Flu Vaccines…What are they Good For?

Dr. Heath McKinleyDr. Jeremy Arthur

Anti-Science vs Pseudo-Science

It is Pseudo-science to:1. Ignore references presenting adverse reactions2. Minimize negative effects by limiting recognition of adverse reactions

1. 10% are actually reported (Kessler, FDA)

3. Not follow up on adverse reactions4. Provide no funding for research into adverse reactions5. Not communicate to MD’s that certain vaccines may cause adverse reactions and to closely

monitor these reactions6. Not communicate to parents what to do prior to vaccinating.7. Not assessing the immune system prior to vaccinating8. Not giving parents informed consent or teaching them how to recognize adverse reactions

and how to deal with them.9. Having only drug companies do safety studies on vaccines (only short term)10. Only devoting research funds to the development of new vaccines and none for studying

those at risk of adverse reactions or the adverse reaction association itself11. Having the same people who recommend the vaccines to the government also report on the

safety and effectiveness of the vaccines (70% of recommitte Dr’s are paid on honorarium by Drug companies)

Your Immune System

All vaccines are immunization but not all immunization is vaccines

• Innate Immunity

• Acquired Immunity

What do happens when you get a viral infection?

• What is different in the immune response between vaccinated and unvaccinated people?– T Helper Cell 1 (TH1)• Cell-mediated immunity

– T Helper Cell 2 (TH2)• Humoral (blood) immunity

Childhood Immunizations vs Flu Immunizations

Flu Virus

• What is the Flu Bug (Type A and B)– Virus• Ability to mutate – adapt• The Virus does this in the cell

– Only 20% of all Flu-like sickness are actually from the Flu virus

Natural response to a flu virus infection

• Flu virus enters airway• Dendritic cells recognize virus and instruct a

TH1 (cell mediated response)• Infected cells place markers on their surface

indicating they have a virus in them• Infected cells (and virus) are killed by TH1

immune response.• Approximately 5 year immunity

Flu Vaccines

• Stimulate a TH2 (humoral) response to the virus (because shot bypasses dendritic cells)– Antibodies recognize very specific receptors and bind

to them, killing the virus in the blood stream• 1 year immunity because the virus is different each year

– TH1 response is inhibited• You lose the ability to kill the virus in the cells• Once it is in the cell it multiplies exponentially• This is why people still get flu even though they’ve had the

shot

What’s in a Flu Vaccine?

• Thimerisol – Mercury– Preservative

• Adjuvants– Aluminum, squalene, others– Potent immune system enhancers– Very few studies

• All rats injected with squalene (oil) adjuvants developed a disease that left them crippled, dragging their paralyzed hindquarters across their cages. Injected squalene can cause severe arthritis (3 on scale of 4) and severe immune responses, such as autoimmune arthritis and lupus. Ref: (1): Kenney, RT. Edleman, R. "Survey of human-use adjuvants." Expert Review of Vaccines. 2 (2003) p171.

Does the Flu Vaccine Work?

• 2009 – 2/3rd of Flu were caused by different viral type (CDC)

• 2008 – 44% Effective (CDC)

• Because of poor design there are very few studies to give us the answer (British Medical Journal)

Do Flu Vaccines Work?

Does the Flu Vaccine Work?

• Not in babies: In a review of more than 51 studies involving more than 294,000 children it was found there was "no evidence that injecting children 6-24 months of age with a flu shotwas any more effective than placebo. In children over 2 yrs, it was only effective 33% of the time in preventing the flu. Reference: "Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children." The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2 (2008).

• Not in children with asthma: A study 800 children with asthma, where one half were vaccinated and the other half did not receive the influenza vaccine. The two groups were compared with respect to clinic visits, emergency department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for asthma. CONCLUSION: This study failed to provide evidence that the influenza vaccine prevents pediatric asthma exacerbations. Reference: "Effectiveness of influenza vaccine for the prevention of asthma exacerbations." Christly, C. et al. Arch Dis Child. 2004 Aug;89(8):734-5.

• Not in children with asthma (2): "The inactivated flu vaccine, Flumist, does not prevent influenza-related hospitalizations in children, especially the ones with asthma…In fact, children who get the flu vaccine are more at risk for hospitalization than children who do not get the vaccine.“ Reference: The American Thoracic Society’s 105th International Conference, May 15-20, 2009, San Diego.

• Not in adults: In a review of 48 reports including more than 66,000 adults, "Vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by 6% and reduced the number of missed work days by less than one day (0.16) days. It did not change the number of people needing to go to hospital or take time off work.“ Reference: "Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults." The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 1 (2006).

• Not in the Elderly: In a review of 64 studies in 98 flu seasons, For elderly living in nursing homes, flu shots were non-significant for preventing the flu. For elderly living in the community, vaccines were not (significantly) effective against influenza, ILI or pneumonia. Reference: "Vaccines for preventing influenza in the elderly." The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.3 (2006).

What about Swine Flu?

What about Swine Flu?

• 30,000 deaths per year by seasonal flu (CDC)– (controversial because it includes non-lab confirmed diagnosis which could be

misattributed) • 8/21/09 – 522 deaths (CDC)

– WHO and CDC recommend stopping lab testing and are presuming any Flu-like symptoms to be swine flu

• Swine Flu most prevalent in those 20-59 (FDA)– Majority of those who have died are clinically obese with other complicating

factors (WHO, CDC, Bloomberg)– Over age 60 have TH1 immunity from previous “outbreak”

• Current estimates revise death risk from 1 in 4000 to 1 in 100,000 (Bloomberg)• It’s not very good at spreading (Science)

What about the Swine Flu Vaccine?

• We don’t know a lot since safety and efficacy data won’t be available for months

• The normal testing procedures will be bypassed (FDA)• Unlicensed and untested adjuvants (oil-in-water) will be

included in the vaccine (FDA)• Thimerisol will be included in the vaccine (ABC news)

Will it work? Is it safe?

• WHO – “There is little to no info on how safe flu vaccines with adjuvants are for pregnant women or children. (Director of Vaccination Marie Pauley-Kinney)”

What should I do?

• Boost your immune system– Eat healthy– Exercise– Supplement• Multi• Fish oil• Probiotic• Vit D – if low

– Vitamindcouncil.org

– Chiropractic Adjustment