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Swine flu vaccine

Currently the Swine flu is a milder form of flu than the common seasonal flu. In the coming months in Ireland people will be encouraged to take a vaccine for the H1N1 virus or Swine Flu in anticipation of it getting worse through the winter months. I’ve been asked by readers what my opinion on the vaccine is and whether I think they should they take it or not. As to my personal opinion im happy to share it but I think its really up to every individual to make an informed choice whether they opt to get the vaccine or not.

Are there possible downside to this vaccine?

Firstly worth noting is that the production of this vaccine has been different than any other because it has been rushed through the test phase in order to get it on the market at rapid speed. So it is not tried and tested to the same rigour as the normal seasonal flu vaccine. In the past (1978 swine flu outbreak in the USA) the rushed vaccination program caused more deaths from the vaccine itself than from the flu. The vaccine also caused many people to develop chronic and crippling autoimmune diseases. The technology used to produce vaccines has come on a lot in the last 30 years however, but is there need for concern with this particular swine flu vaccine that will be coming available in the next 30 days? There are a number of concerns id have regarding the ingredients of the vaccine, here are a few:

• Lung specialist Dr Wolfgang Wodarg, who is the chairman of the health committee in the German parliament and European Council, has said that there are many risks associated with the vaccine for the H1N1 virus. The nutrient solution for the vaccine consists of cancerous cells from animals and "we do not know if there could be an allergic reaction"

• The fast tracked vaccine contains novel immune adjuvants(active ingredients), including dangerous Squalene. The purpose of an immune adjuvant added to a vaccine is to enhance (turbo charge) your immune response to the vaccination. Adjuvants are supposed to get the job done faster, which reduces the amount of vaccine required per dose, and the number of doses given per individual. The two of the companies contracted to produce the vaccine in Europe are using the adjuvant squalene in their H1N1 vaccines. A 2000 study published in the American Journal of Pathology demonstrated a single injection of the adjuvant squalene into rats triggered “chronic, immune-mediated joint-specific inflammation,” also known as rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers concluded the study raised questions about the role of adjuvants in chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Squalene is a natural nutrient that can be found in olive oil, but the difference between “good” and “bad” squalene is the route by which it enters your body. Injection is an abnormal route of entry which incites your immune system to attack all the squalene in your body, not just the vaccine adjuvant. Your immune system will attempt to destroy the molecule wherever it finds it, including in places where it occurs naturally, and where it is vital to the health of your nervous system. Gulf War veterans with Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) received anthrax vaccines MF59 which contained squalene and has since been linked to the devastating autoimmune diseases suffered by countless Gulf War vets

• The first group to be offered vaccination will be people in at-risk groups and staff working in health and essential services. However, research published in the August 25 issue of the British Medical Journal reveals that more than half of doctors and nurses in public hospitals would also refuse the H1N1 vaccine, due to concerns about side effects and doubts about its efficacy. So if our health professionals are dubious should the general public be skeptical?

• In Australia, where the winter season has begun, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon is reassuring parents the swine flu is no more dangerous than regular seasonal flu. "Most people, including children, will experience very mild symptoms and recover without any medical intervention," she said

One further point worth noting is that the presumed intent of a vaccination is to help you build immunity to potentially harmful organisms that cause illness and disease. However, your body’s immune system is already designed to do this in response to organisms which invade your body naturally. Most disease-causing organisms enter your body through the mucous membranes of your nose, mouth, pulmonary system or your digestive tract – not through an injection.

As to wheatear im going to get the vaccine personally? I think the answer is obvious. Im going to keep myself flu free this winter using healthy foods, lifestyle choices and herbal medicines.

In health

Gabriel