Flu Shot Only 59 Percent Effective, Analysis Finds

Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend most people to get a flu shot, a new review of studies finds that it may actually not be 100 percent effective at guarding against the flu -- in fact, the effectiveness may only be 59 percent for people ages 18 to 65.

The review, published in the journal The Lancet, examined the efficacy of the most commonly used flu shot in the United States, the trivalent inactivated vaccine (TIV). The shot makes up 90 percent of all flu shots given in the U.S., WebMD reported.

Scientists from the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy screened the findings of 31 studies to determine the percent effectiveness, according to the study.

Their findings differ from the 73 percent effectiveness that was concluded by a review published last year by the Cochrane Collaboration, according to MSNBC.

MSNBC reports a possible reason for the discrepancy:

A major difference between Osterholm’s meta-analysis [the new review] and the Cochrane reviews is the type of studies they included. Osterholm's used only studies that confirmed the presence of influenza virus in sick people with either sophisticated polymerase chain reaction technology, or PCR, or laboratory cultures. PCR can take a single piece of DNA and generate thousands to millions of copies. The Cochrane reviews, on the other hand, included studies that determined whether sick people had the flu by checking to see whether they had elevated levels of flu antibodies in their blood, not whether influenza virus was present.

"The studies we present are the very best studies that we have for the last 70 years," study researcher Michael Osterholm told MSNBC.

Researchers also examined the efficacy of the nasal spray vaccine (approved for people ages 2 to 49), and found that it is 83 percent effective for kids ages 6 months to 7 years, WebMD reported.

"The [nasal spray flu vaccine] works very well in children, but it has never been preferentially recommended," Osterholm told WebMD. "We could potentially have a much greater impact in preventing influenza if we were to encourage the use of [the nasal spray flu vaccine] in that group."

According to WebMD, the flu shot is 70 to 90 percent effective for healthy adults, though the effectiveness could also be impacted by your age, the timing of when you get the shot and other medical conditions you may have.

Recently, a study was published in the International Journal of Obesity, indicating that the flu shot may be less effective for people who are obese or overweight, Everyday Health reported.

The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get a flu shot, especially high-risk people who include kids ages 2 to 5, adults ages 65 and older, pregnant women, and people with other medical conditions.

Comments

[EvolveorPerish]

08:54 PM on 11/03/2011

Where are the usual corporate vaccine promoters? oddly silent . . .

The CDC cover up is uncovered, . . . it was a matter of time.

HP- where is the story?

[Huffy108]

11:00 AM on 11/02/2011

http://www.anh-usa.org/cdc-mercury-in-vaccines/

Is the CDC Deliberately Hiding the Truth about the Link between Autism and Mercury in Vaccines?

ANH-USA
October 31, 2011

The latest scandal to hit the CDC is explosive: what appears to be a deliberate cover-up of damning scientific data.

Thimerosal, a controversial mercury compound used as a preservative in certain vaccines, was removed from all vaccines in Denmark in 1992. A subsequent Danish study showed a marked decline in autism rates following the removal of thimerosal, indicating a clear link between mercury in vaccines and the development of autism.

Documents obtained by the Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs (CoMeD) through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suggest that officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were fully aware of the Danish data, yet published an article about the study in the journal Pediatrics [1] which excluded this information, manipulated the data to misrepresent the decline as an increase, and propagated the erroneous conclusion that thimerosal in vaccines does not cause autism.

Read the whole article here....http://www.anh-usa.org/cdc-mercury-in-vaccines/

[farmilyman]

10:50 AM on 11/02/2011

The only people at work who got the flu last year were the ones who got the flu shot.

[OlderWoman]

03:15 PM on 11/21/2011

Baloney.

[ddanimal]

11:49 PM on 10/31/2011

And dont forget, the flu vaccine contains aluminum. See what aluminum does to

J Inorg Biochem. 2009 Nov;103(11):1555-62.
Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits and motor neuron degeneration.
Shaw

Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia

In an initial series of experiments, we examined the potential toxicity of aluminum hydroxide in male, outbred CD-1 mice injected subcutaneously in two equivalent-to-human doses. After sacrifice, spinal cord and motor cortex samples were examined by immunohistochemistry. Aluminum-treated mice showed significantly increased apoptosis of motor neurons and increases in reactive astrocytes and microglial proliferation within the spinal cord and cortex. Morin stain detected the presence of aluminum in the cytoplasm of motor neurons with some neurons also testing positive for the presence of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein, a pathological hallmark of various neurological diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. A second series of experiments was conducted on mice injected with six doses of aluminum hydroxide. Behavioural analyses in these mice revealed significant impairments in a number of motor functions as well as diminished spatial memory capacity. The demonstrated neurotoxicity of aluminum hydroxide and its relative ubiquity as an adjuvant suggest that greater scrutiny by the scientific community is warranted.

[rikadarling]

10:39 PM on 10/30/2011

I'm 62 years old and I haven't had the flu since childhood. I will never ever get a flu shot.... it contains mercury, formaldehyde, aluminum, squalene, antibiotics, and is incubated on eggs which I am deathly allergic to. They push these things on people like it's candy, and I think that is a crime.

[William George Cheng]

10:48 PM on 10/31/2011

I never had a flu shot too and i never actually had the flu before either.
Too tell you the truth, I'm only a teen right now.
But you're very lucky to be of that age and have never gotten the flu.
You must be very healthy XD
Btw, isn't mercury poisonous? and they're still putting it into people?

[ddanimal]

11:46 PM on 10/31/2011

Yes mercury is poisonous. And the form put in vaccines is particularly poisonous. It has an affinity for the brain.

And the aluminum is very dangerous as well. This study in animals demonstrated that aluminum kills neurons and caused brain inflammation. And it dramatically changed the behavior of the animals:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19740540

[StephenJK]

07:39 AM on 10/30/2011

What's the point of getting vaccination? It doesn't protect against all circulating strains of the flu virus anyway. So it's basically an "educated" crap shoot. That doesn't sound very scientific to me. Shots in the dark? Consider me a "pass" on that vaccine. I don't care what the miniscule chance of complications are, I will not risk my life for that.

[OverseasVet]

11:40 PM on 10/29/2011

More FUD to rile up the antivaccine crowd into a frenzy. There was an annual average of 41,400 (95% confidence interval: 27,100, 55,700) deaths to influenza over the period 1979–2001. With the help of HP, Age of Autism and Choprak we can easily break that record.

[JonGH]

02:51 AM on 10/30/2011

More FACTS to confound thimerosal and mercury apologists.

Thimerosal is not fully effective as a pharmaceut­ical/vacci­ne preservati­ve anyway. Thimerosal is more accurately described as a “bacterios­tatic” (a compound that inhibits the growth of bacteria). Even the FDA admits this on their website...

“Preservat­ives cannot completely eliminate the risk of contaminat­ion of vaccines. The literature contains several reports of bacterial contaminat­ion of vaccines despite the presence of a preservati­ve, emphasizin­g the need for meticulous attention to technique in withdrawin­g vaccines from multi-dose vials. (Bernier et al. 1981; Simon et al. 1993).”

http://www.fda.gov/biologicsbloodvaccines/safetyavailability/vaccinesafety/ucm096228.htm

In addition, flu vaccines don’t need to be made with thimerosal at all! All vaccine manufactur­ers have to do is bottle vaccines in single-dos­e vials (which do not need a preservati­ve) as opposed to multi-dose vials (which do). And it is very easy and very inexpensiv­e to manufacture vaccines in single-dos­e vials.

In the developed world, in the 21st century, there is no excuse to purposely inject any amount of thimerosal (ethylmercury) into pregnant women and infants. In 20-30 years, new pediatricians (and especially those who work in the new sub-specialty of Children's Environmental Health) will be astonished that such a thing was ever done. 'Mercury injected into pregnant women and infants. Wow.'

[ddanimal]

11:50 PM on 10/31/2011

Perhaps you should start reading the science?

J Inorg Biochem. 2009 Nov;103(11­):1555-62.
Aluminum hydroxide injections lead to motor deficits and motor neuron degenerati­on.
Shaw

Department­s of Ophthalmol­ogy and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia

In an initial series of experiment­s, we examined the potential toxicity of aluminum hydroxide in male, outbred CD-1 mice injected subcutaneo­usly in two equivalent­-to-human doses. After sacrifice, spinal cord and motor cortex samples were examined by immunohist­ochemistry­. Aluminum-t­reated mice showed significan­tly increased apoptosis of motor neurons and increases in reactive astrocytes and microglial proliferat­ion within the spinal cord and cortex. Morin stain detected the presence of aluminum in the cytoplasm of motor neurons with some neurons also testing positive for the presence of hyper-phos­phorylated tau protein, a pathologic­al hallmark of various neurologic­al diseases, including Alzheimer'­s disease and frontotemp­oral dementia. A second series of experiment­s was conducted on mice injected with six doses of aluminum hydroxide. Behavioura­l analyses in these mice revealed significan­t impairment­s in a number of motor functions as well as diminished spatial memory capacity. The demonstrat­ed neurotoxic­ity of aluminum hydroxide and its relative ubiquity as an adjuvant suggest that greater scrutiny by the scientific community is warranted.

[JonGH]

06:35 PM on 10/29/2011

Yes, the United States CDC officially recommends the flu vaccine for administration into pregnant women, and infants and children 6 months old and older. The problem is that the majority of the flu vaccine supply still contains the organic mercury compound Thimerosal as a germicide (preservative).

Thimerosal (sodium ethylmercurithiosalicylate) injected into the body is metabolized or degraded into ethylmercury (and thiosalicylate); thus exposing the developing brain of the fetus or infant to ethylmercury -a hazardous neurodevelopmental toxicant. Incredibly, the CDC and FDA continue to refuse to publicly state a preference for thimerosal-free flu vaccines for pregnant women or for infants or children. This is simply outrageous.

Though it is understandable. If the CDC and FDA publicly admitted the fact that thimerosal (ethylmercury) is a neurotoxicant and the fact that it is undetermined what (if any) amount of exposure to ethylmercury is "safe" to the developing brain and CNS, the image of the national immunization program would be damaged, severely. It would also stir up the fact that the CDC and FDA's conduct with regard to the number of thimerosal containing vaccines (TCVs) allowed onto the pediatric immunization schedule in the 1990s was totally incompetent ("asleep at the switch" -Dr. Peter Patriarca FDA/CBER internal email: July 2 1999).

[JonGH]

06:58 PM on 10/29/2011

The official website of the FDA confirms that thimerosal-free versions of the seasonal flu vaccine are in “limited supply.”

“Thimerosal has been removed from or reduced to trace amounts in all vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age and younger ---with the exception--- of inactivated influenza vaccine.”

“A preservative-free version of the inactivated influenza vaccine (contains trace amounts of thimerosal) is available in limited supply at this time for use in infants, children and pregnant women.”

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/ucm096228.htm#t

[JonGH]

07:12 PM on 10/29/2011

What really makes me mad as a parent of young children is that vaccines don’t need to be made with thimerosal at all!

As a live virus vaccine, the MMR was -never- made with thimerosal. Ditto, for example, for the IPV (polio) or varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. All vaccine manufacturers have to do is bottle vaccines in single-dose vials (which do not need a preservative) as opposed to multi-dose vials (which do). And it is very easy and very inexpensive to bottle vaccines in single-dose vials instead of multi-dose vials. It costs vaccine manufacturers ~ 15 cents to $1 more per dose to bottle vaccines in single dose vials.

Indeed, this is exactly what the vaccine companies started doing July 7, 1999 when the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued their landmark “joint statement” calling for vaccine manufacturers to stop adding thimerosal to pediatric vaccines “as soon as possible.” It took the vaccine manufacturers only two years to accomplish this. It was that easy.

Yet, there is thimerosal (ethylmercury), STILL used in flu vaccines that are being injected into pregnant women and 6+ month old infants TODAY.

Unbelievable!

[ddanimal]

11:55 PM on 10/31/2011

Mercury is not the only danger from vaccines. See the study below.

Also, mere immune activation-from ANY infection or vaccine-causes fetal brain damage. So, NO VACCINES are safe for pregnant women-even if they are mercury free.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19740540

[TheBodySacred]

01:54 PM on 10/29/2011

As someone who works in a hospital, I have found the elderly to be the most compliant group when it comes to getting flu shots, yet the hospitals are filled with elderly folks suffering from all kinds of upper respiratory illnesses and infections. I wonder if there is any link, or is it just a fluke?

[OverseasVet]

11:26 PM on 10/29/2011

Are those upper respirator­y illnesses and infections­ caused by the influenza virus? COPD is very common in the elderly as are a number of respiratory problems not associated with influenza. But by all means spread FUD about a usefull vaccine and let's see if we can drive business up and help some of these people move on.

[TheBodySacred]

06:47 AM on 10/30/2011

You are correct about COPD being very common in the elderly, but COPD is not an infection, and it is not caused by any kind of bacteria or virus. Yes, only the flu bug can cause influenza, but I cannot help but notice how susceptible the elderly are to pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis, and colds being the main inflammatory diseases caused by germs, in spite of flu shots and pneumonia shots. Perhaps if it were not for the flu shot many, many more elderly folks would come down with influenza - I have no doubt about that, as the cases of influenza in the elderly, that are hospitalized seem to be very small. I can only speak from what I see in the hospital. I cannot speak for what occurs in outpatient settings such as clinics and doctor's offices in terms of influenza because the flu bug can be treated on an outpatient basis, with no need for hospitalization unless it is extremely serious as in the H1N1 outbreak. When it comes to disease and illnesses, one must keep an open mild to ALL the possibilities. Who would have thought that such things as bird flu, and swine flu would be devastating to the human population. Who knew?

[rikadarling]

10:47 PM on 10/30/2011

Those respiratory diseases may or may not be related to the flu vaccine, but a "useful" vaccine it is not. If you're allergic to eggs as I am, it can be deadly.

[beauley]

09:25 PM on 10/28/2011

My Concerns About the Swine Flu Vaccine
Since the announcement in April, 2009 of the spread of the H1N1 flu many throughout the U.S. and the rest of the world began to wonder if this virus could become another pandemic. It was soon made official by WHO, leaving some question.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2337646/my_concerns_about_the_swine_flu_vaccine.html?cat=68

[Huffy108]

08:37 PM on 10/28/2011

naturalnews.com 

October 27 2011
Shock vaccine study reveals influenza vaccines only prevent the flu in 1.5 out of 100 adults, (not 60% as you've been told)

http://www.naturalnews.com/033998_influenza_vaccines_effectiveness.html

[OverseasVet]

11:29 PM on 10/29/2011

One can look no further than the source to know it is an antivaccine article with a total lack of scientific evidence.

[bbtri]

07:29 PM on 10/28/2011

According to the study 2.7% of the unvaccinated got the flu, while 1.2% of the vaccinated got it, so they claim a 59% reduction, or is it really a 1.5% reduction? After all, it means that the vaccine helps 1.5 out of every 100 who take it. If it were a non-patent treatment you can be sure they would report the 1.5%.

[TheBodySacred]

02:43 PM on 10/29/2011

Mathematically, that would be a 59% reduction in the INCIDENCE of flu, but a 1.5% reduction in the entire amout of PEOPLE who actually got the flu. In other words, there were 59% less incidence of flu the vaccinated group than in the unvaccinated group. This means that if 100 people in the unvaccinated group got the flu, then 41 people in the vaccinated group got the flu. However out of the entire population of those unvaccinated 2.7% got the flu, which was reduced to 1.2% in the vaccinated, thus 1.5% less people from the whole vaccinated group got the flu, compared to the unvaccinated group.

[VA Jill]

01:56 PM on 10/28/2011

So tell me once again why I should get a flu shot. Nope, that won't wash. I did get mine every year when I was still working, but at least once I got some kind of flu that came in under the radar and was as sick as I've ever been. Other years I got some really ugly side effects. If this article is anywhere near accurate, I think I'll skip it this year. Oh....and how effective is it for people over 65? Many in that group have other health conditions. No word on that?

[Sharon Hanson]

02:01 AM on 10/29/2011

They are saying that those that are 65 or older need additional strength flu vaccinations because their immune systems are winding down at that age as I say. So in order to provoke a response the elderly need a higher dose. This would also be true for children under a certain age I would think as well. Of course we get so little truth about this stuff that you can't believe what they are saying. And a lot of the doctors that post on here are pro-pharma so don't look to them to tell the truth, they don't know the truth or they refuse to tell it. I'm not sure but it's a sad state we find ourselves in.

[OverseasVet]

11:34 PM on 10/29/2011

This sounds like a Colbert Report gag. We can't trust the doctors with medicine because they are regulated by other doctors. We should have untrained laymen making these decisions and stop relying on the evidence produced by the experts. And don't forget to add toxin, toxin, strawman, strawman.

[ddanimal]

10:25 AM on 10/28/2011

This ridiculous vaccine contains mercury, and the corrupt CDC continues to recommend it to pregnant women and 6 months old infants.

[Sharon Hanson]

12:36 PM on 10/28/2011

ddanimal have your heard the latest about the CDC?

Dr. Kimberly Quinlan Lindsey a high ranking CDC official was arrested and charged with two counts of child molestation and one count of bestiality. It is disturbing that this doctor was in charge of the 2009 H1N1 propaganda campaign that turned deadly for many children as she was formally in charge of CDC health recommendations for all American children.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/11/justice/georiga-cdc-arrest/index.html
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/02/prweb3566094.htm

[ddanimal]

01:09 PM on 10/28/2011

Did you hear about this gem from the CDC? This is from a WashPo article.

"CDC misled District residents about lead levels in water, House probe finds"
By Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, May 20, 2010

The nation's premier public health agency knowingly used flawed data to claim that high lead levels in the District's drinking water did not pose a health risk to the public, a congressional investigation has found. And, investigators determined, the agency has not publicized more thorough internal research showing that the problem harmed children across the city and continues to endanger thousands of D.C. residents.

A House investigative subcommittee concludes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made "scientifically indefensible" claims in 2004 that high lead in the water was not causing noticeable harm to the health of city residents. As terrified District parents demanded explanations for the spike in lead in their water, the CDC hurriedly published its calming analysis, knowing that it relied on incomplete, misleading blood-test results that played down the potential health impact, the investigation found.

[ddanimal]

10:24 AM on 10/28/2011

The flu shot is an ineffective scam.

Just take vitamin D. Its more effective, safer and actually beneficial for your health. And, unlike the vaccine, you cannot be permanently paralyzed or brain damaged by vitamin D.

[bbtri]

07:13 PM on 10/28/2011

It's a very effective scam. Look how much they're making.

[ddanimal]

11:42 PM on 10/31/2011

LOL!