19-11-2013, 12:36 AM
1
The Flu Jab
This is from a health magazine today:"The annual flu jab is one of the great cons perpetrated on the public", says a leading academic, "and is designed to drive up drug company revenues through a government-approved scaremongering campaign.
The vaccines aren't very effective and they cause more side-effects than government agencies admit", says Peter Doshi, a postdoctural fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
"Demand for the annual flu jab is driven entirely by government health warnings emphasizing that seasonal flu is a serious disease with complications, and that the vaccine is a risk-free life saver".
To support the last claim, the US government has cited studies suggesting the vaccine reduces the risk of death from flu by 48%.
"If this is true, these statistics indicate that the influenza vaccines can save more lives than any other single licensed medicine on the planet" says Doshi.
"Influenza is just one more example of disease-mongering, he says, or the medicalizing of ordinary life just to expand the market for pharmceuticals."
Strong words . . .
19-11-2013, 01:47 AM
5
Re: The Flu Jab
I know of one flu related death but that is hardly relevant. Personally I always take advantage of the free flu jab each year however one of the few advantages of being over 55 is that you have a higher immunity to new and exotic strains of flu due to previous exposure. Bird flu is still a risk.Flu vaccines only claim to be 60% effective anyway but also only certain groups of people are recommended to be vaccinated:
over 65 year olds
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
people with compromised lung function
Sounds sensible to me.
Nationally, influenza activity continued to decrease this fortnight. Influenza activity in Tasmania is currently reported as wide-spread whereas all other jurisdictions are reporting either unchanged or decreasing activity compared to the previous fortnight.
As at 11 October 2013, there have been 22,983 cases of laboratory confirmed influenza reported, which is slightly more than half of the notifications received for the same period in 2012.
Over the 2012-13 inter-seasonal period, higher than usual numbers of influenza notifications were reported from most jurisdictions. The seasonal increase in influenza notifications commenced in early July and persisted over a shorter period than 2011 and 2012. The season peak of weekly notifications was similar to 2011 and occurred at the end of August.
Influenza activity peaked at the end of August in the majority of jurisdictions. Tasmania and the Northern Territory experienced a late peak while Western Australia reported extended increased activity from mid-August through September.
Nationally influenza A was the predominant influenza virus type. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 re-emerged this season and represented over 15% of overall notifications, compared to <1% of notifications in 2012. Additionally, the proportion of influenza B this season has been higher than in recent years.
Across jurisdictions, the distribution of influenza types and subtypes has been variable. In Victoria there was a predominance of influenza type B throughout the season, with all other jurisdictions reporting mostly influenza A. In Western Australia, influenza A(H3N2) was the predominant subtype, whereas New South Wales and other eastern jurisdictions reported mostly A(H1N1)pdm09. Towards the end of the season while the proportion of influenza B remained stable nationally, increases were observed in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland and the proportion of A(H1N1)pdm09 increased in Western Australia.
Notification data show that there was a predominance of influenza B infections in those aged less than 15 years, with influenza A infections most prevalent in the 0-4 and 30-34 years age groups. Consistent with A(H1N1)pdm09 dominated years, there were very few notifications of this subtype in those aged 65 years and over.
The rate of influenza associated hospitalisations has started to decline over the past fortnight. Both the 2012 and 2013 influenza seasons saw around 12% of influenza cases admitted directly to ICU with a high proportion of cases had known medical co-morbidities reported. In Australia it has been estimated that there have been over 4,500 influenza associated hospitalisations since April 2013. The age distribution of hospital admissions shows a peak in the 0-9 year age group as is typical of seasons with high levels of influenza B circulating.
19-11-2013, 07:47 AM
6
Re: The Flu Jab
I have had my flu jab this year so that's 2 years in a row. I don't even get a cold never mind flu.One thing I wont have and keep getting asked to have, is the one for
pneumonia. Supposed to be a one off and you never get it kind of jab.
I refuse to have that one because of the known side effects of it.
I think that is being pushed by the pharmaceutical companies. I
read about it online and it says its not really any use for the over 65's its
been pushing it at and works better on younger people.
19-11-2013, 08:21 AM
7
Re: The Flu Jab
I know the flu jab worked for me and I've only had a couple of colds over the last 14 years or so - after having a touch of one a few weeks ago, I'd rather not have to feel awful with a streaming nose if it isn't necessary. I suppose it's like everything else: some will benefit and others won't.
19-11-2013, 09:08 AM
10
Re: The Flu Jab
Since I have a serious chronic lung problem, the 'flu jab is an essential for me - have been having the injections for the past 12 years and it has prevented me from being admitted into hospital when various strains of the disease have run rife across the country.|
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