How do you feel about the EU fast-tracking the study of the swine flu vaccination, considering the fact that during the 70's outbreak, more people died from the vaccine than the flu itself?

I did not know this! I know that thousands of people die every year from ordinary flu and no one bats an eye lid! Why is that? Has the vaccine been changed?

I didn’t read your links thoroughly, but I think it is sloppy science. From what I understand there are trials being done on the new vaccine, but it is a very small sample of people and then it will get the rubber stamp.

I think Mexico would continue to have had a significant amount of cases if it is going to be a major problem this flu season.

The public will be very upset if there is no vaccine available and the swine flu actually does come back with a vengeance, so there is public and political pressure I would guess. Y’all can take the vaccine, and then since you are immune I won’t have to worry about getting it :).

@JLeslie

I love your last sentence. I feel the same exact way.

They have to look like they’re doing something.

Here’s some swine flu propaganda from the 70’s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASibLqwVbsk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GV1ng6_5fI

And, if you’re sick with any flu, please stay home. I hate people who brag that they dragged themselves into work when they were sick…you are getting everyone else sick, do you care? In parts of Asia people with cold and flu wear masks. I think a lot of American’s think that people with masks on are germaphobic people, but many times it is considerate people trying not to pass it around.

Here’s the super scary story I’m following: http://www.naturalnews.com/026503_pandemic_swine_flu_bioterrorism.html.

Also, vaccine makers and the gubmint are immune from lawsuits (no pun intended).

@kevbo – that is very scary indeed. yeeeek

@kevbo Why can’t I find that charge on any reputable news site?

Any number of reasons. Take it how you will.

@chris6137: if the fast track results in an effective vaccine, that’s a good thing.

It’s extremely difficult to predict how a virus will mutate in the wild. The swine flu panic in the 1970s turned out to not be worth it; but the Spanish flu outbreak in 1918 killed more people than World War I.

@casheroo There is a reason why in that link, the notorious and Jewish international bankers (David de Rotschild, banker, David Rockefeller, banker, George Soros, banker) are included, along with Barack Obama. It is conspiracy theory 101. International “bankers” stand to profit (somehow, who the hell knows) from a pandemic. Of course, the media is in cahoots with the US government, these crazy bankers, and the pharmaceutical companies to prevent dissemination of this information. Yet, one lonely investigative journalist has the scoop.

To the several people who claim to want to depend on others’ altruism, I say this, there won’t be enough vaccines available for all who want them, and herd immunity won’t be that robust since there is little immunologic “memory” to this H1N1 influenza strain.

@shilolo Thank you for your response. It explains a lot. Also, would you get a vaccine if they come out with one? Do you have to since you work in a hospital?

@casheroo I am 100% pro-vaccine. Vaccines are some of the greatest triumphs of modern medicine (I can’t imagine anyone arguing with that). There is no reason to fear them, and every reason to protect yourself and your family. I get my annual flu shot because I want one, not because I have to, and I will get an H1N1 vaccine this year as well.

@shilolo I agree there will not be enough immunity for herd immunity to occur, I said it in jest. No one should take my statement seriously or as advice.

I am not against vaccines, there is no questions that many of our vaccines are great triumphs in science. However, a relative very close to me worked for vaccinations at the FDA, although she is not a medical professional, no one in my family takes the flu shot including her.

Well, one thing’s for sure. The bankers and the government are definitely not in cahoots. Oh, and the government and pharmaceutical companies certainly aren’t either. That much is clear.

@shilolo, let me point out that you’re the only one introducing race into this discussion, and it’s not something I’m stating or implying. In fact, I hadn’t heard mention of the bankers’ names in relation to this until reading it today, and I’ve been aware of the story for a couple of weeks now. I would also add that this is less about one journalist having a scoop than one person filing charges purportedly based on evidence, which is said to be published in an online file—and I’m qualifying both statements only because I haven’t seen them
myself.

What is fact is that Baxter did release live avian flu in shipments marked as vaccine. Oops.

I’m not anti-vaccine, either, but I have trouble believing that a “swine” flu that is one part NA swine flu, one part Euro swine flu, one part avian flu, and one part human flu and that the CDC has characterized as “highly unusual” has a natural genesis. But, hey, I’m just a caveman.

Okay, call me naive..but I do want to understand. What would be the benefit of them developing a vaccine and people receving it? @kevbo do you think the vaccine is going to harm people? or just that the flu was released on purpose…or maybe on accident but it still was created by man?
Also, what would the benefits of vaccinating people be? Is it money? I’m just trying to understand.
@shilolo I wasn’t trying to go into a vaccine debate, I was just asking if you would get priority because of your job, or if they do priority in a different way when it would come to something like this? Or would it be viewed as just another yearly vaccine like the flu vax? I just figured you’d know more about it than most.

@casheroo, I don’t know, but as @chris6137 has pointed out the last swine flu vax harmed people, and pharma and the government have granted each other immunity from prosecution this time around (somehow without being in cahoots), so what else does one have to go on?

From what I understand drug companies don’t make much on the flu vaccine. I think the intention is a good one, to protect the population. I just think it is rushed from political pressure which originates from citizens putting pressure on the politicians. Probably also, it costs society a lot of money for health care to treat the people most likely to fall deathly ill from the flu. What do you think?

@keybo also, there are always a certain amount of adverse reactions to drugs, vaccines, etc. if there is a belief that it will save many more lives than harm, I think they would approve it.

edit:: The CDC called it “unusual” not “highly unusual.” My apologies.