The Washington Post article below certifies that experimental adjuvants, or boosters, are being used in the H1N1 flu shot.
This can only be done if a national health emergency is declared, and President Obama declared such an emergency on Oct 23. This allows the use of experimental substances on the public, something the administration explanation of the effect of the emergency declaration failed to mention.
Yet, the administration and medical talking heads on TV have assured us this flu shot is made "just like past flu shots" that caused no problems. Somehow they missed the story that illegal substances are in some of the current flu shots that were not in previous such shots with the possible exception of 1976.
The FDA has never approved adjuvant MF59, yet it is in the Novartis vaccine. It is no more safe than it was on Oct 22, but on Oct 23 it became legal. How could the media have been totally bamboozled on this story?
From the WaPo:
"Independent experts to study safety data on H1N1 vaccine
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 2, 2009
An independent panel of experts will meet Monday to review the safety of the swine flu vaccine as part of the government's efforts to monitor the unprecedented immunization campaign.
The National Vaccine Advisory Committee's H1N1 Vaccine Safety Working Group will review the results of data being collected by the government to detect any problems with the vaccine as soon as possible.
According to a summary of data the panel will review, about 10,352 people have received the injected vaccine and 501 have gotten the FluMist nasal spray in 13 studies funded by the Health and Human Services Department's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
Of those who received the injections, 6,098 got standard vaccine while 4,254 received shots containing a substance known as an "adjuvant," which is designed to boost the effectiveness but is not being used widely. That included 5,776 adults and 4,576 children..."
- 1
- 2
Swine-Flu Vaccine: 11 Things You Need to Know
Email To A Friend
Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.
Why are two shots thought to be necessary?
People born after 1957 have not been exposed to a similar virus. The first dose "primes" the immune system to respond, but it's the second shot that triggers the production of antibodies. This is not unusual. A number of vaccines are given for the first time in multidose series. For example, the seasonal flu vaccine is given in two shots to children under 9 if they've never had the flu.
If I receive the swine flu shot, do I need the regular flu shot, too?
Yes, if you're in the risk groups for both types of flu. That would mean a total of three shots—or four for a child under 9 who has not previously had the flu or been vaccinated for it.
Why does it take so long to produce a vaccine?
It is a multistep process, just as it is for seasonal influenza vaccine each year. However, the new H1N1 virus did not emerge until April in this country, so the process started later than usual. In May, scientists produced a recombinant version of the virus that would grow well in eggs. Vaccine manufacturers take that new virus and inject it into millions of eggs, where the virus replicates. When enough virus has formed, manufacturers harvest the virus, inactivate it, extract individual proteins from the viral coat, and combine those segments with other ingredients to produce a vaccine. (The process at this stage is slightly different for the nasal vaccine, which uses a live, if weakened, virus.) The vaccine then has to pass tests for potency and sterility. And clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal dose and number of shots that people will need. Trials for the H1N1 vaccine were announced in late July and should wind up around late September.
How effective is the vaccine?
It is expected to be very effective. The problem with normal flu vaccines is that influenza viruses are notorious "shape shifters," says Dr. Jay Butler, director of the CDC's H1N1 Vaccine Task Force. They mutate rapidly and can even exchange genes with other strains of flu. However, federal officials know from monitoring H1N1 in the Southern Hemisphere this summer that the virus has been unusually stable. Therefore the immune response generated by the vaccine should match the circulating strain of swine flu. "The vaccine will be effective," says Butler.
Is it safe?
In 1976 more than 500 people contracted an autoimmune disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome after receiving swine-flu shots in response to a small outbreak in Fort Dix, N.J. Some people understandably fear a repeat of that tragic episode. However, vaccine-production techniques have changed since then. Today, vaccines are highly purified to eliminate any potential contaminants. In addition, scientists use only selected viral proteins in the shots, not the entire virus, as they did in the 1970s. "The public is comparing this vaccine to the 1976 swine-flu vaccine," says CDC spokesperson Abbigail Tumpey. "In fact, the best comparison is to the seasonal vaccines of the last ten years."
I'm concerned about reports of autism caused by vaccines.
Sore arms and mild fevers are not unusual after receiving seasonal flu shots. "But the science is extremely reassuring" that vaccines do not cause autism, says Kris Sheedy, director of community outreach for NCIRD. Anyone who's concerned about the mercury-based preservative thimerosal (which is added to multidose vials of flu vaccine to prevent contamination) can request one of the thimerosal-free versions: the nasal vaccine or a single-dose preloaded syringe. The government anticipates having enough of these to meet the demand for young children and pregnant women. (There are some individuals who cannot receive the nasal version, including children under 24 months, children under 5 with asthma or recurrent wheezing, and asthmatics in general.)
This vaccine is egg-based. What if I'm allergic to eggs?
You should avoid the vaccine. If you're in a high-risk group and you come down with the flu, see your doctor immediately. Antiviral medications, given within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, can dramatically improve one's outcome.
Until the vaccine is available, what should I do to protect myself?
It's most important is to wash your hands frequently and well—20 seconds with soap and water—and avoid touching your eyes and nose. Alcohol-based hand gels are also effective. Second, to avoid spreading germs, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, preferably using your sleeve or a tissue. And third, if you're sick or your child is sick, stay home until the fever has gone away for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
© 2009
- 1
- 2
Discuss