Josephius's Comments (792)

“The article was about alcohol and development, yet you (on cue) digress to vaccines yet again. We know what the mechanisms are in fetal alcohol syndrome. We know how ethanol affects both component molecules and the tissues that comprise them. We know how physiology is disrupted. In short, we have an explanation.

Is there one for thimerosal causing XXX in the developing fetus? No. Has it been examined? Yes.What you have provided is based on cell line models, and if you look at the dosages used in the experiments, they are orders of magnitude greater than any pregnant woman would eve be exposed to through immunization.

It's OK to be concerned, it's another thing to derive your own conclusions about anything based on your particular world-view.

There is no mechanisms associated with birth defects from any vaccine in use. There is no epidemiological support that there is a problem. The dosages/exposures involved in immunization or dental amalgams are no where near what has been seen to generate the type of acute mercury exposure (yes, we also know exactly what acute mercury exposure does to a developing fetus. Do we see anything like this with immunizations or amalgams? NO!)

Do yourself a favor and start being honest with yourself, with this and other issues.”

“Exactly! Well said! Finally, an author who knows something about biochemistry and molecular biology!”

“The key word actually is "may". It is conceivable that it may not be effective, but the chances are so low, one might ask why even bring it up. It "may" also be the case that batches of the vaccine are sabotaged by terrorists, again, another reason to freak out over nothing and find another reason to justify your initial position of fear.”

“You get chicken pox after infection from the virus, which requires that the virus enter nerve ganglia and integrate into the host's DNA. Shingles occur in individuals when the virus exists latency. If you are immunized, you prevent infection meaning you never have the herpes virus integrate into those cells, therefore there is no possibility of the shingles.

Your posting is nothing more than commentary. The claims of 90.4% are not from a particular study. After careful review of the scientific and medical literature, I cannot find any evidence to support these claims. It seems claims, such as this are only found on these types of webpages and not in the body of knowledge generated through the use of the scientific method, properly conducted (controlled) trials, peer-review and publication.”

“" But the universal varicella vaccination program in the US will nearly eradicate this natural boosting mechanism and will leave our population vulnerable to shingles epidemics"­...until those in the generations where they were infected by the virus pass into history, leaving a population that did not have chickenpox (the disease) and do not carry the latent virus, meaning no chicken pox and no shingles. So what's the problem again? It's better that kids get the disease and old people get shingles?”

“Good one!

The smallpox virus does not cause shingles. The chicken pox virus (that remains latent in nerve ganglia for your entire life) does.”

“That is hilarious! I have no doubt you really believe it too.”

“It's posts like that I really cherish, just so all others who read it can really see the caliber of the person making these claims. You typed it, we can read it. Thanks a bunch!”

“If you haven't noticed, not everyone deals with the flu with just a doctor visit. Have you not seen the numbers of deaths and hospitalizations?! Seriously, 18,000 people have been hospitalized for influenza so far (in the U.S).

We're talking tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/29/eveningnews/main5453206.shtml

"Wow - actually - isn't that the "same list" that some of us who question vaccine safety are linking to vaccines?"

Yes, claims. Unsubstantiated, unsupported claims. Propagated on internet websites by people who have no involvement with patients or treating these diseases. You are unaware of the numbers of flu hospitalizations and costs, but you've got that whole medical science thing down! Good for you Doc.!”

“"Questioning and choosing your medical treatment is not analogous to driving drunk or sober for that matter."

It's not? Really, so if you are a disease carrier and you spread it to others knowingly or by negligence, there is no moral boundary for that? That's ok but endangering others through other means is totally different?

The fact is if you are not immunized you run a substantially increased likelihood of being infected and spreading the disease agent over those that have been immunized. That is a fact. Allowing ones self to be a host for parasites that can spread to others is contributing to the disease process.

Immunizations are mandatory for those working in certain professions, travel abroad, or chose to attend a public educational institutions.”

“Yes. Because a description of a disease was made by doctors in the 1859 doesn't mean it didn't exist prior. That should be obvious. The disease small pox ravaged people for centuries before they new what it was. It didn't first appear when they finally new it was caused by a virus. Seriously, are we really having this conversation?”

“"The Swine Flu pandemic is a fraud / business plan designed to sell vaccinations. "

Right, because we want to give our money to the European companies from whom we buy our H1N1 vaccines from.

How much money is being made "selling" H1N1 vaccines exactly? All doses have been paid for from federal funds...we only pay for the inoculation, so the manufacturers don't see an extra dime. Not to mention, there is no mark up for supply/dem­and...agai­n, they are all paid for.

So how much money do these companies make again (Novartis, Sanofi, Medimmune, GSK as of Tuesday)? $6 billion, divided by 4 companies minus the cost of manufacturing (about $250 million each) and other misc costs ($63M). That brings it to about $1.0B before taxes. Figuring corp tax rates that leaves them with WHOA! A few hundred million dollars. Whoooo. Wow, that's less than even a meager medication sold by pharma.

And, what about the fact that they could make far, far more money selling drugs and services for people who contract the flu. Roche has made more money from 1 quarter selling Tamiflu that all the vaccine manufacturers combined.

Isn't it true all of you who make these claims of corporate/­government profiteering conspiracies have NEVER actually looked at any numbers involved with cost of goods sold and revenues? Try and be honest with yourself for once. Do you really know what you are talking about or just parroting nonsense?”

“I , and no one else, knows the answer to your question..­.because it is irrelevant. What does vaccination status have to do with the fact that an autoimmune disease is triggered by infection? That's the only relevant point to this discussion. If infections drive the onset of GB, then infections are to be avoided. In some rare situations, the immune response to a vaccine (which generates acquired immunity without giving the host the disease) can elicit the same response. Again, the point is that for every one that contract GB from a vaccines, there are tens, maybe 100 or so that get it from the disease agent. That is why most (not all) of those people with a disposition to GB are encouraged to be vaccinated (according to their doctor in a case by case basis). This is not some theoretical view of how disease works, this is reality. This is how medical practitioners deal with patients who have a disposition/history to GB.

But, feel free to regress to your "I don't know that/don't want to accept that, therefore, it is not true" tactic you frequently employ here.”

“Very few do.

Why don't you take the time, look at the income statements and reports of these manufacturer’s and see how much money they really make and compare it to the rest of their sources of cash flow.

No one here has ever done that, have they? They regurgitate misinformation they want to believe, but in no way have ever taken the time to see if what they think is really the case.”

“"What about all those in the global scientific and medical community who say different Josephius? "

Maybe you should provide an example as to who you think can be considered an authority.

What financial interests do scientists, doctors, and public health specialists have in vaccines? Doctors would make more money with more patients having diseases that are preventable through immunization.”

“When ones' choices/actions do not contribute to the good of the community and/or endanger others.

Should I feel ok driving drunk? It's my car, my body?”

“Well there you go! We should apply that to every therapeutic in use, medications, vaccines, devices, everything.

One point...to­tally different mechanisms of action being compared here. And, flu vaccines have been in use since the 40's, where Vioxx was used for 5 years. Not to mention, far more people were/have been vaccinated with influenza vaccines than were put on Vioxx.”

“Read....

http://www.medicinenet.com/guillain-barre_syndrome/article.htm”

“"Josephius - please provide a link to a scientific study that proves a higher rate of GBS among the non-vaccin­ated."

Don't read much, huh? Why don't you read on what GB is first, then get back to me.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/guillain-barre-syndrome/DS00413

http://www.gbs-cidp.org/”

“If you need me to provide evidence to you, my first piece of advice would be to go to a library and read. Basic textbooks (from junior high through college will supply ample information). Then, go and talk to professionals who work in this field and talk to them about it. Maybe even show them your internet "anecdotal evidence" that they don't really work.

The concepts and principles involved in immunization are well-founded and accepted by the global scientific an medical community. Your denial is nothing more than a mere personal choice, but clearly illustrates that you would rather accept a delusional world of make believe than accept knowledge that is freely available.”

“Susceptible people are far more likely to develop GB from infection (like the influenza virus) than they are from any vaccine.”

“"Don't you think that if the Government thought that it was a real emergency that they would make companies produce enough? "

Huh? How would they "make" them produce more?

" I mean it wouldn't be difficult for the US Government to get other providers (including generic manufacturers) to up their supply quickly."

Generic manufacturers? Do you know anything about vaccine production?”

“Are you looking in the right places? Are you looking at all?



http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/281/10/908

http://journals.lww.com/pidj/Abstract/1999/09000/Randomized,_placebo_controlled_double_blind_study.7.aspx

http://www.annals.org/content/123/7/518.abstract

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/331/12/778

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/272/21/1661

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/284/13/1655

http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/513934

http://www.annals.org/content/121/12/947.abstract”

“"unless $6 million isn't "huge" to you."

No, it's not.

I asked what the returns are for a business involved in vaccine development and production, not what inventors made from a licensing deal.

If a corporation with a $100 billion market cap that makes a tens of millions from vaccines sales is not depending on those revenues as much as the rest of their product line. A company with a value of $100,000,000,000 that makes $50,000,000 form vaccines revenues = 0.005% value. And supposedly that HUGE windfall profit from making those vaccines is supposedly divided up among their employees, politicians, doctors, and scientists around the world to keep them in their pockets. So, what's the break down? Each of those people in on the conspiracy can expect their check for $5? The concept is laughable, but it's also understandable that so many people actually believe it because this country is mathematically illiterate and don't take the time to validate their claims.”

“OK, you've asked the question. Now read up on immunizations and efficacy. Simply asking a question, then not pursuing the answer is useless. Furthermore, not pursuing the answer so that your belief is bolstered on a lack of information (ignorance) seems to be the M.O. as of late.”