An antiquated production line for the flu vaccine?

Thank our legal system. Switching to something new always involves a risk and there is always a trial lawyer ready to argue to the jury that the new system wasn't adequately tested because of some evil company's profit motive. Profits ahead of human safety. That is what the trial lawyers argue and it works with the juries.

An established, proven system is much harder to attack. It has been around for years (or maybe decades) and it has been thoroughly tested.

The point you make is a good one, Marc. Unfortunately, our legal system is the reason why there is so much hesitation.

But, ultimately, having plenty of vaccine that many would be scared to use wouldn't be any better than getting the vaccine late. As was pointed out in another thread, the Jenny McCarthys of the world would be going even more bonkers if there was some "new" method being used to produce the vaccine.

Ironically, it appears they'll have tons of vaccine left over in the end not so much because of people being scared to get it (which was the initial fear) but because many will have already had the flu and won't see the need in getting vaccinated after the fact.