Family Wellness First - 027 - Flu Season

It's flu season again and the usual advocacy is in full gear. A new report however, finds serious flaws with current flu vaccine recommendations.

The British Medical Journal recently published this report:
"Influenza vaccination: policy versus evidence"
It is an excellent paper funded by an independent non-profit foundation:the Cochrane Collaboration, which challenges the safety and efficacy of the current flu vaccine recommended policy.

They begin their paper by saying... " Each year enormous effort goes into producing influenza vaccines for that specific year and delivering them to appropriate sections of the population. Is this effort justified?"

Their report summary was alarming and questioned the use of the flu vaccine...

Summary points

• Public policy worldwide recommends the use of inactivated influenza vaccines to prevent seasonal outbreaks
• Because viral circulation and antigenic match vary each year and non-randomised studies predominate, systematic reviews of large datasets from several decades provide the best information on vaccine performance
• Evidence from systematic reviews shows that inactivated vaccines have little or no effect on the effects measured
• Most studies are of poor methodological quality and the impact of confounders is high
• Little comparative evidence exists on the safety of these vaccines
• Reasons for the current gap between policy and evidence are unclear, but given the huge resources involved, a re-evaluation should be urgently undertaken
  

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/333/7574/912

Science on flu shot effectiveness doesn't support flu shot policies:

A great article about the BMJ paper: There isn't enough proof that flu vaccine is effective to support public programs advocating widespread use of flu shots, a controversial vaccine epidemiologist is suggesting. "There's a huge gap between policy and evidence," Jefferson, who is co-ordinator of the Cochrane Vaccines Field in Rome, said in an interview Thursday.
Read the complete article here:
Flu Shot Effectiveness

Here are some additional articles pertinent to the flu vaccine.

• FDA Won't Ban Mercury in Vaccines
  http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2006/10/26/92927.shtml?s=he

 

• Do you Really want the Flu Vaccine?
  http://www.icpa4kids.org/wellness/0005.htm
  

Myth vs. reality:
Myth: Recent reports have claimed that "Influenza kills 30,000 to 40,000 Americans every year." This is a promotional myth perpetuated on behalf of vaccine manufacturers.
Reality: If you go to the CDC's main flu page you will find the 36,000 deaths number and a link to the actual flu table that has the death statistics. But if you go to the more comprehensive overall death report you will find that only 753 people died of flu in 2002, which is an example of how many less deaths there are, than what is actually being reported by the CDC.
(Courtesy of http://www.mercola.com/2004/oct/30/flu_deaths.htm)

This article also helps unfold the reality - remember, follow the money trail: http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=9c96c3d56f677081

Comments from the National Vaccine Information Center:

"Here come the fear mongers...just in time for the flu vaccine marketing season.. Fear is used to persuade Americans to roll up their sleeves and hand over their children to be vaccinated. Years ago, people developed resistance the old fashioned way: By getting the flu. And then when that type of flu came around again years or decades later, they either didn't get sick or had only a mild case. The vaccine marketeers want to take that away from our population. What will that make us? Vaccine dependent, of course."
- Barbara Loe Fisher, co-founder of the National Vaccine Information Center

Read the NVIC statement on flu vaccines " National Vaccine Information Center Calls for Influenza Vaccine Policy Change" here: http://www.909shot.com/PressReleases/pr1031flu.htm

Immune System Support for Children:

The vitalistic approach to the Flu Season is to strengthen the immune system naturally.

From the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association we have this information to present:
Chiropractic and Immune Function: http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/chiropractic/immune.htm

Flu Season; Chance or Choice?
http://www.icpa4kids.org/newsletters/flu.htm

From the Holistic Pediatric Association we have this article to share:
Immune System Supplements for Children.
http://www.hpakids.org/holistic-health/articles/197/1/Immune-System-Supplements-for-Children

From Dr. Mercola:
Six Ways to Avoid the Winter Flu--and a Flu Shot Isn’t One of Them
1- Avoid sugar
2- Get enough rest
3- Eat garlic regularly
4- Don't let stress overwhelm you
5- Exercise
6- Wash your hands
http://www.mercola.com/2003/oct/29/flu_shot.htm

Our previous issue of Pathways, Issue #10 http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/references10.htm has a great article on vaccinations written by Richard Moskowitz, MD. The article defines the adverse, long term effect of vaccines on the immune system.

We still have back issues available. We suggest ordering bulk copies and bringing them to your offices, community groups, etc.

To order bulk copies visit: https://secure.icpa4kids.com/pathways_order.htm

To subscribe to Pathways visit this link: http://www.icpa4kids.org/research/participate.htm