With all the media hype about the swine flu and the impending vaccine I am shocked and amazed that mainstream media is taking such a reckless and bias approach to informing the public about the real and potentially lethal effects of the vaccine itself! There has been no mention of the fact that in 1976 more people died from the vaccine than from the flu itself! Wake up folks, do some research, don’t just assume that the government has your best interests in mind… you’ll be shocked and aghast at what you find if you go looking! Enlighten yourselves as to the real and present dangers, then and only then, can you make an informed decision.
—vaccinate over my dead body
This article appears in Sep 24-30, 2009.
Agreed. By November there will be 1.4 million doses avalable for nova scotia… With our health care as shitty as it is, it seems odd that this is a priority. Population control people! Everywhere around the world people are lining up to be “immunized”
Wake up and realize this is 2009, not 1976. Technology has come a long way. They don’t use live viruses anymore, they use dead or synthetic replicas of the virus to vaccinate, so your immune system knows what to fight. If you don’t want a vaccine, that’s your choice. But, there is obviously a vulnerable population out there who would benefit from the vaccine.
Anyway, the best way to avoid getting any flu this winter is to wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and remember that antibacterial soap helps, but it removes bacteria, not viruses.
I’m not getting the H1N1 shot. Its too new and there seems to be very little info on it and what I do hear conflicting.
Wake up and realize that this is 2009 and that Big Pharma has come along way with testing new drugs.
How so you ask?
By using the public as the guinea pigs for testing new drugs. Apparently too expensive to develop and fully test drugs these days. Much cheaper to release them without fully knowing if they are safe or not. And if a few people die or have other adverse reactions then you pay the damages and note the results.
Oh, and when they do test them, they give the results to the government who accepts them without question. Of course this assumes companies won’t fudge results in the name of profits, something that’s allegedly been done a few times already. You’d think we’d learn by now that business should not be in the business of regulating itself because we know they will bend/break rules to suit their needs.
Its a system that works great for the bottom line of big pharma and not so great for the general public.
The people who agree with this system of incomplete testing by saying that this is a good way to get drugs to the public quicker will the first to cry foul when it’s their family member who dies from a drug not fully tested on humans.
So yes,.wake up people and realize that you are a guinea pig for the testing of all new drugs coming onto the market these days. And your government agrees with this model. Do you?
1.4 million doses for ~900,000 people. Yeah, if that’s their idea of math, I’ll pass on the shot.
why would I want to get vaccinated? I could use some time off work.
problem is that I rarely ever get sick.
I’ve never even had the flu before so odds are I’m not going to get the 10 days off I would surely enjoy despite the hacking/sneezing/various sore parts/etc…
now for the children/elderly/compromised immune systems… I say they can have my dose for shizzle.
Kids, pregnant women, and immuno-compromised people need that vaccine. I agree, zZz, I’ll pass on getting the shot if it means they have better access.
H1N1 is a nasty, scary bug, but it doesn’t come close to the number of women who die from HPV-related cervical cancer. I heard on the news last night that Britain’s become completely phobic of the HPV vaccine because one girl had a bad reaction and died. (Not that the loss of one life is anything to scoff about – I feel for her family.)
I am now pregnant with my first child, and my doctor is insisting I get an H1N1 shot. However, she is advising me to take a pass on the regular flu shot this year.
From what I understand, the vaccine will be served to us practically right out of the petri dish. I mean, I saw calls for human guinea pigs to be tested just over a month ago. That is way to soon for me.
I felt the same way about Nutrasweet when it came out, so I never used it either–thank goodness.
Vaccines are one of the safest medical treatments around. The concept is well proven. They make the H1N1 vaccine exactly the same way the have been making the season flu shots, which are also proven to be safe. The media and the health community is obviously doing a piss poor job educating the public of these facts based on some of these comments. When the internet conspiracies win, society has failed.
*sigh* I’m waivering on getting the shot — I’m in the “high risk” category, and I pick up germs like a sponge, but…I’m still not 100% certain I want to get something that’s so new.
And honestly? I think the “hype” over H1N1 *is* just that: HYPE! People die from the flu all the time (not saying that to sound cold but…), and H1N1 isn’t exactly like ebola…
Oh also PDG: experts are saying it takes two doses for adults to become immune…900 000 people x 2 doses = 1.8 million, which means 200 000 of us are shit out of luck.
The vaccine is not going to kill you. The flu might. It’s insurance.
The hype over H1N1 is high but it is also likely to be a major flu strain this flu season. So it makes sense to get the H1N1 vaccine if you are at risk for seasonal flu.
Every year the flu vaccine is hot off the presses. This year is no different. All they do is change the virus they use in the SAME PROCESS for vaccine production. A process that has been proven safe.
So I’d like to know how many people DIDN’T die of the flu in 1976 because they were immunized. I’d also like to see the published peer reviewed study you’re quoting, OB.
But what about every other year, Miles? Why don’t individual strains that end up being major outbreaks end up being hyped up in the media and by government (mainly media)?
Almost seems like a scare tactic, but I don’t really want to go down the road of conspiracy theories so…
In most cases PK, the seasonal flu only kills those who are most susceptible – the very young, the very old, and those with compromised immune systems. That’s usually the case year after year.
What’s so different – and cause for concern – about this particular strain is that it’s killing perfectly healthy 20 and 30-somethings. I think that’s why the media, the WHO, the CDC and others are ringing the alarm bells.
If you are asking why H1N1 is so hyped up I think that has a lot to do with how we first identified it. It was the outbreak in Mexico where there seemed to be a lot of deaths due to flu like symptoms and H1N1 was ID’d in a lot of those samples. That, along with travelers coming back from Mexico with the flu and the on-guard stance of public health officials due to Avian Flu and SARS scares led to the media storm. The data still suggests that in North America H1N1 is very much like normal season flu viruses but by the time we figured that out, the hype was on. There is still some indication that the H1N1 virus caused more complications in healthy individuals in the Mexico outbreak and it appears that some Native populations here might be more susceptible to the virus, but, overall, H1N1 has not behaved like it apparently did in Mexico. So, H1N1 gained notoriety because of a jumpy media. Actually, the hype has allowed for some good research to be done on how an individual virus strain actually spreads within and between populations. This data will no doubt be very useful for future preparedness plans.
In further answer to your question, most other Flu strains that are thought to be the major ones are just quietly identified by the systems and agencies already in place and since they aren’t remarkable, the media doesn’t care. H1N1 just happened at the right place and right time for a media blitz. Once that started, governments were forced to respond.
Yeah, Jennie, that was the initial concern, but the susceptibility of healthy young adults hasn’t really panned out here. Most of the deaths here have been in the young, old and immuno compromised or those with preexisting conditions (to my knowledge).
Great points Miles.
Rather than jump to conclusions about whether this vaccine will save you or kill you, why not talk to your health care provider? He or she should be able to answer your questions, and help you determine whether or not the flu shot is right for you.
But Jennie, the doctors are just part of the machine. The pharmaceutical companies are their bread and butter. They WANT you to take more drugs so they can get taken to more dinners by Pharma reps. The only people who are reliable are the free thinking non-scientifically trained anti-establishment types who use the internet to tell us anecdotal stories about how vaccines gave their baby autism. That’s who we should be listening to…not our doctors or government officials who are actually trained to think about these issues.
Oh yeah! I completely forgot about that Miles!
Phew! It’s a good thing you’re here!
My kids are part Iroquois, and even though I was aware of the impact of viruses on natives in the past, it never occurred to me to think that they would still be more susceptible. Shit.
Well, I don’t have the detail, but I think there was a community in Manitoba that was pretty hard hit this summer. That’s not a large sample size to make conclusions about whether there’s a genetic or environmental cause or even if the Native population is really even at an increased risk. You can dig out the old news reports if you are concerned…or talk to your doctor.
For those of you who trust your government and have questions:
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/alert-alerte/h1…
Fluzone (Influenza Virus Vaccine) uses mercury as a preservative.
Nano Particles are being used in untested H1N1 Swine Flu Vaccines.
Statements such as this that make me want to take the stance, you go first.
Bulk up on probiotics and anti-oxidants, and there’s no need for a flu-shot, trust me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQIafPMRfsA
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles…
Please folks.. do some digging. Pharma is BIG business. We’re not being told the truth. Don’t be afraid, be smart… investigate the many natural supplements that are available to sustain and enhance the immune system.
Don’t buy into the fear machine for if you look you shall see that the actual flu is not nearly as harmful as the shot itself.
Do yourself a favour.. play the skeptic, demand the truth!
Advocating natural supplements that are untested, unproven and not subject to peer review, government regulation or any industry standard at the expense of regulated and tested treatments with proven efficacy is dangerous, bordering on stupid.
No, the pharmaceutical industry and government regulatory process are not perfect but they are effective. Be critical, but don’t be so cynical you throw the baby out with the bathwater. The scientific method and peer review process is one of the most reliable methods for guaranteeing the safety of products that go to market. You can’t say the same with most natural supplements. If they are so good at what they claim…prove it and market it. If they were as good as they clam, a cynical person would have to question why Big Pharma hasn’t jumped on that bandwagon already.
I have always found that preventive medicine is the best way to fight sickness. Good sleep, a healthy BALANCED diet and exercise, combined with as little stress as possible, will prepare your immune system for battle.
Instead of taking supplements, I do such things as using fresh onions, garlic, ginger and herbs, as well as making all of my own (soup) stocks.
Woah Miles, Ima have to strongly disagree with you, (and simultaneously agree with RedPumpkin)
I just recently tested postive for Lyme disease, and have been taking harmless natural supplements for almost three years to stabilize the effects the disease has had on my body (while I was trying to figure out what I had).
Basically, my glutemate levels were sky-rocketing, which in turn produces dangerous levels of ammonia in the brain.
So, without natural supplements, I’d probably be in a coma or dead by now.
Until I get on anti-biotics such as doxycyline, I’m currently taking NAC, Melatonin, and SAMe, which are doing absolute wonders, with NO side effects. My doctor almost put me on Ritalin, mind you, to treat my ”ADD” which have a plethora of side effects that could have made me depressed and/or suicidal, and those medications are regulated.
Sorry for the spiel, but natural supplements get way too much of a bad rap when they actually do more for the person than conventional western medicine. They’ve really saved my life. /endspiel
Just to add – if companies like Vital Nutrients marketed stories like mine, we’d have a better society. Melatonin cured my insomnia without side effects. I’ve never taken ANY prescription sleep aids.
I’m not saying natural supplements are bad. I’m sure many of them do what they claim. I’m also sure many of them don’t. My point is that I find it risky that people invest their faith and their money and risk their health on things that are supported by little evidence. Many of these same people are the ones complaining that drug companies are lying to people and using them as guinea pigs for drugs they claim have questionable effectiveness and probable safety issues. They are the ones that say that Big Pharma is big business and evil. Let me ask you, do you get your supplements for free? No. You know what else is big business? Supplements. People are getting fleeced.
If the natural remedies are good for people then prove it and regulate it, we’ll all benefit from it. I can’t get my head around why someone will refuse to use a vaccine because it’s untested and new yet turn and pay money for a supplement that is even more untested and unproven.
There’s also this assumption that because something is natural it’s good for you. Tobacco is natural, arsenic is natural, snake venom is natural, radioactive isotopes are natural…see where I’m going? Natural does not always mean good. Medical science (and that includes Pharma) have done wonders to cure and prevent disease, pain and suffering. If we can find better ways to accomplish those goals with cheaper and readily available products then let’s do it, but let’s do it right and hold these natural remedies to the same, or higher, standard as we do our pharmaceuticals.
/end mile’s rant
In spirit of a healthy argument, I’ll just add that my mother actually took an extremely small amount of snake venom, and it cured her swollen legs and heart arrythmias…though that is a somewhat extreme example.
There is no questioning that supplements are costly. I do pay out of pocket for them, as do many other people. But going back to your point about for example, tobacco – yes, tobacco is natural. But it is also a proven fact that the nicotine in tobacco will make you addicted and turn after turn cause harm to your body. Arsenic – natural, but toxic. It is proven, and tested actually – that supplements like NAC and Melatonin do not cause harm to your body when taken over an extensive period of time. Hospitals and pharmaceutical companies simply want to ignore this fact; why? Because it would put pharma out of business. If people actually realized how much good these things do, nobody would be resorting to prescriptions. Ever notice how many pills are popping up for so called ”health issues”? A pill for ”Restless Legs Syndrome”? Countless pills to lower cholesterol? Solutions: Red Yeast Rice. What about B-Vitamins? Or anti-oxidants found in grapes? How about Cheerios, that claim to lower cholesterol? Are those regulated drugs? Does it matter, as long as they’re proven to be harmless? Naturopathic medicine manufacturers are not scam artists or extortionists. They’re backed by doctors fed up with western medicine and out to find safe, alternative solutions – without side effects.
Also Miles – you say that people risk their money and health on things that are supported by little evidence – however, the evidence factor in this situation is irrelevant. If enough people find that these supplements are doing wonders and performing miracles for them, especially in spite of failure by conventional drugs, that alone is enough evidence. I’ve seen how much natural supplements work for the human body – all I’m asking is that people try them for themselves and have a little faith, instead of resorting to prescription drugs because it ”makes the most sense”.
I completely agree with pharma doing good to cure and prevent diseases like you say – I just feel like for everything else in between like cholesterol, attentional disorders, high blood pressure, swelling in limbs, and even RLS, natural supplements should at least be given a chance before resorting to potentially harmful drugs. And if you need evidence, just read the thousands of testimonials available online.
A quick wrapup with my experience with supplements:
Me
Insomnia: Melatonin instead of Ambien
Focus/ADD: SAMe and Omega-3 fish oil instead of Ritalin
Anxiety: NAC instead of Xanax
Fatigue: Antioxidants instead of caffeine
Mom
Cholesterol: Red Yeast Rice instead of Crestor
Heart arrythmia: Co-enzyme Q-10 instead of Coumadin or Beta-blockers
End results: Treatment without side-effects.
Sorry for the percieved hostility/madness…I’m done.
I too believe in preventing illness through a healthy diet, regular exercise, getting plenty of rest, and washing my hands often. But I also recognize that that’s not always enough. Some bugs are still going to make me sick, even though my immune system is in great shape.
I get a seasonal flu shot every year. In part it’s “just in case”. It’s also because I spend a lot of time with my young nieces and nephews, as well as my husband’s 92 year old grandmother. My immune system might be strong enough to fight off the flu, but chances are theirs aren’t – and I don’t want to be the one who passes something on to them.
Good point, Jennie. Mention of your husband’s grandmother reminded me that I also have the benefit of solid genes which allows me the luxury to not panic. My great-grandmother lived to be 102, and on the other side, both my grandparents lived into their 90s, so I am more likely to die of old age than sickness.
Oh Miles… your comments are … naive. You really think the government is on the up and up and the pharmaceutical companies are really just ensuring your health and safety… Really!?.. Really!???
Quote from the Independent.ie /Dublin – October 1, 2009
“The two drug companies supplying over seven million doses of the swine flu vaccine here will not be liable for any compensation claims if anyone suffers serious complications, it was confirmed yesterday.
Officials from the Department of Health said it had granted indemnity to the two companies, which would leave the State picking up the bill in the event of anyone being damaged by the vaccine.”
OR HOW ABOUT SOMETHING A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME…
Toronto Star / Sept. 20, 09
“The Public Health Agency of Canada will not reveal whether drug companies are shielded from H1N1 flu vaccine lawsuits in this country like they are in the United States.
That effectively throws a shroud over Ottawa’s arrangement with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, which has a contract to produce 50.4 million doses of pandemic vaccine at its facility in Ste-Foy, Que.
Conversely, the United States has been open about its decision to protect vaccine makers, government officials and others from lawsuits over the vaccine.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has granted legal immunity to “individuals and entities involved in all stages of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine development, testing, manufacture, distribution, prescribing, administration, and use,” says a U.S. Health Department website.”
Yes, they have our best interests in mind… please, please, please.. do some research. Don’t just let yourself be herded into ingesting everything Big Daddy wants to feed you.
Oh pumpkin you are so….cynical.
Reading newspapers and watching youtube is not research, btw.
Tell me, why do YOU think the pharma companies and government have made these legal arrangements? Please, indulge me, for I am ever so naive and could use a dose of reality.
In the meantime, let’s consider that these companies that are producing the vaccines for the various governments are doing so at the government’s request. They are producing a product for the government that is not part of their regular product line. They are producing it using their pandemic flu vaccine protocols that have been tested for safety on a different strain of virus. They are changing the virus to H1N1 which should be completely safe yet the vaccine has not been tested extensively for effectiveness given the time constraints. The companies are covering their ass for liability in case the thing doesn’t work as well as it should. They are covering their ass because the governments consider this an emergency (which maybe they shouldn’t) and the companies don’t want to be on the hook. It’s a good business decision. Making people sick is a bad business decision. Putting out a vaccine to prevent loss of life is a good political decision. Doing nothing and waiting for people to die in a pandemic is a bad political decision.
Now, we can discuss whether or not the government is over reacting and wasting money on something that isn’t as big a deal as initially thought. We can discuss the problems with regulation and oversight and accountability when a new drug is brought to the market. We could also have a good discussion about how people are increasingly demanding new health products, both natural and pharmaceutical and how Big Pharma isn’t any different than the naturopaths, herbal supplement salesmen and all the others who profit from the people’s desire to stay healthy. But we can’t, with straight faces, spread lies and bullshit saying vaccines give you autism, and the flu shot is a conspiracy to make us all sick and all the other crap you find when you do “research” on youtube.
But maybe I’m just being obtuse.
this bitch has gone to a bad place.
kudos to HKM on the soups/stocks…
that is where I plan on going next, using up all those bones instead of throwing them out and buying stock or cubes. seems back-asswards.
Making your own stocks not only puts bones to use but it is an excellent way to use up vegetables that are getting old. I will put most any produce in a stock, even pumpkin. And, not only is the taste superior, but the stock can frozen in small servings to use for recipes and a quick healthy soup during flu season.
As well, store bought stock and cubes generally use MSG.
AHHH, ok, I’m speeding up my progress. no more MSG for me.
I’ve got a recently failed batch of cornbread (forgot to add the eggs as the binding agent) that crumbled all to hell. still tastes great, just crumbly so I’m planning on using it as stuffing in a chicken. I should make a chicken stock with the leftovers….
mmmmmmmm….. the hamster is running… smoke coming out of ears…..
That’s what I do with my stale cornbread, zZz. =)
Why do you say mmmmmmm just before you note the hamster is running?
I’ve worked in medicine for better than 20 yrs and have reasearched this topic over a number of them, and all I can say is I’m being vaccinated, as for you I support any persons right to refuse any form of medical treatment. Having said that, good luck with you’re curious version of Russian Roulette
I took the flu shot exactly once and I’ve never been so sickly in all my life. No, I didn’t catch the flu that year but I caught everything else. Never again.