Erdman Palmore, 78, professor emeritus at the Duke Center for the Study of Ageing at Duke University Medical Center, is a very affirmative proponent of the conviction that getting older does not have to be a vexation. Having a very positive attitude and perspective is essential and as he sees it - “Once you’re over the hill you pick up speed.” Liberals in government would like to assist the professor by increasing the slope.

Earlier this week, a story in the Boston Globe stated that to facilitate the administration of the newly vetted novel swine flu (H1N1/09) vaccine Massachusetts health authorities would “deputize dentists, paramedics and pharmacists” to give the shots. Deeper into the article the populations targeted for immunization were revealed and curiously it stated – “Older adults will not be a major focus of swine flu campaigns.” The swine flu, present a mere 4 months in America, had only affected 1% of the elderly in that state. Therefore, having satisfied the health experts, the pronouncement was made to exclude them until all other individuals under the age of 65 had received the potential protection.

On July 29, 2009, at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), an urgent meeting of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was held to cobble together guidelines for the swine flu vaccination. The 15 board members, with their 4 months of data, decided how best to proceed in protecting the American people. Well, some of them anyway.

Data collected on novel H1N1/09 in America to date have shown that younger populations of patients are affected disproportionately versus the Medicare eligible populace in raw numbers. However, the hospitalization rate by age group shows that the above 65 year old patients were hospitalized more frequently than the 25-49 and 50-64 year old ones. One hundred per cent of those 65 and older who were hospitalized had a pre-existing co-morbid medical condition. Furthermore, with regard to the elderly the CDC report states- “Summary of Key Epidemiologic findings- Fewest cases but highest case-fatality ratio in older adults.” Well.

The CDC admits that the mobility of younger patients contributes to the swine flu in that population. It is now summer and there is concern that this novel virus may return in the winter and little is known about whether or not it will be more or less virulent than it is now. Older Americans have a greater chance of being introduced to it in colder climes as they and younger people spend more time indoors. The elderly will be exposed in the doctor’s office, volunteering at hospitals and some probably will be deputized by the state of Massachusetts to render treatment to others that they will be denied solely on the basis of their age.

How does the government plan to enforce the CDC discriminatory guidelines? Simple. They bought and control all of the vaccine that will be available. Frightening.

In the CDC guidelines there is no allowance—none--for a 65 or older American citizen to qualify for a “first in line” immunization against the swine flu. Not heart disease, not chronic lung conditions or even cancer will get an older American a possibly protective treatment until everyone else gets theirs first. It is eerie how discrimination is accepted across all racial, religious and gender lines when it involves our senior citizens.

The CDC says that, to their advantage, the elderly may have been around long enough to have been exposed to other H1N1 viruses and therefore may have some protection against it. Studies show that antibodies were present in 30% of older people as opposed to 10% in younger groups. Looking at it with circumspection that means 70% of seniors have no more immunity than anyone else naïve to the virus.  But the H1N1/09 is novel. It is composed of genes from Avian, pig and human origin and is unlike previous H1N1 viruses in some ways. Additionally, any geriatrician worth his or her salt would educate you with the fact that people’s immune responses are diminished and hypo responsive with advancing age.

The current health reform bill before Congress is a threat to all Americans. It will wrest control from the individual and in so doing infringe on his or her liberty. God help our seniors if they are successful. The current attitude of those now making health care decisions at the national and state level evidence a subtle shift in the respect for the humanity of our senior citizens who are our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters and our countrymen. Many of them fought for our freedom and our liberty. Let’s fight for theirs.

My Dad, 76, is battling cancer. He told me-“Life is a treasure in fragile containers.”

We are at risk of losing our civil society if we think otherwise.