.

What should happen is that when the vaccine first comes out, the price should be very high. Once supplies loosen, the price should come down. Just like a regular good.

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