Price Gouging on Flu Vaccine and Gas

Re “Prices Inflated for Scarce Flu Vaccine,” Oct. 14: The Food and Drug Administration should slap a reasonable price cap on all sales of flu vaccine by distributors to hospitals and pharmacies, with serious fines and jail time for violators. Such price gouging is unconscionable! It’s too bad that John Kerry didn’t comment on this sad situation in Wednesday’s debate, as it’s yet another example of how things have gone terribly wrong on President Bush’s watch.

C. Scott Littleton

Pasadena

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Another example of the triumphalism of the free market. Is price gouging on flu vaccine any different from the rising price for a barrel of oil and a gallon of gasoline? How many people on limited incomes who are dependent on autos for work and other necessities will forego vital medicines and healthcare because of the gouging by oil companies? If unfettered capitalism is what you want, are you surprised that this is what you get?

Jay W. Friedman

Los Angeles