Think for a few moments about this emerging scandal about the failure of this year's flu vaccine production.

Our country was relying on a chemical factory in Liverpool, England to produce the major supply of flu vaccine to help Americans survive this year's strain of influenza. Each year, millions of our neighbors have received a flu shot to help insure against the most serious side effects. Annually, some 36,000 Americans die from the flu and vaccination is the only time-tested safeguard against an expected return of the epidemic again this year. Public health experts agree that vaccinations clearly save lives.

So when it was revealed this month that 46 million batches of the flu vaccine were contaminated and would not be available, a near panic ensued. Seniors accustomed to receiving free flu shots at neighborhood health centers, hospital clinics and medical offices quickly realized that if they wanted their shot this year, they had to stand in line for hours at commercial locations like supermarkets and drug stores, and pay for it out of their own pockets. Worse, the available supply will be used up long before everyone who needs the vaccine can get it.

Bottom line is that, when the British government shut down the factory in early October, some 46 million flu vaccines were destroyed. And even with some last-minute negotiations with another manufacturer, the FDA in Washington acknowledged this week that only 60 percent of the people who need a flu shot will be able to get one. The shortage means that 4 in every 10 people will be exposed to any virulent flu strain that may emerge this winter, and the potential for a severe epidemic is only heightened. It is frightening.

What's the scandal here? It is the failure of George Bush and his administration to deal with this potential public health crisis. USA Today reported October 10 that federal FDA officials knew of problems at the Liverpool factory in June, 2003 - 16 months ago. But the agency "did not begin a full inspection of the plant again until ... five days after British authorities yanked the company's license because of tainted vaccine," the newspaper reported. By the way, the vaccine manufacturer Chiron Corporation is an American company, based in Emeryville, CA, and out sources the work to its British factory.

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported "Nearly 90 million Americans are at high risk to contract a potentially fatal case of influenza. In most years, just half of those at highest risk of the disease are vaccinated. Usually, public health officials work to persuade the other half to be vaccinated, in hopes of reducing the disease's annual death toll of nearly 36,000."

" I know there are some here who are worried about the flu season," Mr. Bush said. "I want to assure them that our government is doing everything possible to help older Americans and children get their shots, despite the major manufacturing defect that caused this problem," the newspaper said.

Tommy Thompson, Bush's secretary of Health and Human Services, said this week his agency was turning to Canada to add to the vaccine supply. That's right, Canada. Say, isn't that the country where prescription drugs are available at a much lower rate than here in our country? And isn't that the same place that the President has said he is not convinced that Americans can safely buy their medicines?

The president's people have badly mismanaged this issue, and it rightfully belongs as a subject for debate in the current presidential campaign. John Kerry said this week in a radio interview, "If you can't get flu vaccines to Americans, how are you going to protect them against bioterrorism? If you can't get flu vaccines to Americans, what kind of health care program are you running?''

They're good questions, which deserve to be answered.

- Ed Forry