Dr. Liz Miller, well known and much admired by me and many others in the Blogsphere, is quoted in Pulse yesterday as being opposed to both recommending and not wanting to receive the H1N1 'flu vaccine. This is in concert with many Physicians and other Health care workers who, as reported widely in the press (but not so widely on television) feel that the vaccine is both untested and potentially harmful. This seems to be mirrored in the public at large, at least those with their brains in gear, with quite a low uptake in the so called 'at risk' cohort.
The Government, as ever, seems to have handled this debacle particularly badly. Going against the advice of eminent Scientists both on its own advisory panel and throughout the World. No change there then! Worldwide 'Big Pharma' stands to make about $50 billion from this 'pandemic' and this time there will be no downside, as both US and UK Governments have given indemnity against prosecution for any adverse effects that may arise from their wares. Get out of Jail free card?
Are we all being paranoid, or are there genuine scientific concerns that need to be aired? Well most concerns seem to about the adjuvants used in these vaccines rather than the concept of a vaccine per se. Adjuvants the 'dirty little secrets' of most vaccines were discovered (as usual) by accident. It was found that early vaccines made in vessels that were less than clean (dirty) were more effective than those that were more quality controlled. The view being that the contaminants created an autoimmune response that allowed the vaccine to be more effective, in simple terms. That in turn led to the addition to most of a controlled adjuvant that would 'kick start' the immune system into a response to the vaccine that would give the needed acquired immunity. Where the problem arises then, is when these components of the vaccine have properties that seem dubious or dangerous even and arouse concerns by doctors and scientists not involved in their design or manufacture (ie; not paid by Big Pharma).
Squalene and polysorbate 80 are some of those used and whilst these can be ingested with little harm there can be adverse reactions when injected, as with many substances. It is the lack of testing of these adjuvants that forms the backbone of most concerns and their potential for harm, in the main the potential for Guillian-Barre syndrome that in the swine flu outbreak of 1977 is alleged to have been responsible for 25 deaths and 500 severe cases in the US. Given the lack of any real testing of the current batch of vaccines (except in the community) those concerns are very real and seem to have been communicated to the public DESPITE the propaganda and spin of the Government and DoH.
It is also thought that people born before 1950 already have an acquired immunity to the virus and in the main it is a lesser illness than seasonal 'flu anyway. Make up your own mind. Don't be pressured by Government or your GP practise. The latter get 'free money' for doing this (Liz Millers words) and the former seem not to understand the 'Law of Unintended Consequences'. People would be better to build up their immune systems with supplementation of Vitamins A, C and D3 than to consign themselves to this dubious scheme to fill the coffers of Big Pharma and GP's. Make your own (informed) decision.
