This blunder cost the NHS dearly.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.express.co...s-we-will-never-need-

While I agree we should have had the initial stocks of vaccine, just in case, But shouldn't the bureaucrats have put a cancel clause into the contract?

[jake-the-peg]

Not as dearly as if it had turned out to be more dangerous and there had been insufficient stocks.

Would you consider it a blunder to insure your house when you didn't have to claim ?

[brionon]

Damned if they do,Damned if they don't !

[anotheoldgit]

That's not what is under discussion.

If they had initially arranged a cancel clause into the contract, then having found they did not need the whole order, they could have put a stop to the order.

/// In recent weeks, Germany has successfully negotiated a cut in its order for swine flu jabs by 30 per cent. Other countries are still negotiating.///

[Oneeyedvic]

///If they had initially arranged a cancel clause into the contract, then having found they did not need the whole order, they could have put a stop to the order.

/// In recent weeks, Germany has successfully negotiated a cut in its order for swine flu jabs by 30 per cent. Other countries are still negotiating./// ////

If Germany had a cancellation clause, then they wouldn't need to //negotiate/// they would simply cancel. Same as the other countries.

I have no doubt that this government will be negotiating as well.

Edit - more details here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8448080.stm

There is indeed a cancel clause in one of the contracts (albeit the smaller one) and there is potential to sell this on to other countries (or indeed keep it for the next few years)

Yes, with hindsight, a cancel clause would have been ideal - but in times of potential national emergency, decisions that are wrong will often be made - lets hope that we can learn from them.

[jno]

just because they might have wanted a cancel clause doesn't mean they would have got one, at least not at the same price. The manufacturers wouldn't necessarily have signed a deal that provided for the other side to pull out for free if they felt like it (would you?).