| SWINE FLUE VACCINE – DEADLY OR SAFE? | | | | small amounts of thimerosal as a preservative. |
| Should I get the vaccine and can I feel safe? | | | | Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative, but it's |
| H1N1 Influenza virus has spread globally and has | | | | made of the ethylmercury, which is organic, not |
| shown tendency of slowing down, but keeps peaking | | | | methylmercury, which has been linked to neurological |
| in certain areas and coincides with the seasonal flu in | | | | damage. |
| parts of the world. | | | | The levels of ethylmercury in vaccines are minute |
| Health authorities around the world have different | | | | and have not been shown to cause harm, says the |
| view on how to handle this pandemic, however, they | | | | Public Health Agency of Canada. It's estimated that |
| seem to agree to extensive vaccination against both | | | | there is four times as much mercury in a can of tuna |
| the seasonal and H1N1 flu. | | | | fish than in the thimerosal in the H1N1 flu vaccine |
| Some countries have established a practice that all | | | | INFLUENZA VIRUS |
| should take the vaccine, and others are sitting and | | | | Influenza illness and its complications follow infection |
| waiting. | | | | with influenza viruses. Global surveillance of influenza |
| In the U.S in 1976 a Swine flu breakout was declared | | | | identifies yearly antigenic variants. For example, |
| and President Gerald Ford decided to vaccinate the | | | | since 1977 antigenic variants of influenza A (H1N1 and |
| population against this flu outbreak. There have been | | | | H3N2) and influenza B viruses have been in global |
| several stories of clinical complications as an effect of | | | | circulation. Specific levels of HI antibody titers |
| this vaccination program; brain damages and other | | | | post-vaccination with inactivated influenza virus |
| medical complications. | | | | vaccine have not been correlated with protection |
| So people, rightly so, question, is the 2009 H1N1 flu | | | | from influenza virus. In some human studies, |
| vaccine safe and can we give it to anyone? | | | | antibody titers of 1:40 or greater have been |
| In this article I try to give some background on the | | | | associated with protection from influenza illness in up |
| vaccine itself, and to list up some facts around this | | | | to 50% of subjects.1,2 |
| vaccine. | | | | DEATHS LINKED TO THE SWINE FLUE VACCINE |
| I will leave it up to the reader himself to judge | | | | 1. In Sweden a 50 year old man died shortly after |
| whether it is safe or not to give this vaccine to | | | | receiving the vaccine, as well as a 60 year old |
| anyone, especially infants and children as well as | | | | woman did just recently in October 2009. |
| elderly and people with medical conditions. | | | | 2. Health officials have warned doctors of possible |
| There are some indications of links between the | | | | similarities between the new swine flu vaccine and a |
| vaccine and some medical complications due to it, | | | | jab linked to 25 deaths in America in the 1970s. |
| however, not conclusive though. | | | | The government’s Health Protection Agency |
| Just some food for thoughts, that the U.S | | | | (HPA), said in a letter to neurologists that they |
| government had to pay out millions of dollars in | | | | needed to look out for increases in cases of a brain |
| damage settlements to people claiming after effects | | | | disorder that might follow the launch of the |
| from the vaccine in the 70’s. | | | | immunisation programme. |
| PRODUCTION OF SWINE FLU VACCINE | | | | The letter has been sent because of concerns |
| Flu vaccine production is inherently slow; the total | | | | sparked by studying of the swine flu vaccination |
| production and testing time is about 19 weeks. That's | | | | campaign in America. |
| in part because the production begins with growing | | | | Although the swine flu virus vaccine now close to |
| viruses in fertilized chicken eggs. For every shot, at | | | | completion is different from the one used in 1976, |
| least one egg has to be infected with the virus, | | | | the HPA said the earlier incident nevertheless |
| where it then replicates before being extracted and | | | | highlighted a possible area of concern. |
| purified into a vaccine. | | | | 3. The World Health Organisation has also said |
| Even after the vaccine is produced, it then has to be | | | | recently that the public should be “reassured” |
| tested in clinical trials on different kinds of patient | | | | about the safety of the new vaccine. It |
| groups (adults first, then kids, etc.) Initial tests are | | | | acknowledged that “genuine adverse events |
| meant to determine effectiveness and short-term | | | | directly caused by the vaccine may also occur, but |
| safety, (i.e. safety one month after vaccine receipt). | | | | cannot be predicted in advance”. |
| Then, larger numbers of volunteers are given the | | | | 4. The swine-flu vaccine being tested contains |
| vaccine and the rate of disease and death from | | | | thimerosol a mercury-based preservative used in |
| swine flu in vaccinated and unvaccinated communities | | | | vaccines, eye-drops etc. It has been blamed for |
| is evaluated. Then, the vaccine has to go through | | | | autism in vaccine damaged children. Many people are |
| regulatory approval. | | | | allergic to it. |
| CONTENT OF SWINE FLU VACCINE | | | | 5. A warning that the new swine flu jab is linked to a |
| Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine, for | | | | deadly nerve disease has been sent by the |
| intramuscular injection, is a sterile, clear, colorless to | | | | Government to senior neurologists in a confidential |
| slightly opalescent suspension with some sediment | | | | letter. |
| that resuspends upon shaking to form a | | | | The letter from the Health Protection Agency, the |
| homogeneous suspension. Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 | | | | official body that oversees public health, has been |
| Monovalent Vaccine is prepared from influenza virus | | | | leaked to The Mail on Sunday, leading to demands to |
| propagated in the allantoic fluid of embryonated | | | | know why the information has not been given to the |
| chicken eggs. Following harvest, the virus is purified | | | | public before the vaccination of millions of people, |
| in a sucrose density gradient using a continuous flow | | | | including children, begins. |
| zonal centrifuge. The purified virus is inactivated | | | | It tells the neurologists that they must be alert for |
| with beta-propiolactone, and the virus particles are | | | | an increase in a brain disorder called Guillain-Barre |
| disrupted using sodium taurodeoxycholate to produce | | | | Syndrome (GBS), which could be triggered by the |
| a “split virion”. The disrupted virus is further | | | | vaccine. |
| purified and suspended in a phosphate buffered | | | | GBS attacks the lining of the nerves, causing paralysis |
| isotonic solution. | | | | and inability to breath, and can be fatal. |
| Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine is | | | | The letter, sent to about 600 neurologists on July 29, |
| formulated to contain 15 mcg HA per 0.5 mL dose of | | | | is the first sign that there is concern at the highest |
| influenza A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like virus. | | | | levels that the vaccine itself could cause serious |
| The single-dose formulation is preservative-free; | | | | complications. |
| thimerosal, a mercury derivative, is not used in the | | | | It refers to the use of a similar swine flu vaccine in |
| manufacturing process for this formulation. The | | | | the United States in 1976. |
| multi-dose formulation contains thimerosal, added as a | | | | 6. Concerns have already been raised that the new |
| preservative; each 0.5 mL dose contains 24.5 mcg of | | | | vaccine has not been sufficiently tested and that the |
| mercury. | | | | effects, especially on children, are unknown. |
| A single 0.5 mL dose of Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 | | | | 7. The British Neurological Surveillance Unit (BNSU), |
| Monovalent Vaccine contains sodium chloride (4.1 mg), | | | | part of the British Association of Neurologists, has |
| monobasic sodium phosphate (80 mcg), dibasic | | | | been asked to monitor closely any cases of GBS as |
| sodium phosphate (300 mcg), monobasic potassium | | | | the vaccine is rolled out. |
| phosphate (20 mcg), potassium chloride (20 mcg), | | | | 8. The swine flu vaccine being offered to children has |
| and calcium chloride (1.5 mcg). From the | | | | not been tested on infants |
| manufacturing process, each dose may also contain | | | | So i would leave it up to you, ask questions, you |
| residual amounts of sodium taurodeoxycholate (? 10 | | | | might not get the answers you want. Lack of |
| ppm), ovalbumin (? 1 mcg), neomycin sulfate (? 0.2 | | | | knowledge seem to be common in the general |
| picograms [pg]), polymyxin B (? 0.03 pg), and | | | | practicioners amongst the doctors, so seek qualified |
| beta-propiolactone (< 25 nanograms). | | | | advice. |
| The rubber tip cap and plunger used for the | | | | Better than anything, take pre-cautions and act |
| preservative-free, single-dose syringes and the rubber | | | | safely when out amongst people, use elementary |
| stoppers used for the multi-dose vial contain no latex. | | | | rules like washing your hands, avoid big crowds. |
| So the flu vaccine contains a small amount of | | | | Knowledge is important, ignorance may lead to |
| thimerosal. That's because the vaccine is delivered in | | | | spreading the influenza flu globally. |
| multi-dose vials, so needles are inserted into the vial | | | | I wish all the best, and hope you stay well and not |
| more than once to extract doses. For that reason, all | | | | get sick. |
| flu vaccine bottles (seasonal and swine flu) contain | | | | |