Swine flu vaccine controversy

By Alia Al-Moayed

Very interesting news!  Apparently I am being ‘investigated’ by Bahrain’s Ministry of Health because of my views on the upcoming swine flu vaccine.

This past Tuesday, I wrote an article in the local paper (Gulf Daily News) about the potential dangers of the swine flu vaccine.  I posed several questions which I am still waiting for an answer for.  I was asking these questions both as a mother and a citizen who has the right to know.

In response to that article, read the link that came out in the GDN here today (Friday, Oct 2, 2009).  It’s very interesting.  At the time of writing this blog post, I still do not know if and when any of my questions will be answered.  This is what I originally asked:

How safe is the vaccine and where are the studies that prove its safety?
Thiomersal and Squalene are both controversial ingredients in the vaccine, how do we know they’re safe?
How will you measure the effectiveness of the vaccination campaign if you are not testing for swine flu?
Why are we targeting society’s most vulnerable (pregnant women, children, elderly) with an untested, potentially toxic vaccine?

Below, you can find the original article that I wrote.  If you would rather see it on Tuesday’s Gulf Daily News page, here it is.

Read below and let me know what you think..
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My original article and questions
I have recently read lots of newspaper statements from health authorities about the swine flu vaccine.  The statements claim that it is totally safe, that the only side-effects could be redness and irritation at the site of injection, and that the controversy over its safety is not accurate.

Given that there’s a big debate over the safety of these vaccines, I feel that it is only fair to present both sides of the argument.  Presenting one-sided arguments not only presents an inaccurate picture, but also undermines today’s consumer who is much savvier and better informed due to the advancements in technology.

I am aware that the decisions of the authorities are made with very good intentions and that the safety of the people is always top priority.  With that in mind, I would like to pose a few questions, both as a mother and as a Nutritional Therapist.

Vaccine contents and side-effects
If you say that the vaccine is ‘totally safe’, how do you justify it’s controversial contents?  The most controversial being the preservative thiomersal, which contains 49% mercury.  Numerous studies have proven the toxicity of mercury (which is one of the most toxic heavy metals in nature).

Pandemrix, one of the two vaccines Bahrain is planning to use in the fight against Swine Flu, contains controversial preservative Thimerosal, despite it being a mercury-based compound.

According to numerous studies, including a 2003 US Congressional report on ‘Mercury in Medicine’; it is claimed that Thimerosal can be linked to the development of autism and other brain development disorders.

If you claim that mercury is not toxic, why is it no longer legal in the US to use mercury in vaccines?  Why is it illegal in Norway to use mercury amalgam fillings?  Why is mercury coming up over and over again in tests done on autistic children?  Why are we supposed to be very careful touching and inhaling mercury while you say it’s ok to inject into our bloodstreams; worse yet, inject it into our kids!

The list of contents of these vaccines is truly scary.  Flu vaccines contain various dangerous ingredients such as Aluminium, Ethylene glycol, Formaldehyde, and other toxic substances.  But what’s even more dangerous is Squalene, the immune adjuvant added to this most recent swine flu vaccine to ‘increase it’s effectiveness’.  It is added to trigger a strong immune reaction, get the job done faster, and reduce the amount of vaccine required per dose (making it easier for mass vaccination campaigns). But has anyone stopped to think of the effects that this adjuvant has? Squalene causes the immune system to react in a powerful, unnatural and potentially dangerous way to the presence of the virus we’re being vaccinated against.  Various studies, including a 2000 study published in the American Journal of Pathology raised questions about the role of adjuvant in chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

If these vaccine ingredients were harmless, why would vaccine makers have total legal protection from any legal cases for any side-effects that the vaccines might cause in people?

The US Government signed a document in June making US federal officials and all vaccine manufacturers immune from any legal liability if its citizens suffer adverse reactions to the H1N1 virus.

Where are the studies that have been done on these vaccines to prove their safety (how can they even provide study results in such a short time?)  What are the long-term side-effects of these vaccines?  How can you be sure that the only side-effects are ‘redness and swelling of the site of injection’ when you haven’t waited long enough to find out what the long-term side-effects are?  Many sources state that the side-effects of these vaccines appear after one year of injection; what if that’s true?  What will people do in a year’s time when they notice strange conditions in their kids or their newborns?

What will happen when, within that year, there is an increase in allergies, in Guillain-Barre syndrome (linked to previous swine flu vaccine), brain inflammation, central nervous system disorders, or autism and learning difficulties?  Will you link these conditions to the vaccine?

How effective is the vaccine
When you vaccinate against swine flu, you have to check and see whether actual cases of swine flu reduced. How will you check the effectiveness of your vaccination campaign if health centers and hospitals are not checking for swine flu and assuming all flues are the H1N1 virus?

Authorities are claiming that the swine flu vaccine is similar to the regular flu vaccine.  But various studies, including two studies in 2008 published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine and another in the Lancet, have proven respectively that flu vaccinations had no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits, and no reduction of risk of pneumonia in the elderly.  How is the swine flu vaccine different?  And what will happen when new strains of the virus form? Another vaccine? And what if somebody already got swine flu, will you ask them to take the vaccine as well?

Are we getting swine flu because of a deficiency in standardized vaccine?
Let’s put things into perspective.  Death from swine flu is not common.  In fact, swine flu deaths have been far less than deaths caused by the regular flu.

According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest figures as of September 20, there have been 300,000 laboratory confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus and 3,917 deaths.

Compare this to WHO’s latest calculations for regular influenza outbreaks, which estimates  around three to five million cases of severe flu-related illness, and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths annually.

Furthermore, most people who react badly to swine flu are those with pre-existing conditions or low immunity.  If we know that swine flu is worse for people with low immunity, does it make sense to inject those people with vaccines containing toxic substances?  Wouldn’t that lower their immunity further?

Moreover, does it make sense to target the most vulnerable people in society with these vaccines?  Pregnant women, children, and the elderly should be kept as far as possible from toxins and vaccines.  They are already immune-compromised; they are more likely to develop vaccine complications due to their slower detoxification systems, immature immunity (in kids), and nutrient deficiencies.

People with lowered immunities should be most vigilant.  The swine flu vaccine could lower their immunity further.  It might protect them from swine flu, but it will have a severe impact on their overall health.  In the process of preventing one illness, we’re creating many others.

This is not prevention, it is over-medicating
When people get sick, it is not because they are deficient in vaccine.  People get sick because their immune systems are weak.  So wouldn’t it be better to invest in helping people take care of their own health?  Teaching people how to boost their immunity, how to eat better, and how to lead a healthier lifestyle is a lot more beneficial.  The advice of ‘wash your hands’ and ‘take the vaccine’ is not enough to help people out of disease pandemics.

I would much rather see our health authorities promote health by increasing awareness, sponsoring workshops, improving school canteens, and advocating real prevention of disease using food, vitamins, herbs, exercise and various other natural remedies.

Make an informed decision
I don’t know if the swine flu vaccine will be mandatory.  However, I would like to think that we live in a place where people have the freedom to choose what they want injected into theirs or their kids’ bodies.

I would advise everyone to do the research before making a decision.  There is a lot of controversy for a reason.  People must be informed.  It’s true that there is a lot of false information on the internet, but there’s also a lot of good accurate information there too.  People no longer depend on their doctors to dictate what they should do.  The average person today is a lot more informed and that’s the way it should be.

Use your common sense and take control of your own health.