It just about goes without saying, but those found guilty of price gouging for desperately needed flu vaccines should be reported to authorities and prosecuted to the full extent of applicable law.

The laws of supply and demand work relatively well under most circumstances. But when something as precious as a potentially life-saving flu vaccine is made artificially scarce in the U.S. by unexpected production problems in England, those taking advantage of the situation by charging exorbitant prices have crossed the line.

Recent news reports have noted that Florida wholesaler Meds-Stat sold vials of the flu vaccine for $900 - about 10 times the usual price. Just a day before the Florida incident, the Kansas Attorney General filed a lawsuit against Meds-Stat for the same practice.

In a typical year, with adequate supplies of vaccine, the flu hospitalizes 200,000 Americans and kills about 36,000.

When the U.S. lost nearly half of the expected 100 million flu shots, the situation became one of life-and-death for many people, and those charging whatever the market will bear for some quick profits acted in a way that is both morally wrong and criminal.

No doubt state authorities across the country will investigate reports of price gouging for flu vaccines and follow up with prosecution and fines.

Secretary Tommy Thompson of the Heath and Human Services department has sent a letter to the Attorney General of each state urging them to investigate reports of price gouging and prosecute wherever possible.

It should be hoped that the swift and determined actions by law enforcement officials will nip in the bud any further temptations by unscrupulous people to profit from the flu vaccine shortage.