Consumers who have long questioned whether the benefits outweigh the risks of getting the flu vaccine had those concerns validated recently when the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that this year’s flu vaccine may offer little defense against the strain that is now most active across the country.
And, just in case you’re undecided, take a look at the “9 reasons that you should avoid the flu shot“.
On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, went on record warning that flu shots and nasal sprays distributed this year do not appear to be a good match for the flu strain physicians are finding in patients.
“One thing to understand about flu always is that it is unpredictable,” Dr. Thomas Frieden said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “Every season is different.” What a strange response – don’t you think? If my agency spent millions of dollars on a useless product – I would be publicly outraged and demand a refund – immediately!
The public is waking up – flu vaccines do NOT work
In making these official statements, the CDC’s top spokesperson reiterated what a growing segment of the public is beginning to understand: vaccines cannot be developed quickly enough to keep up with ever-mutating viruses. Because it can take many months to develop a flu vaccine, determining what strains will be most prevalent come flu season becomes a giant game of guessing – not good science.
The World Health Organization issues its recommendation for flu vaccines twice a year, one for the Southern Hemisphere and one for the Northern Hemisphere, giving the pharmaceutical and health care industries two chances to gear up with the ‘right’ vaccine and, of course, make a boat load of cash.
But as Dr. Arnold Monto, University of Michigan School of Public Health, pointed out for the story in the LA Times this week, recommendations had to be made back in February for this season’s vaccine because of ‘production lag’. That, as it turned out, was a problem when it became obvious the virus had mutated by the time flu season hit. But, a mutated virus is always possible – every year – yet they continue to push these toxic vaccines onto the unsuspecting public.
Naturally, the CDC, continues to say that 3,000 – 49,000 people die – every year – due to the flu. Of course, these numbers are questionable, at best, and never take into account the deaths related to poor nutritional status or other immune-related complications experienced by sensitive segments of the population like infants and the elderly.
While those figures are often used by the CDC and the healthcare community to persuade the public to be vaccinated, in a country where the population is approximately 316 million people, that comes to about 0.00094 percent and 0.0155 percent of the total population. If they were really concerned about public health and safety, why don’t they educate the public about how to boost immune function by eating an organic diet and the value of taking high-quality nutritional supplements.
Sudden deaths prompt vaccine suspension
Last month, several major media reported health officials in Italy had temporarily suspended the use of some batches of Fluad, a flu vaccine manufactured by Novartis, following the sudden deaths of people vaccinated. Could you imagine what the reaction would have been if this was a nutritional supplement that killed people?
While the BBC later reported drug officials in Italy downplayed any connection between the deaths of four people and administration of the vaccine, the Wall Street Journal had reported as many as 13 people in Italy had lost their lives shortly after receiving Fluad.
Health officials later stated the additional deaths were not investigated and were probably publicized due to media coverage of the first deaths. Despite the reassurance, the incident fueled fires over the safety of flu vaccines.
Only big pharma can get away with such a deadly mistake
Despite acknowledgement of its lack of effectiveness, the CDC continues to recommend the flu shot. At the same time, it is recommending physicians be prepared with additional amounts of antiviral pharmaceuticals, such as Roche’s Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline’s Relenza. I guess they don’t want to threaten corporate profits – even if it means that people will die.
Clearly, the newest CDC recommendations are ONLY good news for the pharmaceutical industry. But, a recent study from the leading research network Cochrane Review shows such medications are only effective in shortening flu symptoms by about half a day, and there is no substantial evidence they lessen complications or reduce hospital admissions.
Here’s a thought: maybe it’s time to look at some healthier alternatives to the flu shot, like the “multi-C protocol“.
References:
http://summaries.cochrane.org/CD001269/ARI_vaccines-to-prevent-influenza-in-healthy-adults
http://www.latimes.com/science/la-sci-flu-vaccine-20141205-story.html
http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2014/12/04/the-flu-vaccine-might-not-work-but-you-should-get-it-anyway
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6cVeHUvlmY