Industrial R&D paradigm shift to vaccines.

The fortunes of industrial vaccine R&D are closely tied to the developments in the USA. Class action lawsuits and awards of millions of dollars in punitive damages by federal courts during the late 1990s and early 2000 led to the industry bail-out of vaccine manufacturing and R&D during the 1995-2003 period. The suspected/potential link between children vaccination (mercury containing preservative thimerosal) and rising cases of autism led to the filing of class action lawsuit with over 5000 autism victims. It was a clear danger signal to the industry and Government acted to save and keep vaccine manufacturing home as a key strategic industry. Industry had no interest in selling $ 5-10 vaccines, make a few million and