'Influenza vaccine has no effect': study

G

Gotholic

Well-Known Member
'Influenza vaccine has no effect': study

Published: 17 Feb 10 08:14 CET

There is no evidence to support the contention that the influenza vaccine administered to the over 65s is of any more use than opening the windows and washing hands, a new study from the Cochrane Collaboration claims, according to a report in the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper.

The Cochrane Collaboration, an international not-for-profit organization providing up-to-date information about the effects of health care, has compiled data from 40 flu seasons worldwide.

The institute has concluded from the studies that there is no clear evidence to suggest that the flu jab offers any more protection than cheaper, hygiene-based methods such as hand-washing.

"Our analysis is compiled using millions of data from 40 seasons worldwide. What we have seen is that the influenza vaccine can at best have a very small effect," said Thomas Jefferson, one of the authors of the report, to the newspaper.

The Swedish Welfare Board (Socialstyrelsen) has for the past 40 years advised all those over 65-years-old to take an annual dose.

Most local health authorities in Sweden pay for the flu jab at a cost to the taxpayer of 25-30 million kronor ($3.5 million) per annum.

This is not the first time the Cochrane Collaboration has sounded the alarm over the paltry effects of the vaccine with a report published four years ago drawing the same conclusions, according to the newspaper.

The institute has now selected the best 75 of the available studies for this latest review of the evidence. While conceding that the studies are not of the best research quality, it concludes there is little evidence to suggest that the flu vaccine has any real effect.

The institute thus recommends a larger international, state-financed study to examine the vaccine and existing healthcare recommendations.

TT/Peter Vinthagen Simpson ([email protected])
Click to expand...

Source

“The germ is nothing; the terrain is everything.” - Louis Pasteur
 
MrBishop

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
Kind of hard to prove a negative. Impossible, even.

If they hadn't used the shot, the results would've been the same as if they had.
 
V

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
I was raised not taking the flu shots. Then many years ago was talked into it. Took it... got sick for 3 days and was told that it was a coincidence (that I had already been infected with influenza prior to getting the shot). The following year I had the shot again and was sick for another 3 days. Again I was told it was a coincidence, that you can't get the flu from a shot. Third year I went through this was the last time I ever got the flu and the last time I ever got the shot.

I've never had a bad case of the flu. I won't get the shot again. If I keep my fingers out of my mouth, nose and eyes I shouldn't introduce the virus to my system. I wash my hands regularly, and especially before eating.
 
V

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
MrBishop said:
Allergies, my dear Val.
Click to expand...
It could be but I was asked if I was allergic to eggs (which is what they supposedly use to make the vaccine). I am most definitely not allergic to eggs (I eat them every day).

So it must be something else they use that makes me sick.
 
catocom

catocom

Well-Known Member
anyway, back to Rangel...
He says hes taking a 'leave', not stepping down...

I don't think he got the correct message yet.
 
ResearchMonkey

ResearchMonkey

Well-Known Member
valkyrie said:
What?
Click to expand...
logosilver.jpg
 
AlladinSane

AlladinSane

Well-Known Member
valkyrie said:
I was raised not taking the flu shots. Then many years ago was talked into it. Took it... got sick for 3 days and was told that it was a coincidence (that I had already been infected with influenza prior to getting the shot). The following year I had the shot again and was sick for another 3 days. Again I was told it was a coincidence, that you can't get the flu from a shot. Third year I went through this was the last time I ever got the flu and the last time I ever got the shot.

I've never had a bad case of the flu. I won't get the shot again. If I keep my fingers out of my mouth, nose and eyes I shouldn't introduce the virus to my system. I wash my hands regularly, and especially before eating.
Click to expand...
That pretty much sums up my experience. Except I got sick the whole fricking Winter. Gave it another chance at the following year, same business. Worst 2 years of my life in terms of flu and colds...
 
V

valkyrie

Well-Known Member
AlladinSane said:
That pretty much sums up my experience. Except I got sick the whole fricking Winter. Gave it another chance at the following year, same business. Worst 2 years of my life in terms of flu and colds...
Click to expand...
I would love to know what else is in the shot that could cause some people to be sick like this (me included). :-/
 
MrBishop

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
valkyrie said:
I would love to know what else is in the shot that could cause some people to be sick like this (me included). :-/
Click to expand...

Simple really. The flu shot is not the be-all and end-all of protection from the wide variety of flu out there. Each year, the flu shot encompasses several different flus that are expected to be coming out that year. It works in about 70%+ of cases, but the odd flu does come out that isn't covered.

In addition, the shot doesn't protect you from the common cold, bronchitis and non-flu related pneumonia.

For some people, their bodies' reaction to the flu shot doesn't provide them with enough of a response from their antibodies to protect them from the flu. Most people don't get boosters, and since they happen to be hanging around an area where the flu is prevalent (The shot clinic or hospital), they catch the flu from there. They may already have the flu before getting the shot.

For some, it's an allergic reaction for the medium that the flu strain was grown in, or what it sits in (Eggs and other adjutants). They may feel that they're not allergic, but are often untested and/or ignorant of their allergy.

What it does do in most cases, is provide some measure of protection from the nastier parts of the flu.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top