Catherine J. Frompovich
AP
An interesting article appeared in a Canadian newspaper, The Vancouver Sun, about research that found the flu vaccine actually was linked to H1N1 illnesses, the pandemic flu that never materialized in 2008-09, if you remember.
Vancouver researcher Dr. Danuta Skowronski led a team of researchers questioning certain flu virus events that seemed to impact people who received the 2008-09 flu vaccine. Dr. Skowronski, incidentally, is an influenza expert with the B.C. Center for Disease Control.
What captivated Dr. Skowronski’s interest was the fact that those who were vaccinated with the H1N1 pandemic flu virus were the ones who were infected with it rather than people who did not receive the H1N1 flu vaccine. Initially that phenomenon was called the “Canadian problem” since research outside of Canada did not come up with similar findings. The real ‘kicker’ was that five studies performed in several Canadian provinces found the same results: H1N1 vaccination correlated with pandemic flu virus infection.
Apparently there were some doubts about ‘anecdotal’ findings, so Skowronski’s research team did a study with ferrets. That study’s results were presented at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. What researchers found after working with 32 ferrets was the vaccinated group became significantly sicker than the controls. Eventually, all ferrets recovered.
The study was blinded, i.e., researchers didn’t know which ferrets received the 2008 flu shot. Half the ferrets received the flu shot and the balance were given a placebo injection. Then all ferrets were infected with the H1N1 virus. Those ferrets that were vaccinated became sicker than the non-vaccinated ferrets. Dr. Skowronski said, “The findings are consistent with the increased risk that we saw in the human studies.”
Apparently more research as to why the flu vaccine seems to predispose those vaccinated to the flu virus is being advised along with the admonition to receive an annual flu shot even though ferrets and people get sicker from those flu shots. That is something everyone needs to know more about and, in particular, the ingredients used to make flu vaccines.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has the website Vaccines, Blood and Biologics that lists four influenza vaccines: Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent; Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1 (for National stockpile); Influenza Virus Vaccine, Quadrivalent, Types A and B; and Influenza Virus Vaccine, Trivalent, Types A and B made by numerous pharmaceutical companies.
Before rolling up your children’s and your sleeves, maybe it would be wise to do some homework and become an informed healthcare consumer about vaccines, and the flu shot in particular.
The article “Swine flu vaccine linked to increased risk of rare nerve disorder” by Sharon Kirkey also was published at The Vancouver Sun. Ms. Kirkey reports that numerous Canadian citizens contracted Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) after receiving the 2009 flu vaccine. That’s an important fact healthcare consumers worldwide ought to know and consider as the Northern Hemisphere flu season draws near.
Reference:
Vancouver researcher finds flu shot is linked to H1N1 illness
http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Vancouver%2Bresearcher%2Bfinds%2Bshot%2Blinked%2BH1N1%2Billness/7217609/story.html#ixzz27Oe41PoE