THE FLU: FACTS & FIGURES
|
||||
In the rash of recent media press (as it is every fall and winter), I felt it relevant to make the following information available online.
link to: Consumer's Union for Drug Change
link to CBC television message flu commercial
In MID-MISSOURI:
- The winter of 2004 and 2005 was interesting. In the fall there was a "shortage" of flu vaccine, so lots of people were discouraged or turned away and not given the shot in anticipation of using the small amount for only the "high risk" folks.
- In early February, NBC affiliate KOMU news in Columbia, Missouri reported that this year was the lowest amount of flu cases in mid-Missouri in a long time. They reported that in the 2003-2004 winter "flu season" there were 15,000 reported cases in mid-Missouri, and to date this season there were only 3,000 cases. That's 12,000 less! This number after the vaccine shortage kept thousands who would normally get the shot from getting one.
- Then about 2 weeks later, KOMU reported that mid-Missouri health officials had acquired "Extra" quantities of flu vaccine, and were making the doses available for sale for all those still interested (this is now mid-February, usually the "end" of the flu season.)
- Two weeks later (the first of March) local hospitals in Jefferson City (St. Mary's and Captial Region) were reporting there were no available beds in either hospital, and were encouraging doctors to send sick folks to different area hospitals around Missouri.
- Apparently cases of the flu and respiratory illness were now at an all time high.
- wow ... it doesn't take a rocket scientist to do the math on this one ... don't believe me? Check it out!!!
We have lots of vaccine books in our office available for checkout.
The best offense is a good defense, therefore live smart and live healthy. Don't be a "statistic" because you've chosen a poor sedentary, malnutritioned, high stress lifestyle. Most people severely affected by the flu are run down and have a sluggish immune system.
What I do for myself/ family and what I recommend are the following for a strong natural defense:
- Don't smoke (smoking causes a tremendous decrease in your immune system, and especially makes the first line of defense in your respiratory system basically non-existent)
- Stay away from sugar (sugar weakens the immune system, and often why "flu season" is during the holiday/ winter months when more sugar is usually consumed)
- Drink enough water (dehydration -- even without thirst -- will cause your body to be susceptible to the bugs)
- Maintain an efficient nervous/immune system link (keep your spine well adjusted with Gonstead Chiropractic)
- MULTI-VITAMIN (high quality- non-synthetic/ whole food) Biotics Laboratory Bio-Multiplus or Biotics Labs Bio-Immunozyme
- Garlic supplement (although raw chewed garlic clove is much more potent)
- ProBiotic (Acidophilus/ Bifidis)
- Shaklee Nutriferon (Boosts INTERFERON production in your body)
- Biotics Laboratory Nutrophil Plus
- (this includes the same for my kids ... I cut the garlic/ vitamin C in half and have them swallow them in a spoonful of applesauce or yogurt if they have problems swallowing a supplement!!)
Live smart ... live healthy! Dr. Bryce
Flu shots linked to Alzheimer’s
*** click here for more technical reasonings.
-
When Dr. Fudenberg was asked why this was so, he said it was due to the mercury and aluminum that is in every flu shot (and most childhood shots). The gradual mercury and aluminum buildup in the brain causes cognitive dysfunction. Is that why alzheimer's is expected to quadruple?
-
Notes:
Dr. Fudenberg spoke at the NVIC International Vaccine Conference,
Arlington, VA September, 1997. Quoted with permission, via Dr. Tedd Koren.
-
Alzheimer's to quadruple statment is from John's Hopkin's Newsletter Nov 1998.
(the
years studied were between 1970 and 1980)
THE FLU FACTS and THE FLU VACCINE
NVIC has an updated webpage that includes info on the new nasal
flu vaccine.
http://www.nvic.org/Diseases/influenzafacts.htm
What is the flu?
Influenza is a respiratory infection that produces fever, chills, sore throat, muscle
aches, and cough that lasts a week or more. The flu can be deadly for the elderly and
those with compromised immune systems or who are suffering from diabetes, kidney
dysfunction and heart disease. Each year about 20,000 Americans, mostly in these high-risk
groups, reportedly die from flu complications such as pneumonia.
What is the flu vaccine?
The flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chick embryos inoculated with a specific
type(s) of influenza virus. The strains of flu virus in the vaccine are inactivated with
formaldehyde and preserved with Thimerosal, which is a mercury derivative. Every year, federal health agency officials try to
guess which three flu strains are most likely to be prevalent in the U.S. the following
year to determine which strains will be included in next year's flu vaccine. If they guess
right, the vaccine is thought to be 70 to 80% effective in temporarily preventing the flu
of the season in healthy persons less than 65 years old. For those over 65 years old, the
efficacy rate drops to 30 to 40% but the vaccine is thought to be 50 to 60% effective in
preventing hospitalization and pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from the
flu.
However, sometimes health officials do not correctly predict which flu strains will be
most prevalent and the vaccine's effectiveness is much lower for that year.
Does the flu vaccine protect against all throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear
infections?
The flu vaccine only protects against the three specific viral strains, which are included
in any given year's flu vaccine. Throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal and ear infections
caused by bacteria or other kinds of viruses, are not prevented by getting an annual flu
shot.
Vaccination against the flu does not protect against SARS or the complications of SARS.
The World Health Organization is urging a worldwide flu vaccination campaign in the belief
that high vaccination coverage can decrease the possibility of misdiagnosing flu as SARS
and help in the early identification of a SARS outbreak. The CDC however is not
recommending the flu vaccine for this purpose since the flu vaccine is not 100%
effective and the suggested benefits in regards to SARS cannot be reliable.
Why do doctors say I have to get a flu vaccine every year?
Like all vaccines, the flu vaccine only gives a temporary immunity to the virus strains or
closely related virus strains contained in the vaccine.
The only way to get natural and permanent immunity to a strain of flu is to
recover naturally from the flu. Natural immunity to a particular strain of flu can be
protective if that strain or closely related strains come around again in the future.
However, because the vaccine only provides a 70 to 80% chance of temporary immunity to
selected strains and those strains may or may not be prevalent each year, doctors say you
have to get a flu shot every year.
Are there reactions to the flu vaccine?
The most common reactions, which begin within 12 hours of vaccination and can last several
days are: fever, fatigue, painful joints and headache. The most serious reaction that has
been associated with flu vaccine is Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), which occurs most often
within two to four weeks of vaccination. GBS is an immune mediated nerve disorder
characterized
by muscle weakness, unsteady gait, numbness, tingling, pain and sometimes paralysis of one
or more limbs or the face. Recovery takes several months and can include residual
disability. Less than 5 percent of GBS cases end in death.
What are contraindications to the flu vaccine?
Among high risk factors listed by the CDC and the vaccine manufacturers are anyone who:
(1) is sick with a fever;
(2) has an impaired immune system;
(3) has an egg allergy;
(4) has a mercury allergy;
(5) has a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
In years past, pregnancy was also a contraindication to flu vaccine
but, today, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) recommends flu vaccine for women more than 14 weeks pregnant.
Pregnant women should be aware that the flu vaccine contains Thimerosal, which is a
mercury derivative. Mercury is toxic to the brain and has been found to be associated with
brain damage and developmental delays in babies whose mothers were exposed to high levels
of mercury during pregnancy.
In 1999, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) directed the vaccine manufacturers to take mercury out of all childhood vaccines. In
October 2001, the Institute of Medicine issued a report that said it is "biologically
plausible" that mercury-containing vaccines could cause injury to the brain but there
have been too few scientific studies conducted to prove conclusively that mercury in
vaccines has caused brain damage."
Nevertheless, the Institute of Medicine recommended that drug companies take all mercury
out of all vaccines and over-the-counter drugs. In
compliance with this recommendation a preservative-free vaccine formulated for children
ages 6 to 35 months, with only a trace amount of Thimerosal, is available in a limited
amount. It is distinguished by a pink syringe plunger rod in the pre-filled syringe. Adult
formulations still contain Thimerosal.
The package inserts published by the flu vaccine manufacturers state that "Animal
reproduction studies have not been conducted with influenza virus vaccine. It is also not
known whether influenza virus vaccine can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant
woman. Although animal reproductive studies have not been conducted, the prescribing
health care provider should be aware of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices. The ACIP states that if used during pregnancy, administration of
influenza virus vaccine after 14 weeks of gestation may be preferable to avoid
coincidental association of the vaccine with early
pregnancy loss."
Is Flu Vaccine Recommended for Children?
One consideration with the mass use of flu vaccine in healthy
children is the removal of natural antibodies to flu, which are obtained from natural
infection. The question of whether it is better for healthy children, who rarely suffer
complications from flu, to get the flu and develop permanent immunity to that flu strain
or it is better for children to get vaccinated every year to try to suppress all flu
infection in early childhood (which also includes any unknown effects of the components in
the vaccine which include mercury, formaldehyde, chicken embryo debris, etc.) is a
question that has yet to be adequately answered by medical science.
Although in the past the flu vaccine has not been recommended for healthy children, today
vaccination of children older than 6 months of age is strongly recommended by the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the CDC.
What About The New Nasal-Spray Flu Vaccine?
A live-virus nasal flu vaccine, FluMist, was approved for use in June 2003. Its approved
use is limited to healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49. This excludes its use in
those considered at greatest risk from the disease - the very young and the elderly. Remember, those vaccinated are now “active/
live carriers” of the flu virus, which can easily be spread to those they come in
contact with.
Who should not receive the FluMist vaccine?
(1) pregnant women
(2) people with asthma
(3) people with chronic lung or heart disease
(4) people with chronic underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disorders
(5) anyone allergic to any part of the vaccine including eggs
(6) children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy
(7) those with a history of Guillain-Barre syndrome
(8) people with known or suspected immune system problems or who are immune-suppressed due
to treatment with steroids, chemotherapy, radiation or other immunosuppressive therapies
or their close contacts
(9) children younger than 5 and adults over 50.
Due to the possibility of spreading the virus, individuals receiving the vaccine
are advised to avoid close contact with immune-compromised individuals for at least 21
days.
Is it safe to give with other vaccines?
No studies have shown the safety of giving FluMist along with other vaccines; therefore it
should NOT be given along with any other vaccine. The
product manufacturer's insert advises waiting at least two weeks after receiving a killed
vaccine and at least one month after receiving a live-virus vaccine (MMR, Chicken pox).
How is the new vaccine administered?
Unlike the standard flu vaccine given by injection, which contains a dead virus, the
vaccine is squirted up the nose and contains a diluted, live virus that could endanger
people with weak immune systems. The live vaccine virus has been shown to shed for up to 3
weeks after receiving the vaccine.
What are the reactions to the vaccine?
Reported adverse effects to FluMist in children include runny nose, nasal congestion,
cough, sore throat, headache, irritability, decreased activity, fever, chills, muscle
aches, and vomiting.
In adults the most common side effects were runny nose, cough, sore throat, headache,
muscle aches, fever, chills and tiredness or weakness.
Other adverse events that occurred in children were abdominal pain, asthma, bronchitis,
conjunctivitis, viral syndrome, otitis media (middle ear infection), and wheezing or
shortness of breath.
How is the vaccine made?
FluMist is prepared by introducing influenza viruses into eggs where they are allowed to
multiply. Fluid from the eggs is processed and sucrose, potassium phosphate and monosodium
glutamate (MSG) are added as stabilizers. The
antibiotic Gentamicin is also added during the manufacturing process. FluMist does not contain any preservatives.
What should I do?
Become educated about the flu and its benefits and risks and the vaccine and its benefits
and risks and make an informed decision after consulting multiple sources of information
and discussing your questions with one or more health professionals.
For more information on the risks of this vaccine for those with immune deficiency please
visit the Immune Deficiency Foundation. www.primaryimmune.org
Link to Manufacturer's Package Insert. http://www.wyeth.com/content/Showfile.asp?id=296
News@nvic.org is a free service of the National Vaccine
Information
Center and is supported through membership donations. Learn more about
vaccines, diseases and how to protect your informed
consent rights http://www.nvic.org
Become a member and support NVIC's work https://www.909shot.com/order.htm
To sign up for a free e-mail subscription http://www.nvic.org/emaillist.htm
Missouri Citizens' Coalition for Freedom in Health Care
P.O. Box 190318
St. Louis, MO 63119-0318
314-968-8755, Fax-270-569-8767
http://MCC-FHC.org
FluMist package insert
Here's the link to the FluMist package insert (included below as text)
-- http://www.fda.gov/cber/label/inflmed061703LB.pdf
FDA Flumist Questions and Answers --
http://www.fda.gov/cber/flu/flumistqa.htm
Are there certain people who should not receive FluMist?
As with any medication, individuals should checkwith their health care provider before
receiving
any flu vaccines. According to the approvedpackage insert, the following people should not
get the intranasal influenza vaccine:
*Adults 50 years of age or older, or childrenyounger than 5 should not receive FluMist.
*FluMist should not be given for any reason topeople with immune suppression, including
those
with immune deficiency diseases, such as AIDS orcancer, and people who are being treated
with
drugs that cause immunosuppression.
*The safety of FluMist in people with asthma or other reactive airway diseases has not
been
established, and therefore, is not recommended for use in patients with a history of
reactive
airway problems.
*Additionally, FluMist should not be given to people with chronic underlying medical
conditions
that may predispose them to severe flu infections. For these people, the injected vaccine
is indicated.
*Individuals with egg allergies should not receive this or any other flu vaccine.
*People who have health problems associated with heart disease, kidney disease, lung
disease, or
metabolic diseases such as diabetes, anemia and other blood disorders should not receive
FluMist.
*Because Reye syndrome in children has been associated with administration of aspirin
during
influenza virus infections, FluMist is not recommended in children and adolescents 5-17
years of age if they are receiving aspirin or aspirin-containing therapy.
*Pregnant women (in their second or third trimesters during influenza season) should not
receive FluMist.
*Anyone with a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) should not receive FluMist.
*Physicians, nurses, family members, or anyone else coming in close contact with anyone
with a
weakened immune system should not receive FluMist.
Here we go again. The public at large is being asked to take the risk of getting a flu vaccination that at best provides only temporary immunity, and this year the odds are that the current vaccine isn't even going to prevent the strain of flu coming around! Those who do not get vaccinated and do come down with the flu this season will be left with cellular immunity so that when that same flu strain comes around again in a few years they will have natural resistance. Mother Nature will always be one step ahead of the CDC and FDA.
New York Times source: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/18/science/18FLU.html
November 18, 2003
Despite Lacking Latest Virus, Flu Vaccine Is Thought to Work
By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN
The influenza vaccine now being given was not developed to protect against a strain of the
virus that has surfaced in this country this fall, but the government is optimistic that
this year's vaccine will stave off outbreaks, a top federal health official said
yesterday.
The reason is that animal studies suggest that the strains of virus included in the
vaccine are close enough to the new one that the vaccine will still protect, said the
official, Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in Atlanta.
Still, she warned, the United States could face a severe epidemic this year, given that
the flu season began unusually early and has hit Texas and Colorado particularly hard.
"It's a little too early to say whether or not this portends the worst flu season we
have had in a long time," Dr. Gerberding said in a telephone news conference. Her
agency is responsible for tracking and controlling influenza and other infectious
diseases.
She said she was "sounding the alarm" to urge more people to get flu shots to
"nip this problem in the bud." The center does not know how many people have
received flu shots this season. "People have the impression we are doing better this
year than last year, but we do not have the data to back that up at this point in
time," she said.
The flu vaccine includes three strains of influenza virus, but was not designed to protect
against a new one that has appeared in a number of countries over the last year. It is
known as the Fujian strain, a variant of the Panama strain that is included in the current
vaccine. Both are categorized as H3N2 strains that have been linked to higher rates of
serious illness requiring admission to a hospital and to death, Dr. Gerberding said.
Each year, influenza causes 114,000 hospital admissions and 36,000 deaths. The influenza virus mutates frequently. Health
officials change the strains of virus put in the flu vaccine each year as they try to keep
up with mutations. But matching strains in the vaccine with those circulating among humans
during a flu season is a notoriously unpredictable exercise.
The World Health Organization committee that makes the recommendations for the flu vaccine
knew about the Fujian strain in February, said Dr. Klaus Stöhr, an influenza expert at
the organization. But Dr. Stöhr said in a recent interview that the committee decided not
to include the Fujian strain because scientists could not make it pure enough in time for
a human vaccine.
The flu vaccine is prepared in eggs. Decisions about the components of the vaccine have to
be made months in advance in part because manufacturers and farmers need to know how many
eggs to prepare in anticipation of demand.
Influenza typically occurs during the winter in each hemisphere, and the vaccines are
prepared at different times. The vaccine being prepared for use in the Southern Hemisphere
will include the Fujian strain, Dr. Stöhr said.
"There may be less than optimal protection against H3N2" in the Northern
Hemisphere, "but no vaccine failure has been reported" there, he said. "So
there is no reason to discourage people from getting vaccinated."
Dr. Gerberding said it was common for the circulating influenza to gradually change
genetically - known as "drift" - as it spread to infect more people.
Tests at the center found that 84 percent of the 55 strains of influenza virus isolated
this fall are the Fujian strain, Dr. Gerberding said. But she emphasized that protection
could still occur even without a perfect match.
Dr. Gerberding said that an earlier than usual onset of the flu had occurred in some
European countries but that "this is not a pandemic."
=============================================
News@nvic.org is a free service of the National Vaccine
Information
Center and is supported through membership donations. Learn more about
vaccines, diseases and how to protect your informed
consent rights http://www.nvic.org
Become a member and support NVIC's work https://www.909shot.com/order.htm
To sign up for a free e-mail subscription http://www.nvic.org/emaillist.htm
NVIC is funded through individual membership donations and does not
receive government funding. Barbara Loe Fisher, President and Co-founder.
Flu Shot Demand Rises Sharply BUT Don't Be Fooled
Washington Post December 4, 2003; Page A01 [Dr. Tenpenny's video is mentioned
below]
Over five years ago a warning was posted on the flu vaccines. Now we have an advertising
campaign for FluMist that will cost an estimated $25 million. Sounds like a lot but Wyeth,
the flu vaccine maker, will be spending yet another $75 million to promote this vaccine to
doctors, for a grand total of $100 million.
Now, $100 million may seem like a ton of money to spend on ads, but does anyone care to guess how much Wyeth anticipates MAKING on this vaccine?
The answer is a cool $1 billion.
The "experts" will use fear to motivate people to get a flu
vaccine, but this is yet another health care illusion. Let's be clear -- flu can
definitely be a killer disease and is not something that should be easily dismissed. But
remember that flu shots don't prevent illness ... they never
have and never will.
The flu vaccine can actually weaken the immune system and make you more predisposed to the
illness.
Just remember, the flu vaccine is not the answer to avoiding the flu.
People are dying from the flu because they are already sick and have compromised immune
systems. The majority of the cause is surely related to eating too much sugar and too many
grains, getting inadequate rest and suffering from unresolved emotional trauma.
I detail the dangers of sugar and grains, all the other foods you should avoid, and all
those you should be eating to build your immunity in my new book. This book provides you
the means to become truly healthy, and if you are healthy you will likely never get the
flu. If you do, though, there are some simple strategies that you can follow that will be
highly beneficial.
One is to try the inexpensive and non-toxic hydrogen peroxide treatment.
Finally, an essential resource for anyone interested in finding out more about the vaccine
issue is "Vaccines: What CDC Documents and Science Reveal," a two-hour video by
world-renowned vaccine expert Dr. Sherri Tenpenny. The video is the culmination of Dr.
Tenpenny's three-year
investigation into the real story behind vaccines. The facts on several crucial areas are
covered including:
¨ How vaccines can cause illnesses including autoimmune diseases, allergies, ear infections, and more.
¨ The very real link between vaccines and developmental learning and behavioral disorders in children
¨ How vaccines have never been proven safe
¨ The ingredients and contaminants in vaccines and why they're detrimental to your health
¨ How vaccine studies are seriously flawed
Risks of FluMist Vaccine |
By Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
"MedImmune, the manufacturer of FluMist, recently announced that it signed an agreement that makes FluMist, the new intranasal influenza vaccine, readily available to people as they shop at Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest retailer." [1] As the physician in charge of a bustling integrative medical clinic, questions about vaccines frequently arise. After reading about the MedImmune-Walmart joint venture, I felt compelled to warn our patients and our Internet subscribers of the potentially serious complications that may come from direct and passive exposure to this new vaccine. I also wanted to give a "heads up" to everyone regarding the onslaught of advertising that is about to besiege them. Hundreds of TV and print advertisements have been designed to persuade everyone into taking the FluMist plunge. The campaign will be the "most intense, direct-to-consumer marketing campaign ever waged for a vaccine," costing an estimated $25 million over the next 2.5 months [2]. In addition, Wyeth, MedImmune’s partner, plans a three-year, $100 million campaign to encourage use of the nasal flu vaccine among physicians. [3] The television arm of the blitz campaign will focus on the "inconveniences" that your family, friends and co-workers will endure if you don’t get the flu shot and subsequently contract the flu. Print advertisements and magazine articles apparently will use scare tactics--similar to those that were used while promoting the smallpox vaccine--which warned of the high possibility of a "bioterror attack using the flu virus."[4] Apparently, the goal seems to center around frightening--or inducing enough guilt--so that everyone would begin to demand the vaccine as soon as it is available. And at nearly $70 a dose, this will be a financial bonanza for MedImmune and Wyeth, who are expecting the vaccine to become the blockbuster new drug that will push MedImmune’s revenues to more than $1 billion/year. [5] However, there are many reasons for caution. FluMist contains live (attenuated) influenza viruses that replicate in the nasopharynx of the vaccine recipient. The most common side effects include "cough, runny nose/nasal congestion, irritability, headaches, chills, muscle aches and fever > 100° F."[6] These symptoms are nearly identical to those the flu vaccine is designed to prevent. [7] A cause for significant concern is the vaccine’s most prevalent side effects: "runny nose" and "nasal congestion." It has been documented that the live viruses from the vaccine can be shed (and potentially spread into the community) from recipient children for up to 21 days, [8] and even longer from adults. [9] Viral shedding also puts breastfeeding infants at risk if the mother has been given FluMist. [10] In addition to shedding via nasal secretions, the virus can be dispersed through sneezing. What is the normal physiological response when an irritant enters the nasal passages? A sneeze … sometimes a big sneeze … sometimes several big sneezes. Therefore, the risk for shedding--and spreading--live viruses throughout a school, church, workplace or store--especially one which is administering the vaccine. In the section of the FluMist package insert labeled "PRECAUTIONS," the manufacturer states the following warning: "FluMist® recipients should avoid close contact with The warning is specifically directed toward those living in the same household with an immunocompromised person, but the on-going release of live viruses throughout the community may be a significant risk to everyone who has a weak, or weakened, immune system. The number of immunocompromised people in the United States is enormous:
An even more extensive list of at-risk people includes the untold millions on drugs called corticosteroids. Prednisone®, Medrol®, and a variety of similar medications given to both adults and children. These drugs are prescribed for dozens of conditions including asthma, allergies, eczema, emphysema, Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis, herniated spinal discs, acute muscular pain syndromes, and all types of rheumatoid and autoimmune diseases. As much as 60 percent of the entire population could be considered to be "chemically immunosuppressed." It is important to realize that FluMist is CONTRAINDICATED for people who are immunocompromised. People who receive FluMist and are living with an immunocompromised person put their loved ones at risk. Will this make stores that administer the vaccines--like Walmart and the other pharmaceutical chain stores that have announced they will carry FluMist [15]--risky places to shop for large segments of the population? What measures will be taken in these stores to ensure that the virus will not become commingled with food? What hand washing policy is going to be enforced in the stores for all Walmart employees and customers who have received FluMist? These are reasonable questions that deserve answers. The target market for FluMist is "healthy children and adults, ages 5 to 49 years." Some believe that by vaccinating these people, a type of "herd immunity" will occur that will protect the very young and the elderly who are excluded from getting this vaccine. However, it is these very "at-risk" populations who may suffer the most from the flu by being exposed to people who are given FluMist. According to information presented at the May 2003 National Influenza Summit, [16] approximately 85 percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 50 go unvaccinated, and nearly 66 percent between the ages of 50 and 64 do not receive the flu vaccine. Have there been "raging epidemics" across the country due to lack of flu vaccinations? It appears that the massive campaign to vaccinate everyone this year may be motivated, in part, by economics. The viruses suspected to be the most likely cause for the flu this season were negligibly different from the strains used in last year’s flu vaccine. Therefore, the influenza vaccine produced for the 2003-2004 season is identical in composition to the one used last year. This marks only the second time that the same strains have been used during two consecutive flu seasons. [17] Consider that antibodies from other viral vaccines--such as MMR, polio and chickenpox vaccines--last at least three years, and in some instances, up to 15 years. If the viruses used in the vaccine are the same as last year, why is this year’s vaccine even necessary? An even greater concern about FluMist is the contents within the vaccine. Each 0.5 ml of the formula contains 10 6.5-7.5 particles of live, attenuated influenza virus. That means that between 10 million and 100 million viral particles will be forcefully injected into the nostrils when administered. The viral strain was developed by serial passage through "specific pathogen-free primary chick kidney cells" and then grown in "specific pathogen-free eggs." That means that the culture media was free of pathogens that were specifically tested for, but not a culture that was necessarily "pathogen-free." The risk that the vaccine may contain contaminant avian retroviruses still remains. In addition, a stabilizing buffer containing potassium phosphate, sucrose (table sugar) and nearly 0.5 mg of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is added to each dose. [18] One of the most troubling concerns over the injection of this "chemical soup" is the potential for the viruses to enter directly into the brain. At the top of the nasal passages is a paper-thin bone called the cribriform plate. The olfactory nerves pass through this bone and line the nasal passages, carrying messenger molecules to the brain that are identified as "smells" familiar to us. The olfactory tract has long been recognized as a direct pathway to the brain. Intranasal injection of certain viruses has resulted in a serious brain infection called encephalitis, presumably by direct infection of the olfactory neurons that carried the viruses to the brain. [19] Time will tell whether the live viruses in FluMist will become linked to cases of encephalitis. The pharmaceutical companies do not necessarily always do a reasonable job of considering the "down side" when they are pushing new drugs or new vaccines. FluMist has the potential for causing the worst, most severe flu epidemic seen in years. Parents tell their young children not to put things up their noses because they might cause them harm. It would be wise to consider that advice for adults. With all the risks involved, one should be extremely cautious about what one allows to be sprayed in one’s nose. Red Flags Weekly October 3, 2003 Dr. Mercola's Comment: Long-time readers may remember that three years ago I warned this live flu spray vaccine was coming, and it has finally arrived. The "experts" will use fear to motivate people to get a flu vaccine, but this is yet another health care illusion. Let's be clear, flu can definitely be a killer disease and is not something that should be easily dismissed. But, remember that flu shots don't prevent illness--never have, never will. The flu vaccine can actually weaken the immune system and make you more predisposed to the illness. And as the above article says, the side effects of FluMist sound just like the symptoms of the flu. If you decide to get this nasal vaccine, you will get not only a live flu virus in each dose but also table sugar and MSG, which are fraught with their own problems. Just remember, the flu vaccine is not the answer to avoiding the flu. People are dying from the flu because they are already sick and have compromised immune systems. The majority of the cause is surely related to eating too much sugar and too many grains, getting inadequate rest and suffering from unresolved emotional trauma. I provide the entire means to optimize your immune system (and increase energy, avoid premature aging and optimize weight) in my new book, Dr. Mercola's TOTAL HEALTH Cookbook & Program. In this book, you will learn all about the dangers of grains and sugars, and ALL of the healthiest foods you should be eating. Plus, you'll learn your own "metabolic type," so you will also learn how to eat the right PROPORTION of carbs, proteins and fats that are ideal for your particular biochemistry. You'll also learn all about the importance of emotional health, and how to achieve it (and of course you get over 150 brand-new delicious and highly nutritious recipes). This book IS the means to your optimal immune system, so you won't have to worry about vaccinations, so read more about it now (including the book's lifetime guarantee). Naturally, if you are healthy you will likely never get the flu, but if you do there are some simple strategies that you can follow that will be highly beneficial. One is to try the inexpensive and non-toxic hydrogen peroxide treatment. Related Articles:
|
Why I Never Get Flu Shots |
| by
Chet Day Every year about this time, quite a few people write me and ask, "My Doctor tells me to get my annual flu shot. Should I do it?" Well, I don't diagnose or prescribe, and what you do with your body remains entirely up to you and your doctor (if you still go to a doctor), but I'll gladly tell you what I do regarding flu shots... I avoid them like the plague. In fact, at age 52, I've never had a flu shot, and it would take a Marine nurse and at least four burly wrestlers the size of Jessie Ventura to hold me down and give me one. Perhaps you already sense I have strong feelings about flu shots? These feelings stem from personal opinion, reading, and dramatic personal experience. First off, I don't think toxic chemicals and virus strains grown on living tissue belong in the human body, even when they're packaged in sterile glass vials. Since my family and I don't rely on doctors anymore, I don't have access to an insert that reveals the composition of this year's flu vaccine, but I did find some general information at the Concerned Parents for Vaccine Safety web site, where I learned about some of the ingredients used to make vaccines. Do you want any of the following vaccine constituents in YOUR bloodstream?
Vaccines are also grown and strained through animal or human tissue like monkey kidney tissue, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells, calf serum, and human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted human fetuses as in the case of rubella, hepatitis A, and chickenpox vaccines). Well, I refuse to put all of the above in my body, and I hope when your doctor starts telling you it's time for your annual flu shot that you'll require him to defend the annual injection. You or your insurance company's probably paying eighty bucks for a visit, so get your money's worth. Have your doctor read you the insert that comes with the vaccine. Then have him/her explain why it makes sense to inject toxic chemicals into the human body and how such substances can aid the delicate immune system. Chances are he/she will fall back on questionable statistical and demographic explanations that the medical establishment has used for decades to justify immunization. Try to engage your doctor in a non-confrontational discussion because this is an opportunity for him/her to actually give some serious thought to what he/she is injecting into bodies of patients day after day after day. Many traditional doctors who haven't studied diet and lifestyle aren't going to change unless we help to educate them to what drugs and vaccines may really be doing long-term to people. Okay, to speak from personal experience for a moment, let's look over our shoulders to 1990, a time period before the Day family turned to natural methods of building health. In February of 1990, right after my wife's major cancer surgery in January, her doctor recommended a flu shot. Almost immediately after the injection, my wife started feeling ill. Overnight she came down with the worst case of flu she'd ever had. She went to bed and literally didn't get up again for more than a few hours at a time for years afterwards. Only now, almost a decade later, is she finally regaining full health and energy. I don't have space or enough heart yet to tell my wife's entire story, though I'll do it one of these days, but if you'll click here, you can read an article written by another CFIDS sufferer, an article that shows the cause and effect connection between flu vaccines and terrible immune disorders. Okay, I'm a realist so if was still thinking traditionally, part of me would almost buy into the typical rationale for flu vaccines, that so many people are spared the annual flu and only a few die or have their lives ruined after being injected. I'd buy into that if I were convinced that injecting a filthy substance into the body actually made sense. Unfortunately, once I stopped buying into the big medical lies about their drug, cut, and burn system, I started questioning all of it. And when one digs into the vaccine history (check out the Swine Flu vaccine if you want a real horror story) and scientific research (especially in Europe), it quickly becomes apparent that nobody really knows what these toxic stews of chemicals and microorganisms do in the human body. Well, readers and a few medical professionals have called me a simple-minded dolt on more than one occasion, but since 1993 I've approached the yearly flu shot hype with the understanding that if I eat and live properly, I won't have to worry about catching the flu. The flu vaccine I use -- eating and living as close to nature as I can -- actually works. Not only that, but it doesn't cost a dime, and nobody's going to have his/her life ruined because of a "bad batch" of vaccine that triggers some mysterious autoimmune disease that lays a person out of commission for years. But let's say you don't want to eat and live close to nature. Okay, I can understand that, but my next question would be "Which is better? Some rest time with the flu or having toxic chemicals injected into your bloodstream?" I mean, seriously, before I got healthy I almost looked forward to a yearly bout with influenza because it meant I could go to bed and get some rest instead of working practically every waking moment of my life. I might add that I haven't missed more than two consecutive days of work from an illness for almost five years, so a non-vaccine approach does work for me. This non-drug approach has resulted in a level of health that continually amazes me, especially when I see other men and women my age who are miserable and without energy. Men and women who spend all too much of their time drifting from doctor to doctor in endless pursuit of solutions that don't get to the cause of their problems -- diet and life style. DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: Chet Day is right on target here. He is one of the few newsletter writers that I am in virtual 100% agreement with. I have heard some authors state that there is a direct correlation of the number of flu shots one has and the incidence of Alzheimer's. This would be due to the aluminum and mercury that is put in every flu shot. I could not agree more with his recommendations. I am fond of providing the following answer to people who ask me if they should get a flu shot. I tell them "Only if they want to get the flu". I am glad to see Chet has gone for five years without missing two consecutive days of work. In the last 20 years though, I have not missed one day of work due to an illness. Now my diet and lifestyle program has NOT always been perfect, far from it. But for the most part I am following an optimized program. The only miracle here though is that God has given us such wonderful bodies that if even come close to following an optimal diet, exercise and rest, we will have a high likelihood of immunity from illness. Related Articles:
|
USA Today October 5, 2004 Britain suspends license for major supplier of flu vaccine
LONDON (AP) — Flu shot shipments by a major vaccine supplier were blocked by British health authorities Tuesday just ahead of the flu season, immediately raising worries that there will be enough vaccine this year.
 |
|||
 |
|
|
|
"The implications may be significant. There could be a shortage," said Dr. Klaus Stohr, influenza chief at the World Health Organization. "It may be resolvable but that would require a lot of adjustment on the part of the other companies."
The British health regulatory agency said it was suspending the license of vaccine maker Chiron Corp., for three months because of manufacturing problems. The company provides half of U.S. flu shots.
The suspension means the company will not be able to supply any influenza vaccines to any market during the three months, health officials said.
Chiron(CHIR), based in California but with a manufacturing plant in Oxford, England, makes four influenza vaccines, including Fluvirin, the top flu vaccine in Northern Europe and the No. 2 vaccine in the United States.
Tuesday's action seemed to catch U.S. health authorities off-guard. In Washington, Health and Human Services spokesman Anthony Jewell said it's not yet clear how the British sanction will affect U.S. supplies. Food and Drug Administration officials are working with their counterparts in Britain and Chiron to determine that, he said.
"We are just learning the details," he said.
Flu shot campaigns usually start in October, a month before the flu season typically begins in the United States. In an average year, flu kills 36,000 people and hospitalizes another 114,000, mostly the elderly.
Chiron had planned to provide the United States between 46 million and 48 million flu shots this year, almost half the nation's supply.
The vaccine maker had announced in August that some batches of vaccine were contaminated and it was delaying shipments. (Related: Chiron's August press release)
But less than two weeks ago, top U.S. health officials assured the public that close FDA monitoring of the rest of Chiron's supply suggested it was fine and that there would be plenty of supplies.
Worldwide, Chiron is the second leading flu vaccine manufacturer, behsupply, Stohr said.
The timing of the license suspension is particularly worrying because vaccine production goes in cycles. The manufacturing cycle for the Northern Hemisphere vaccine finished in August and manufacturers are now gearing up to make the shots for the Southern Hemisphereind French pharmaceutical company Aventis, which makes about 45% or 50% of the world's .
Vaccine makers do not have a lot of spare stock because they produce on demand.
Feds Backtrack On Flu Vaccine Scare |
ABC News October 26, 2004 With the vaccine shortage plaguing the nation, public health officials are stressing that most people don't need a flu shot after all. Moreover, chances are the flu vaccine will not necessarily prevent the flu's miserable symptoms, which include:
Depending on the strain of virus and a person's age, the vaccine may be anywhere from 52 to 90 percent effective. The elderly or chronically ill will experience a higher level of effectiveness from the shot, as it is supposed to jump-start the body's weakened defenses. On the other hand, those who are younger and healthier do not need the flu vaccine in order to survive the flu season (especially during a shortage). Thus, researchers explain there is no need to fear the upcoming months. Despite reassurances, many people have been adopting the "scarcity mentality," driving them to hound doctors, workplace nurses and supermarket clinics for a dose of the vaccine. This is due to the fact that the vaccine supply is limited, leaving people feeling unprotected or out of control. However, just last year 4 million doses of the flu vaccine went unused, despite the alarming emergence of an influenza strain that killed several children. Also, when the vaccine was readily available in 2002, only a small amount of those most susceptible to the flu opted for shots. This included:
Providers of the flu vaccine are rationing doses for patients who need them most. Therefore, with 61 million available doses and 42.8 million Americans who really need anti-viral protection, disease experts predict that there should be more than enough to go around. For everyone else experts offer the following recommendations: Wash your hands regularly, and if you do get sick, stay home and drink hot soup. Dr. Mercola's Comment: For years now I have been informing you that the flu vaccine is not the answer to avoiding the influenza. As you have already learned from reading the above article, the information I have been providing you is right on the mark. In one of my recent blogs I addressed the issue of flu-related deaths. If you want the truth on how many deaths resulted from the flu, I encourage you to look at the Center for Disease Control's Web site for the REAL facts. If you check out the more comprehensive overall death report you will find that only 753 people died of flu in 2002. This is over 93 percent less deaths than the CDC is reporting. My only guess for this huge number difference is that they most likely included the pneumonia deaths in with the flu deaths. What you MUST understand is that people are dying from the flu because they are already sick and have compromised immune systems. The ultimate treatment for the flu is proactive prevention. I have compiled a list of seven guidelines to help you prevent and fight the flu this winter. I suggest printing this list off and posting it somewhere in your home where you and your family will see it on a daily basis. By doing so, everyone in your family will be aware of the healthy alternatives and preventatives to the flu. Dr. Mercola's Seven Guidelines To Preventing The Flu
The bottom line is to lead a healthy lifestyle year round. Consider reading my book, TOTAL HEALTH Program, and implementing my diet into your life. If you do, chances are you'll never have to worry about coming down with the flu again. I also highly recommend the simple 5-step Clenzology Advanced Hygiene System, focusing on superior cleaning of the areas of the body that most dramatically affect your health -- your hands, face, ears, mouth and nose. Since germs are commonly passed through routine physical contact, keeping these areas clean is critical to preventing sickness. Related Articles:
|
FLU SHOTS AND THE NEW ADJUVANTS: BEWARE!
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, DO
May 1, 2006
NewsWithViews.
Vaccination of “every man, woman and child” has been in the planning for at least the last several years. The current concept, originated by former Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Tommy Thompson,[1] is being advanced by his successor, Mike Leavitt.[2] Of course, Thompson envisioned mass vaccination using the smallpox vaccine. But times have changed, and the flu shot now appears to be the instrument of choice for those pursuing the universal vaccination agenda.
The fact that the flu shots are ineffective in every age group hardly seems to matter to those who continually promote their use. Multiple studies published in highly reputable publications have documented that flu shots are ineffective in all ages. For example, The Cochrane Collaboration produced a series of articles in 2005 reviewing the published literature to determine the effectiveness of the flu shot. Nothing substantiating its usefulness was found.
In a review of 51 studies involving more than 260,000 children, including 17 papers translated from Russian, researchers concluded that there was “No evidence that injecting children 6-23 months of age with flu vaccines is any more effective than placebo.”[3] For healthy adults, the results were similar. A total of 25 studies were reviewed that included more than 60,000 study participants. Again, The Cochrane Group found that vaccination reduced risk of influenza by a meager 6% and reduced the number of days missed from work by less than one (0.16) day. Researchers concluded, “Universal immunization of healthy adults was not supported by the results of this review.” [4]
For the elderly population, the prime target group for flu shots, The Cochrane Group reviewed 64 studies and chided that, “The runaway 100% effectiveness that's touted by proponents [of the flu shot] was nowhere to be seen…What you see is that marketing rules the response to influenza, and scientific evidence comes fourth or fifth.”[5]
A
new study, soon to be released in the prestigious medical journal,
Vaccine, resulted in the same conclusion. The study was undertaken
to determine whether the incidence of influenza had decreased in
Ontario, Canada following the introduction of the Universal Influenza
Immunization Campaign (UIIC) in 2000. All laboratory-confirme
Perhaps something needs to be done to strengthen the flu shot so that it will work better?
During the week of April 17, 2006, The Washington Post ran a story that not only extolled the use of the influenza vaccines but pushed for a new and improved version by saying, “Why wait for the pandemic to benefit from better flu vaccines?”[7] The story went on to say that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is planning to strengthen the flu shot “destined for the elderly” by adding an immune-boosting compound to the shot called an adjuvant.
An adjuvant is a substance added to produce a high antibody response using the smallest amount of virus (antigen) possible. By definition adjuvants are considered to be “pharmacologically active drugs.” They are designed to be “inert without inherent activity or toxicity” and yet they are required to “potently augment effects of the other compounds” in the vaccines.[8] It is difficult to explain how a substance can be defined as “pharmacologically active” and at the same time be described as “inert and have no activity or toxicity.”
The limiting factor for approval of new adjuvants has been that most are far too toxic for use in humans. However, one adjuvant has been approved in Europe and its approval is on the way for use in the U.S. It is an oil-based adjuvant called MF-59, a compound primarily composed of squalene.
On first blush, squalene seems like a good choice for an adjuvant. Manufactured naturally in the liver, squalene is a precursor for cholesterol. In addition, squalene can be purchased at health food stores in its more commonly known form, “shark liver oil.” However, ingested squalene has a completely different effect on the body than injected squalene. When molecules of squalene enter the body through an injection, even at concentrations as small as 10 to 20 parts per billion, it can lead to self-destructive immune responses, such as autoimmune arthritis and lupus.[9]
Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this reaction. Metabolically, squalene stimulates an immune response excessively and nonspecifically. More than two dozen peer-reviewed scientific papers from ten different laboratories throughout the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Australia have been published documenting the development of autoimmune disease in animals subjected to squalene-based adjuvants.[10] A convincing proposal for why this occurs includes the concept of “molecular mimicry” in which an antibody created against the squalene in MF59 can cross react with the body’s squalene on the surface of human cells. The destruction of the body’s own squalene can lead to debilitating autoimmune and central nervous system diseases.
The squalene in MF59 is not the only cause for concern. One of its components, Tween80 (polysorbate 80) is considered to be “inert” but is far from it. A recent study (December 2005) discovered that Tween80 can cause anaphylaxis, a sometimes fatal reaction characterized by a sharp drop in blood pressure, hives, and breathing difficulties. Researchers concluded that the severe reaction was not a typical allergic response characterized by the combination of IgE antibodies and the release of histamines; it was caused by a serious disruption that had occurred within the immune system.[11]
Vaccine manufacturer, Chiron, is already using MF59 in its European influenza vaccine for seniors called Fluad™. It remains to be seen if Chiron will gain approval for using this adjuvant-containing vaccine in the U.S. In the mean time—and for the first time—all children from age six months to five years will be targeted for the flu shot this fall. Expect even more children to be on the vaccine list as early as 2007; discussions are underway to mandatorily vaccinate the healthy five to nine year-old group as a school requirement.
With a record 120 million vaccine doses expected to be produced for the 2006-2007 flu season, be prepared for a huge push to get everyone vaccinated this fall. Consider it to be psychological pre-conditioning. The plan is to get each person ready—and eager—to roll up their sleeve for an injection of the “pandemic” flu vaccine when it becomes available.
Retaining the right to refuse will become increasingly important,
especially in the face of concentrated pressure from self-appointed
experts at the CDC and the WHO. But keep this in mind: The “bird flu”
vaccine will not be any more effective than the annual flu shot. Even
worse, there is a high probability it will contain MF-59.
Footnotes:
1, CIDRAP News. "US
pledges smallpox vaccine for world stockpile."
December 4, 2004.
2,
Department of Health and Human Services FY 2007 Budget
announcement. February 6, 2006
3, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
"Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children."
1-(2006).
4, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
"Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults.".
1-(2006)
5, Rosenthal Elisabeth. "Two Studies Question the
Effectiveness of Flu Vaccines." The New York Times.
September 21, 2005.
6, Groll, DL, Thompson, DJ. "Incidence of
influenza in Ontario following the Universal Influenza
Immunization Campaign." Vaccine. April 5, 2006. PMID:
16624458
7, Neergaard, Lauren. "Experts Say Elderly Need
Better Flu Shot." The Washington Post. April 17, 2006
8, Kenney, R. T., Edleman, R. "Survey of
human-use adjuvants," Expert Review of Vaccines 2 (2)
(2003): 167-188.
9, Ref. No. 1: Svelander, L., Holm, B. C., Buchtt,
A., Lorentzen, J. C., Svelander, L. "Responses of the
rat immune system to arthritogenic adjuvant oil,"
Scandinavian Journal of Immunology 54 (2001): 599-605.
PMID: 11902335.
10,
Matsumoto, Gary. Vaccine A: The Covert Government
Experiment That's Killing Our Soldiers and Why GIs Are
Only the First Victims Vaccine. (New York: Basic Books)
11,
Coors, Esther A., Seybold, Heidi, Merk, Hans, Mahler,
Vera. "Polysorbate 80 in medical products and
nonimmunologic anaphylactoid reactions," Annals of
Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 95 (2005): 593-599.
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny is respected as one of the country's most knowledgeable and outspoken physicians regarding the impact of vaccines on health. Through her education company, New Medical Awareness, LLC, she spreads her vision of retaining freedom of choice in healthcare, including the freedom to refuse vaccination.
A portion of this
article is an excerpt from her new book,
FOWL! Bird Flu: It's Not What You Think, released in April, 2006. For daily
updates on the bird flu, including the real reasons behind the hype, and a
bi-weekly e-Newsletter with Dr. Tenpenny's commentary go to
www.BirdFluHype.
Dr. Tenpenny is a
regular columnist for
www.NewsWithViews.
http://www.newswith
FLU SHOT MANDATE LOOMS; FLU SHOT FAILS TO PROTECT
by Barbara Loe Fisher
In 2006, Mayo Clinic's Greg Poland, M.D., who has been a CDC vaccine policymaker and promotes worldwide use of multiple vaccines throughout life, called for mandatory vaccination of all health care workers with flu vaccine.
http://www.sptimes.
http://www.cidrap.
http://www.vaccines
http://www.abcnews.
Dr. Poland, like so many doctors in public health and pediatrics today, considers himself a "warrior" in the crusade to kill all infectious microbes that cause human disease. He says, "Vaccines are the singularly most important medical technology ever devised. We administer a series of vaccines over a lifetime to every single human being on earth."
http://mayoresearch
When ideology blinds a doctor, scientific truth is often the first casualty.
A report out of Canada last week reveals that two of the three strains (Soloman Islands A, Wisconsin A, Malaysia B) selected by doctors at the World Health Organization and the CDC for North America "appear to be drifting and mutating, raising questions about how much protection this year's flu vaccine will offer."
http://www.ctv.
So just how effective will the flu shot be at preventing death and illness from the flu this year, especially for children, the chronically ill and the elderly?
Probably not any more effective than it has ever been, which is not very effective according to yet another study in the medical literature ( Lancet Infect Dis. 2007;7:658-666)
http://www.medscape
http://www.bmj.
The 2006 study concluded that too few clinical trials have been conducted to prove flu vaccine safety and current evidence indicates that use of inactivated influenza vaccine has only a modest or no effect on preventing flu in children or the elderly. Co-author Tom Jefferson, an Italian epidemiologist said "There is a big gap between policies promoting annual influenza vaccinations for most children and adults and supporting scientific evidence."
NVIC has taken the position that the CDC should stop recommending annual influenza vaccination for all young children when there is insufficient scientific justification for it. http://www.nvic.
Unfortunately, when the CDC makes a recommendation for universal use of vaccines, state mandates soon follow. Greg Poland's call for 300 million Americans to get an annual flu shot is a pretty good indicator the CDC will eventually follow suit and drug company lobbyists seeking higher profits will pressure state legislatures to institute flu vaccine mandates. Once every American has been softened up to accept an annual flu shot, more shots and mandates will follow.
Only this time, the vaccine mandates will not just mean being barred from getting an education. Today, parental refusal to get a child vaccinated with all state mandated vaccines means the child can be barred from going to school or getting health insurance. Tomorrow vaccine mandates may mean being barred from getting a job or a driver's license unless you show proof you've saluted smartly and rolled up your sleeve for scores of new vaccines now being developed in more than 200 clinical trials worldwide. And that is a future that drug companies selling vaccines are convincing stockholders they can take all the way to the bank.
http://www.abcnews.
Top Vaccine Expert Suggests Guideline for Vaccination for Every Man, Woman and Child
"In Dr. Poland's war, there are no rules of engagement; anything goes. The enemy is what Dr. Poland calls "unwarranted death." These are deaths caused by infectious diseases that could have been prevented by vaccinations. It is an enemy that is as ruthless as it is resourceful. Says Dr Poland: "I was born into a Marine Corps family, and I spent my childhood growing up on military bases. As I went through medical school and residency, I knew right then and there that the warrior I was meant to be was the warrior taking on infectious diseases, to prevent them-because I just have a really hard time with death. Unwarranted death, the unexpected death."
http://mayoresearch
Universal Flu Vaccine Recommendation May Be Coming
Top Vaccine Expert Suggests Guideline for Vaccination for Every Man, Woman and Child
ABC News
October 26, 2007
by by Raja Jagadeesan, M.D.
ABC News Medical Unit
Click here for the URL: http://www.abcnews.
The time may soon come when doctors recommend that every American man, woman and child be vaccinated every year for influenza an idea offered Wednesday by a leading expert in vaccines and preventive medicine.
Dr. Gregory Poland, director of the Vaccine Research Group at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., testified Wednesday at a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the subcommittee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that issues federal recommendations for the use of vaccines in the United States.
In his testimony, Poland recommended that the United States should move to a so-called "universal recommendation" for vaccination against influenza, the virus that causes the flu.
A universal recommendation would make official that Americans of all ages should receive an influenza vaccination every year. The testimony came at a time when the committee is considering a smaller step of recommending that all school-age children receive a yearly vaccine.
"I think it's a good idea to expand [vaccination] to all school-age children," Poland said. "But a better idea is to say, 'let's not just go age group by age group; let's just recommend that everybody get it.'"
Review of recent changes in the CDC recommendations shows that ACIP has been steadily increasing the indications for a flu vaccine for several years. Current estimates are that more than 70 percent of the U.S. population now meets one of the 15 published criteria for recommendation of a yearly flu vaccine.
"We've changed the recommendation every year or two since '97," Poland said. "It's sort of a creeping incrementalism.
Instead of marking out ever-increasing numbers of groups that should get the flu vaccine yearly, Poland espoused a universal recommendation that all Americans should be getting the shot, with particular emphasis on vulnerable groups.
"Let's just make a universal recommendation that all Americans should get vaccinated. But then note that there are particular high-risk groups that should be particularly recommended to get the vaccine."
How Do You Deliver 300 Million Vaccines?
Such a move would not come without difficulty. Currently, less than 40 percent of America's 300 million people receive yearly flu shots and many of those for whom it is recommended do not receive their immunizations.
Other vaccine experts pointed out that any effort to vaccinate all Americans would face many logistical hurdles. Concerns included the availability of enough flu vaccine for the entire American population and the lack of a public health infrastructure to deliver that many vaccines.
"If a universal flu vaccine is recommended, it would need a plan," said Ira M. Longini Jr., a professor in biostatistics and biomathematics at the University of Washington School of Public Health. "Right now, if you look at vaccine supply, we can't make 300 million dose of vaccine and get them to the right people. Even if we could make enough dose, we would need to put in place a program to reach everyone."
A move to vaccinate everyone could also face significant financial hurdles.
"Who is going to pay for all of this?" asked Dr. William Schaffner, chair of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University. "For example, we know that there are 40 million people who don't have medical insurance. Who is going to get the vaccine to those people?"
According to Poland, though, vaccine supplies have been increasing steadily since the widely publicized vaccine shortages from several years ago.
"This year, manufacturers are going to make 130 million doses in America. Last year & we threw away about 12 million doses," he said. "Every year this decade, we've leaned on the manufacturers to make more vaccine, and we've thrown away doses in the millions."
"Until this year, there were concerns that we'd even have enough vaccines to cover our indicated patients," said Schaffner. "However, that concern is receding. We are having more manufacturers coming into the U.S. market. This year we'll have 130 million doses or even more. This year, we are faced with the idea of, 'can we even use it all?'"
Preparing America for Pandemics and Bioterrorism
According to Poland, however, there could be a very important hidden benefit to addressing these issues now: Americans would learn how to be prepared in case of a bioterrorist attack or a pandemic infectious disease.
"Once you've made a recommendation and then implement the recommendations, you go a long way towards figuring out the ways to operationalize the ways to administer these things to all Americans," Poland said. "You can't make that happen in the middle of an emergency."
Schaffner agreed that the development of such public health infrastructure could be a critically important step for the future.
"If we undertook to vaccinate a very substantial proportion of the U.S. population each year, you'd have to organize everything from vaccine development to production to delivery," he said. "It'd be like a training session or a fire drill that we'd conduct each year.
"So if we had to do it in any kind of emergent situation for example, anthrax, smallpox vaccine, delivering cipro [antibiotics] we'd have a trained provider network and a trained public," he said. "Just as most of us know where to go to vote, we'd be trained on where to go to get vaccinated or get your antibiotics or whatever the public health intervention would be."
"It may be something that could lay the groundwork for something looming down the line in the form of an avian flu pandemic," said Dr. Peter Hotez, chair of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine at The George Washington University. "By getting this infrastructure into place by vaccinating the whole population against [seasonal] flu, you lay the groundwork to combat deadly avian influenza.
"In effect, you would be killing two birds with one stone."
But according to Poland, this type of recommendation would likely need some advance warning to allow for the infrastructure to be built.
"I suggest we make the recommendation in advance," Poland said. "For example, something like 'starting next year, we'll be recommending all Americans get a flu vaccine.'"
Carla Williams and Dan Childs contributed to this report.
This year's flu shot missing new strains of virus
CTV.ca
October 24, 2007
Click here for the URL: http://www.ctv.
Canadians heading out to get their annual flu shot may want to know that the strains of the influenza aiming for North America appear to be drifting and mutating, raising questions about how much protection this year's flu vaccine will offer.
The process of creating the annual flu shot is a complicated one and actually begins almost a year ahead of time.
The World Health Organization monitors flu activity around the world, looking for predominant strains.
As flu viruses reproduce, they often trigger slight changes in their genetic code, which scientists call antigenic drift.
The WHO researchers take particular note of what's happening in the southern hemisphere to see what strains are emerging there, since they go through their winter flu season long before we do.
The WHO then selects the strains that they think are most likely to predominate in the northern hemisphere. They generally select three -- two subtypes of influenza A viruses and one influenza B virus-- to go into the vaccines to be used the following fall and winter.
Each year, authorities change one or two of the three strains in the vaccine, which is why it is important to get a new flu shot every year to ensure protection against the most recent strains.
This year's supply of shots is already being sent out to clinics and doctor's offices across Canada. But experts say it's beginning to appear that this year's vaccine may have two relative mismatches -- two viruses have been changing and may no longer match the viruses contained in this year's vaccine.
And because it takes at least six months to manufacture the vaccines, it's far too late to change them.
This year, scientists picked these three strains:
Influenza A - Solomon Islands/3/2006 (H1N1)-like
Influenza A - Wisconsin/67/
Influenza B - Malaysia/2506/
The Wisconsin strain, says the Public Health Agency of Canada, has already mutated into a different form than the one used for the vaccine, and the Malaysia strain shows signs of changing too.
"There is an inherent vulnerability in trying to develop a vaccine now for what might happen six months from now when flu season starts," says infectious disease specialist Dr. Neil Rau. "And with a strain mutating or gradually mutating, sometimes the guess is good, sometimes the guess is sub-optimal and sometimes it's bad."
"The process of making the vaccination is something of an educated guess based on what happened in the southern hemisphere during the preceding season."
No one knows how severe this year's flu season will be but Rau says it's theoretically possible the mismatch could result in more flu illnesses and hospitalizations.
"The worst case scenario with a bad match situation would be lot of disease in the elderly, manifesting in nursing home and cruise ships outbreaks, and with children you might see a lot of absenteeism and therefore a lot of parents off work as a result trying to care for them," he says.
Flu bug 'drift' speeding up
But other experts say these viral drifts are not unusual and happen on a regular basis because of the dynamic nature of the flu virus. They also note that in the past five years, the flu bugs have been drifting faster, though no one is sure why.
"We have noticed that there have been, certainly in one of the influenza A subtypes more recently, more frequent or rapid change in the virus, more rapid evolution," says Danuta Skowronski of the epidemiology services branch of the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.
"Having said that, though, that more rapid evolution has not been associated with more severe or intense outbreaks, so how meaningful that is ultimately is uncertain."
"It certainly makes it more difficult in terms of keeping pace with the changes in the vaccine to match those changes in the virus," she says. "But in terms of overall illness impact in the community, we have not seen that that has increased."
No drug or vaccine is ever 100 per cent effective and this year's vaccine won't be a perfect match either. But scientists point out that the antibodies the vaccine helps produce will offer some immunity over whatever strains do arrive.
"In recent seasons, even where there has been a vaccine mismatch, the vaccine can afford 40-50 per cent protection," says Dr. Theresa Tam of the Public Health Agency of Canada.
And some protection is better than none, especially for the elderly, she says, for whom the flu can actually be fatal.
"Even if it doesn't protect you from actually getting it, it can reduce the severity of the illness and complications,
That's why public health experts say, despite the complex science of tracking drifting strains, the flu vaccine is still the best protection against a tricky disease.
Influenza and pneumonia killed 4,725 Canadians in 2002, the last year for which detailed statistics are available, according to Statistics Canada. Health Canada estimates that 700 to 2,500 deaths a year may be attributable to influenza.
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that everyone over the age of six months be vaccinated against the flu.
With a report from CTV medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
============
Annual Flu Shots May Be of Little Benefit to the Elderly
Medscape Today
September 26, 2007
by Laurie Barclay, MD
Click here for the URL: http://www.medscape