Don't get the flu shot

There are good and valid reasons to get the annual seasonal flu shot, especially if you have an underlying medical condition such as asthma, heart disease, or a weakened immune system.

But, for the vast majority of healthy people (under the age of 65), there are also good and valid reasons NOT to get the annual influenza shot. Although some are distrustful of all vaccines, there are specific reasons to be wary of the influenza vaccine;

these include:

• Complications related to the flu shot. Many people report feeling sick after getting the flu shot, and children have been reported to suffer from febrile seizures. Reports of narcolepsy and adverse reactions to the flu shot appear to be on the rise.

• The flu shot is not entirely effective. You can still get the flu, even if you are vaccinated. So, while you incur the risks for adverse side effects you may still get the flu.

*  The effectiveness of the anti-flu treatment Tamiflu has been called into question, and it appears that it does not lessen hospital stays.  Further it appears some of the results of the trials were intentionally withheld when they painted a picture of doing exactly the opposite of the intended affect.  There was one trial that seemed to suggest that Tamiflu lessened the ability of the immune system to fight influenza. 


• Lack of legal recourse (civil) especially in the US if you are harmed by the flu shot.  A US Supreme Court decision (BRUESEWITZ et al. v . WYETH LLC) sided with vaccine makers in a case involving a Pennsylvania girl who was denied a claim in vaccine court and was not allowed for file a claim in civil court. The fact is that if you lose your case in “vaccine court” you will have no further legal recourse. Some, including Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor, argue that there are now no serious consequences for vaccine manufacturers if they produce a faulty product and that no other industry in America has such a comprehensive “get out of jail free” card.

• Most healthy people do not require hospitalization for the flu, even though suffering from the flu is uncomfortable.

• Washing your hands frequently, eating healthy, and getting plenty of sleep are very good ways to avoid getting the flu.

• The majority of health care providers (approximately 60%) choose NOT to get the flu shot every year. Even the risk of termination of their job is not great enough of a threat to convince them to risk getting the flu shot.  [ Edit note: in 2012, the numbers have improved.  One study shows that 60% + of health care providers are now getting the flu shot.  But, this improvement has happened after employers threatened termination for non-compliance.   The fact that so many health care providers are still leery of getting the flu shot speaks volumes. ]

• Recommendations for getting the flu shot vary widely from country to country. For example, most countries in Europe only recommend those aged 65 or over get the flu shot (with no underlying medical condition).

• The odds of dying from the flu are minuscule. The CDC’s numbers for mortality are suspect, at best. Influenza is grouped with pneumonia statistics, thus blurring any meaningful comparisons. But, even the CDC admits that most deaths occur among the elderly population, yet still insist that everyone (over 6 months of age) get the flu shot. The is especially at odds with reality, given that pediatric deaths associated with flu are now at historically low levels.

• Valid reasons to mistrust government and pharmaceutical pronouncements, including the influence of money in the political process. The recent case of trial tests of the antibiotic drug “Trovan” on African children, allegedly without parental consent, illustrates problems with the industry. Recent news reports about past horrors amplify the point. *

• Valid reasons to mistrust media outlets. Many newspapers, web sites, and television news programs are beholden to vast pharmaceutical advertising dollars. Anyone who questions the necessity of flu shots is instantly branded a kook or “dangerous.” An outlet that does not follow the party line risks losing advertising dollars to other programs that are not so choosy about what they publish.

• Not all flu shot formulas are the same. Risks vary by formula. The nasal flu shot, Flumist, contains a live, albeit weakened, influenza virus.

So, we will continue to remain skeptical of the CDC's blanket recommendation that everyone over the age of 6 months get the flu shot.

As with all medical decisions, you should ask your doctor if you should get the flu shot. But, also ask him/her if they have gotten the flu shot themselves.

Hopefully they will be honest with you.


See also: Flu Shots: Panacea or Propaganda? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/flu-shots-panacea-or-prop_b_831696.html

*AP IMPACT: Past medical testing on humans revealed
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/27/AR2011022700988.html

Flu Crazy 200 - The Largest Pharmaceutical Companies in the world, by size

Flu Crazy 200 - The Largest Pharmaceutical Companies in the world, by size

Johnson    & Johnson
Pfizer Inc
Roche Holding    Ltd.
Novartis AG
Merck &    Co.,
GlaxoSmithKline    plc
Sanofi SA
Abbott Laboratories   
Novo-Nordisk A/S   
Bayer AG   
AstraZeneca plc   
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
Amgen,Inc.   
Eli Lilly   
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
Gilead    Sciences,Inc.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Company
Celgene    Corporation
Allergan,Inc
McKesson Corporation   
Astellas Pharma    Inc.
Shire PLC   
CSL Ltd.   
Fresenius SE
Alexion    Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Valeant    Pharmaceuticals    International,
Cardinal Health, Inc.
Daiichi    Sankyo    Company
Eisai Co.,Ltd.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
AmerisourceBergen Corporation   
Mylan Inc
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co
Perrigo    Company   
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc
Forest Laboratories,Inc
Elan Corporation plc
Life Technologies Corporation
Herbalife Ltd.   
Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma
UCB S.A.
Watson Pharmaceuticals,    Inc.
Taisho Pharmaceutical Holdings
Merck KGaA
Ono Pharmaceutical Co
Aspen Pharmacare Holdings
Kyowa Hakko Kirin
Grifols    S.A.   
Hospira,Inc   
Yunnan Baiyao Group
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Holding
Actelion Ltd.   
Jiangsu    Hengrui    Medicine
Shionogi & Co
Cipla Ltd
Kangmei    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
IDEXX    Laboratories,    Inc.
Shandong    Weigao    Group
Lupin    Limited   
Hisamitsu    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Dainippon    Sumitomo    Pharma
Endo    Pharmaceuticals    Holdings
Warner    Chilcott    PLC
Galenica    AG   
H.    Lundbeck    A/S
BioMarin    Pharmaceutical    Inc.
PT    Kalbe    Farma
GlaxoSmithKline    Pharmaceuticals    Ltd
Dabur    India    Ltd
Santen    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Sichuan    Kelun    Pharmaceutical
Ranbaxy    Laboratories    Ltd.
Tianjin    Tasly    Pharmaceutical
Chr.    Hansen    Holding
Celesio    AG   
Shenzhen    Hepalink    Pharmaceutical
Richter    Gedeon    Nyrt.
Beijing    Tongrentang    Co.,
Orion    Oyj   
Salix    Pharmaceuticals    Ltd
Medipal    Holdings    Corp
Shanghai    Fosun    Pharmaceutical
Suzuken    Co.,    Ltd.
Cadila    Healthcare   
Jilin    Aodong    Medicine
China    Resources    Sanjiu
A    Meda    AB
Jazz    Pharmaceuticals    PLC.
Techne    Corporation   
United    Therapeutics    Corporation
Amylin    Pharmaceuticals,    Inc.
Hualan    Biological    Engineering
ARIAD    Pharmaceuticals,    Inc.
ONYX    Pharmaceuticals,    Inc.
Krka,    tovarna    zdravil,
Harbin    Pharmaceutical    Group
Zhejiang    Hisun    Pharmaceutical
Questcor    Pharmaceuticals,    Inc.
Shijiazhuang    Yiling    Pharmaceutical
Seattle    Genetics,    Inc.
Qualicorp    SA
Ipsen    SA   
Hikma    Pharmaceuticals    plc
Miraca    Holdings    Inc.
Fleury    S.A.   
Alkermes    Public    Limited
GlaxoSmithKline    Consumer    Healthcare
Kobayashi    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Denki    Kagaku    Kogyo
Medicis    Pharmaceutical    Corporation
ViroPharma,    Inc.  
Genomma    Lab    Internacional
Tsumura    &    Co.
Vivus,    Inc.    United
Divi's    Laboratories    Ltd.
Nippon    Kayaku    Company
Huadong    Medicine    Co.,
Beijing    SL    Pharmaceutical
Gansu    Yasheng    Industrial
BTG    plc    United
Guilin    Jiqi    Pharmaceutical
Zhejiang    Medicine    Co.,
STADA    Arzneimittel    AG
Pharmacyclics,    Inc.   
Sawai    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Shenzhen    Salubris    Pharmaceuticals
S&P    Pharmaceutical    Co
Piramal    Healthcare    Limited
Glenmark    Pharmaceuticals    Ltd
Theravance,    Inc.  
Tieling    Newcity    Investment
Zhangzhou    Pientzehuang    Pharmaceutical
Taro    Pharmaceutical    Industries
Human    Genome    Sciences,
Recordati    S.p.A.   
Impax    Laboratories    Inc.
Wuhan    Humanwell    Healthcare
Financiere    de    Tubize
Chongqing    Zhifei    Biological
DiaSorin    S.p.A.   
Beijing    Double-Crane    Pharmaceutical
Opko    Health    Inc.
Inner    Mongolia    Yili
Kyorin    Holdings    Inc
Ironwood    Pharmaceuticals    Inc.
China    Shineway    Pharmaceutical
Almirall    S.A.   
Amarin    Corporation    plc
Adcock    Ingram    Holdings
Corporativo    Fragua,    S.A.
Rohto    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Guangzhou    Pharmaceutical    Co
Mochida    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Toho    Holdings    Co.,
Par    Pharmaceutical    Companies,
Halozyme    Therapeutics,    Inc.
Kaken    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Tibet    Urban  Development
Virbac    SA
Jiangxi    Jiangzhong  Pharmaceutical
Tempo    Scan    Pacific,
Wockhardt    Ltd.   
China    Medical    System
Guilin    Sanjin    Pharmaceutical
Scinopharm    Taiwan,    Ltd.
Shanghai    RAAS    Blood Products Co
BB    Biotech    AG
Sartorius    Stedim    Biotech
Akorn,    Inc.    United
Xizang    Haisco    Pharmaceutical
Guizhou    Bailing    Group
Kissei    Pharmaceutical    Co.,
Tibet    Cheezheng Tibet Medicine Co, Inc.
The Medicines    Company
AstraZeneca    Pharma   
Zhejiang    Huahai    Pharmaceutical
Green    Cross    Corp
Jiangsu    Wuzhong    Industrial

UK Department of Health forced to disclose Swine Flu spending

The BBC’s Martin Rosenbaum reports that the UK Department of Health (DOH) spent £ 239 million (approx. US $ 382 million) on the swine flu vaccine last year.

The Department of Health initially resisted requests for the information with flimsy claims of commercial confidentiality. As we now know, the swine flu “pandemic” was vastly over hyped, and much of the swine flu vaccine had to be discarded (at taxpayer’s expense).

Rosenbaum reports that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) received the lion share of the bounty for its Pandemrix vaccine, with the rest going to Baxter Int’l (BAX) for Celvapan.

Still, it wasn’t easy getting the information. At first DOH refused to respond to a freedom of information request. BBC then had to appeal to the information commissioner. As Rosenbaum points out, this “case illustrates the limits of commercial confidentiality under FOI. It shows how claims sometimes made by public authorities about possible damage to commercial interests are not necessarily strong enough grounds for refusing freedom of information requests.“

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/opensecrets/2011/02/bbc_forces_disclosure_of_swine.html

Reuters reports development of intravenous flu treatment

GlaxoSmithKline begins a phase III study of its new intravenous flu treatment ("zanamivir") that they hope will compete with competitor pill, Tamiflu.

This is intended to treat the sickest patients, who may not have responded to other treatments.

The pharmaceutical giant is hoping to take market share away from rival Roche.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70I1RU20110119