On the flip side, painting critics with the "denialists" label is an easy way to deflect valid criticism. In the H1N1 case, there are a lot of critics claiming

On the flip side, painting critics with the "denialists" label is an easy way to deflect valid criticism. In the H1N1 case, there are a lot of critics claiming: * Press about H1N1 caused a shortage of seasonal flu vaccines. [0] * H1N1 vaccine supplies were limited during the period leading up to flu season. [1] * H1N1 vaccine production was not ramped up quickly enough. [1] * H1N1 vaccine was oversupplied after the 2009/10 flu season, leaving public health agencies with massive surpluses. [2] So, given that public health agencies massively overstocked their supplies after they could do any good, it's easy to see why politicians might be angry. With oversupply in Germany alone at €53.3 million worth of vaccine [2], a valid concern might be that if there was in fact corporate influence over the WHO decision to declare H1N1 a pandemic, then that would call their credibility into question [3]. Another concern might be that given the supply issues, the world is not able to effectively respond in time to a flu pandemic. Rather than addressing those issues, it's a lot easier to paint critics as denialists. Or, it could just be that they're wackos. Whatever. [0] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/health/05flu.html http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/health/05flu.html [1] http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Health/h1n1-vaccine-deliveries-increase-manufacturers/story?id=9057889 http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Health/h1n1-vaccine-deliveries-incr... [2] http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100507-27035.html http://www.thelocal.de/national/20100507-27035.html [3] http://www.ihsglobalinsight.com/SDA/SDADetail18082.htm http://www.ihsglobalinsight.com/SDA/SDADetail18082.htm