Hi J.---Just posted this for another mom. I do have another opinion for you to consider, and this is based on reputable information. I have more to share with you, if you'd like. Good luck. D.
Hi Farinaz---The flu vaccine simply does no good. Please visit www.nvic.org to learn about the pros and cons of vaccines. Here is an article from a Naturopath that I work with. Note the part that I have capitalized:
Questions about Flu Vaccines
Recorded on 06/30/2010
I have been sending cautionary messages about flu vaccines for many years. These vaccines are not tested for safety; there is no evidence of efficacy; and there is little evidence that getting the flu increases the risk of hospitalization or death.
Dr. Larry Palevsky is a new addition to our teaching staff at The Wellness Forum Institute. He is a board-certified pediatrician in New York who is quite outspoken about vaccines. The Spring 2010 issue of Health Science featured an article by Dr. Palevsky addressing his concerns about flu vaccines and specifically the H1N1 vaccine. I'll share some highlights here, but encourage you to read the entire article if you have been getting flu vaccines or are considering getting one this coming season.
Dr. Palevsky starts his article by addressing a common misunderstanding; people do not get the flu because they are exposed to a virus. WE ARE ALL EXOSED TO VIRUSES EVERY DAY; WHETHER OR NOT WE GET SICK IS A FINCTION OF OUR OWN HEALTH STATUS, NOT EXPOSURE.
Related to this issue is the fact that most viruses contributing to flu-like symptoms are not members of the influenza virus family. This is why studies continue to show that vaccines are not effective for reducing flu - the vaccines contain viruses that are not making most people sick. Yet our health authorities continue to insist that the general public should get shots for these viruses, even though they are not the cause of most people's illnesses.
In order to "sell" vaccine programs, the CDC manipulates data concerning deaths from the flu. According to the CDC, 36,000 people die from the flu each year due to seasonal flu virus. But the CDC also states that they "don't know exactly how many people die of the (influenza) flu each year because most people who die from seasonal flu are not tested for the flu (influenza flu) virus." The CDC states that their estimate of deaths comes from a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that used a statistical model to estimate the numbers of deaths by flu for nine seasons for people who died from respiratory or circulatory diseases. These people were not tested for flu, and there was no evidence linking their deaths to the influenza virus.
The bottom line is the CDC does not know how many people are dying from the flu every year, and is simply making up this number.
Dr. Palevsky is also concerned about the groups targeted for vaccines. Children with asthma are advised to get the vaccines. Yet at the American Thoracic International Society Conference in May 2009, it was reported that the vaccine did not protect children with asthma against hospitalization; in fact there was a three-fold increased risk for hospitalization for children who received the vaccine.
He has the same concerns for pregnant women. The package insert for both the seasonal vaccine and the H1N1 vaccines states, "animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine or the flu vaccine. It is also not known whether Influenza A (H1N1) Monovalent Vaccine or the flu vaccine can case fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Neither the flu vaccine nor the Influenza A (H1N1) Monovalent Vaccine have been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility." In spite of this information, pregnant women are encouraged to get the vaccine.
Palevsky asserts that there has been no cause and effect relationship established between testing positive for H1N1 and the flu; like many of us, he is appalled that the medical profession sees correlation and automatically assumes a cause- and -effect relationship. When sick people test positive for H1N1, it is assumed that H1N1 caused their illness. But this might not be the case. There are large numbers of adults who test positive for H1N1 who do not have the flu. There has never been a study comparing the number of people with the flu who test positive for H1N1 (remember that most people are not tested) with healthy people to see how many in each group test positive for H1N1. It is quite possible and even probable, based on the evidence, that H1N1 is not the cause of the flu in people who carry the virus or antibodies to the virus.
Last but not least, Palevsky addresses safety issues related to the additives in the vaccine, which include egg proteins, gelatin, formaldehyde, detergent, antibiotics, and thimerosal. He states that there are no studies showing that these ingredients are safe when injected individually, let alone in combination.
Dr. Palevsky makes a concise and well-documented argument against anyone getting any type of flu vaccine ever. Palevsky L. "Swine Flu Vaccines, Viruses and Fear." Health Science Spring 2010
If you would like, I can share what Dr. Pam teaches is an optimal diet. To learn more about Dr. Pam, visit www.wellnessforum.com. I wish you luck in your investigation and decision making. Be well, D.