Their fear, however, manifested itself as much toward the vaccine as toward the disease itself. Throughout American history, the notion of the government poking needles into everyone’s arm has always provoked more than its fair share of anxiety. But this time there was a more tangible basis for public doubt. In August of that year, under pressure from the drug companies, Congress and the White House had agreed to indemnify them from legal liability in the event of manufacturing defects. This was widely read as a vote of no-confidence; the vaccine looked as though it was being rushed out
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