The flu vaccine may be responsible for more people catching the flu

In a recent study in Canada (yesterday, 6/4/10) those vaccination with the 2008–09 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) had an increased rate of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) (pH1N1) illness the following year. The studies, which took in about 2,700 people, and were extremely thoroughly researched found that the likelihood of needing medical attention for pandemic flu was 1.4 to 2.5 times greater among people who were vaccinated the previous fall. That is, if you got the flu injection you were more likely to get the pandemic influenza A (swine flu) the following year. This, along with another similar result in a US military study really brings into question our knowledge and use of flu vaccines. Overall my reading of the independent scientific literature (the Cochrane Review) suggests that the flu vaccine does not confer any significant benefit on the population and my suggestion is for people to maintain a healthy lifestyle and diet. A recent study in Japan found vitamin D supplements easily outperformed the seasonal flu vaccine. But we can’t have the health professionals saying have a vitamin supplement or even better go out into the sun, it just wouldn’t look right.

For those who want the article
Skowronski DM, De Serres G, Crowcroft NS, et al. Association between the 2008–09 seasonal influenza vaccine and pandemic H1N1 illness during spring–summer 2009: four observational studies from Canada. PLoS Med 2010 Apr 6;7(4) [Full text]

uncertainty about the clinical effectiveness of influenza vaccines

Medicine that has lost its way

Cochrane review, (see below for study details)the most prestigious independent medical science review body has, after several reviews of flu vaccine efficacy concluded that "there is substantial uncertainty about the clinical effectiveness of influenza vaccines" and "The consequences of influenza in children and adults are mainly absenteeism from school and work." The flu vaccine does not change the likelihood of us getting the flu and at best it only reduces the symptoms marginally, if at all. Even worse is that it has no benefit at all for seniors and yet the media continue to run a scare campaign directed at seniors with advertisements on television for seniors to get the flu vaccine.

Why then is there this fear campaign being carried out in the media and who benefits from it?

www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001753.html
www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab004879.html
www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001169.html
www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab001269.html