There is not enough evidence to support the effectiveness of immunizing older people against flu, fresh research in the US has concluded.
Researchers from George Washington University, Washington DC, say the benefits in reducing deaths among over 70s have been "greatly exaggerated".
The findings echo a controversial 2006 British Medical Journal study.
...Researchers from George Washington University, led by Dr Lone Simonson, say that in the US - despite an increase in vaccination coverage from 15% to 65% since 1980 - excess mortality among elderly people actually increased during the 1980s and 1990s.
They also cited an Italian study, which found no decline in flu-related mortality rates, even as vaccine coverage rose from 5% to 65%.
The study also deplored what it saw as a lack of placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials (RCTs) among those over the age of 70.
Go to the National Vaccines Information Center and search the VAERS database! It’s free and open to anyone with internet access.
As an example, a quick search for adverse effects to the FLU vaccine garnered 33,111 adverse events, and that’s just what’s been reported. It is believed that only about one to four percent of all adverse reactions are ever reported to VAERS.
One credible hypothesis that explains the seasonal nature of flu is that influenza is a vitamin D deficiency disease.
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 touted by proponents [of the flu shot] for the elderly was nowhere to be seen. What you see is that marketing rules the response to influenza, and scientific evidence comes fourth or fifth.” (5)
With this much evidence that flu shots are ineffective, why would anyone proceed to inject three viruses and a load of toxic chemicals into their body in an attempt to avoid the flu when Vitamin C and hand washing will no doubt be more effective?
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Influenza-Vaccine---Proof-It-Doesnt-Work&id=543226
Australia’s chief medical officer Jim Bishop today said health professionals should immediately stop immunising children under five years old with the flu vaccine. Professor Bishop is concerned about a spike in the number of West Australian youngsters experiencing fever and convulsions after getting the shot: “Don’t give children flu jab: chief medical officer“ Syndey Morning Herald April 23, 2010
This is a precautionary measure while the matter is being urgently investigated by health experts and the Therapeutic Goods Administration,” he said.
Professor Bishop is concerned about a spike in the number of West Australian youngsters experiencing fever and convulsions after getting the shot. The news has been widely reported in the Australian media and now in the UK: “Dozens of Australian children fall ill from flu vaccine” The Telegraph – Bonnie Malkin in Sydney 23 Apr 2010
Doctors across Australia have been ordered to stop giving young children the seasonal flu vaccine after 44 children fell ill hours after being immunised.
” The question for the UK, USA, Australian and New Zealand is, when are the politicians going to stop corruption in politics and start protecting their voters’ children from the corrupt marketing practices in the pharmaceutical industry and clear out from their national Health Departments and Agencies any corrupt and/or incompetent officials with unhealthy ties to the drug industry.
Here are links to some of the news stories from the USA, Australia, New Zealand and the UK:
Flu jab scare sparks call for surveillance system – ABC Online Dozens of children have suffered serious adverse reactions after receiving the flu vaccine in WA. (AFP: Jewel Samad) The number of children suffering …
Fevers in 60 children linked to flu vaccine – Sydney Morning Herald More than 60 West Australian children may have had adverse reactions to the flu vaccine, the state’s health department says. West Australian Health Minister …
Dozens of Australian children fall ill from flu vaccine – Telegraph.co.uk - Bonnie Malkin – Doctors across Australia have been ordered to stop giving young children the seasonal flu vaccine after 44 children fell ill hours after being immunised. …
Australia Tells Doctors to Stop Flu Shot for Children – BusinessWeek - Marion Rae April 23 (Bloomberg) — Australia’s government said children aged five years and younger shouldn’t be given CSL Ltd.’s seasonal flu vaccine …
Don’t give children flu jab: chief medical officer – Sydney Morning Herald Drug regulators are urgently investigating whether the seasonal flu vaccine is safe for children, after the nation’s top doctor said they shouldn’t receive …
Ministry warns over flu vaccine – TVNZ The Ministry of Health is warning doctors not to give a particular type of flu vaccine to children under 5, after reports of children suffering convulsions …
Fluvax flu vaccine warning after child convulsions – Stuff.co.nz Doctors have been warned not to use popular flu vaccine Fluvax on preschoolers after reports of children convulsing. The Health Ministry said it had …
Children’s flu vaccine suspended – ABC Online SHANE MCLEOD: The country’s chief medical officer has suspended the flu vaccine for children under five. The decision comes after 23 children in Perth …
Probe on flu shots after kids fall ill – Herald Sun DRUG regulators are urgently investigating whether the seasonal flu vaccine is safe for children, after the nation’s top doctor said they …
Health scare halts flu vaccine for kids – The Australian DOCTORS have been told to stop giving the seasonal flu vaccine to children under five amid a serious health scare in Western Australia. …
Children sick after flu jab – ABC Online Dozens of children have suffered serious adverse reactions after receiving the flu vaccine in WA. The Health Department has suspended the free flu …
Flu jabs suspended in WA – Sydney Morning Herald The West Australian government has temporarily suspended its free flu vaccination program for children under five after some youngsters developed high …
Flu shots suspended after kids hospitalised – ABC Online The Western Australian Government has suspended all flu vaccinations for children under five while it investigates a spike in admissions to Princess …
Doctors: Stop flu vaccine for children – Daily Telegraph Australia’s chief medical officer has told doctors to stop giving the seasonal flu vaccine to children. DOCTORS have been told to stop giving NSW children …
NZ children suffer serious reactions to flu vaccine – Radio New Zealand Some New Zealand children have suffered serious adverse reactions as a result of receiving the seasonal flu vaccine. The Government of Western Australia on …
Stop kids’ flu vaccine – Pharmacy News Australia’s chief medical officer has told all GPs and immunisation providers to stop giving seasonal flu vaccine to children under five years due to a …
Flu vaccine ban for children under 5 after kids fall ill in Perth – Courier Mail Australia’s chief medical officer has told doctors to stop giving the seasonal flu vaccine to children. AUSTRALIAN health authorities have announced a …
Child flu shots suspended in West Australia – Radio New Zealand Western Australia has suspended free flu vaccinations for children under five, after at least one became seriously ill and dozens suffered serious adverse …
No flu shots for kids in WA – Ninemsn The Western Australian government has put a halt on all flu shots for young children, after reports of many suffering adverse side effects. …
Flu vaccine linked to convulsions – Otago Daily Times Doctors in New Zealand have been advised against using the influenza vaccine Fluvax on children following reports in Australia of some cases of convulsions …
Flu vaccination ban goes national after fever, convulsion risk – WA today - Chris Thomson West Australian health authorities are trying to determine if the entire Fluvax drug, or just batches, have caused children under five to convulse – and …
WA Suspends All Flu Vaccination – TopNews United States - Amit Pathania The Western Australian Government is revealed to have suspended all flu vaccinations related to children under the age of five, while it carries the …
E-mail from "ChildHealthSafety"
Dr. Jefferson co-authored the first review of all clinical trials in which healthy people under age 60 were randomly assigned to receive a flu vaccination or a placebo vaccine. ... And he recently wrote an editorial entitled, "How to deal with Influenza?" for the British medical journal, BMJ. Vaccination successes are largely confined to influenza A and B, the type that accounts for only a small percentage of all influenza cases, he wrote. What's more, public health officials are not good at predicting how much influenza A and B to expect in the next flu season. Putting these concerns together, Dr. Jefferson expressed reservations about mass vaccination, given the costs and variable benefits. "Before committing scarce resources to deal with influenza we need better proof that what we see is influenza and not an influenza-like illness."
Most people will not get the flu (only 5-20% come down with it each season, according to the CDC). Influenza does not pose a risk of serious complications to most people who get it. The flu vaccine (which changes formulations each year) does not prevent the type of flu that the overwhelming majority of Americans get each fall/winter season. The flu vaccine will cut the odds of getting influenza A and B by only 25%. This type of influenza, however, represents less than 15% of all cases, and public health officials cannot forecast how much of the influenza viruses expected in the upcoming flu season will be influenza A and B.
Elderly people may benefit from a flu vaccination in terms of reduced risk of pneumonia, hospitalizations and death, but the supporting studies are not very good. There is no good evidence to show that the benefits outweigh the risks of vaccinating babies and young children against the flu. Healthy people under age 60 years do not benefit from the flu vaccine, in terms of reduced odds of getting the flu, days lost from work, or stopping the spread of influenza. No adverse reactions to the flu vaccine have been identified, though long-term consequences are unknown.
http://www.medicalconsumers.org/pages/FluVaccineisRarelyEffective.html
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