October 16, 2009 7:53 AM
Gardasil & H1N1 Swine Flu - Big Pharma profits put children at risk
I hope you all are understanding that we should not allow fear-mongering and government-induced panic to push us into getting H1N1 vaccinations for our children. who knows what we are going to be dealing with in a year or two?
Posted in Big Pharma, Girls, Health | Permalink
Comments
Amen Sister!!!
Posted by: Rob | October 16, 2009 8:34 AM
I agree with you about Gardasil. I am thankful it's not something we've even had to consider (yet), having only sons.
However, H1N1 is a strain of influenza. Influenza vaccines are not new or untested, and every year the seasonal vaccine is produced with different strains. This is not quite the same as a completely new vaccination for an STD. ;)
Posted by: Margaret | October 16, 2009 8:55 AM
I agree with you Margaret. I'm also skeptical about Gardasil, but flu vaccines have been around for a long time, and this year's H1N1 vaccine is made in the same way as the seasonal flu shot that many people safely get every year. They are just not quite in the same category.
Posted by: Elizabeth B. | October 16, 2009 9:27 AM
I'm going to have to agree with Margaret and Elizabeth here; I see a huge difference between the two. We have gotten half of the regular flu shot and my daughter will receive the second half once it becomes available. We are still undecided on the swine flu as it will take two shots and I'm not sure I want to go to the doctor two MORE times, but we'll see. It's probably not going to be available anyways because of demand.
My daughter has an awful cold right now. She's miserable, I can't imagine what the regular flu would be like.
Posted by: Debra | October 16, 2009 10:15 AM
I disagree with Margaret, Elizabeth, and Debra. I could be wrong here, Barbara please tell me if I am. But I think Barbara is saying why the push from the gov't. Why insist that everyone get it? Why mock those who don't? Why protect the gov't and the Big Pharma from lawsuits? Why have these live vaccines given at places like public schools, grocery stores, places of business? Are we really THAT lazy or are we really this willing to sign up for whatever hype they give us? Why present a tidal wave of fear based stories that have otherwise intelligent people beside themselves with fear of dying of this? Why do we just do it without doing any research for ourselves? Do we really know that these vaccines are necessary? Do you know that pandemic only means spreads quickly and does not mean deadly? Besides, flu vaccines DO have side-effects. Some people blow them off, and that is OK. If you have done your own research and feel that it is fine for you and your family, so what? If I feel, after much prayer and research, that it is not for my family, so what? Just don't tell me I HAVE to do it. Don't tell you that you SHOULD NOT do it.
Look, we have this current gov't because we couldn't think for ourselves for so long. If we did have our own separate thoughts, we were too afraid to voice them. Now we're not. Barbara had just posted that the Gardasil vaccine is ineffective. We're not far enough away from this H1N1 (swine, bird, human combo) to know what the effects might be. So, yes they are in the same boat. Just use wisdom. Find out what is best for your family. Enjoy being an American who can still have the choice. And fight like a momma bear if your choice is opposite of the gov't, or you won't get to fight at all. Just saying...
Posted by: Sara | October 16, 2009 12:56 PM
Thanks for the info on Gadasil. I have been concerned about that one for awhile. I think (to answer the three comments above), the point in linking Gardasil with the H1N1 Flu shot, are the risks involved. I'd rather my children have the flu (which, regardless of the propaganda spread through our media, is not as deadly as they are saying!) than have a vaccine that is not safe given to them. The point is, that neither are safe and both are being touted as a miracle shot! We won't be giving either of them to our kids.
Posted by: Rachel | October 16, 2009 3:11 PM
Sara, thanks for responding to my comment. I think we probably agree on a lot of basic things (I'm no friend to the current government, believe me). When it comes to how influenza will behave in any given year, it is a matter of an educated guess. That is the case every year, whether we're talking about regular seasonal flu or H1N1. Obviously, there is a fear that H1N1 could become very deadly, and there is a desire to avoid something like what occurred in 1918, when the flu killed so many people worldwide. It doesn't look like H1N1 is going to create a 1918 situation. You're absolutely right that pandemic doesn't mean "deadly"--just that a disease is spreading quickly over large regions.
There does seem to be some evidence that H1N1 is more harmful to children and pregnant women than the seasonal flu is. Child deaths in the US from H1N1 are at about 86 so far (which is more than the total child deaths for some flu seasons have been), and about 26 or 27 pregnant women have died so far as well. So, for people in certain groups, the risk of the vaccine (which is made in the same way as seasonal flu vaccine, and not the same way the 70s swine flu vaccine was) is probably less than the risk from getting H1N1. I wouldn't argue with your point that each family has to use wisdom and try to figure out what the best course for them might be. I think Barbara is trying to put out information that we wouldn't see on mainstream news sites, and that's a good thing. I'm just putting in my two cents as well.
Posted by: Elizabeth B. | October 17, 2009 11:13 AM
H1N1 is a strain of influenza. It is a flu virus. We have had influenza vaccinations for years and years. Each year the seasonal vaccine is for a different strain. The *only* difference this year is that the *disease* is proving more deadly to unusual groups of people. The "results" of an H1N1 vaccination will be no different from any other influenza vaccination, because they're made the same way. Some people will have adverse reactions to the vax, and some people shouldn't have the vax at all because of several known conditions. There are also people who should not have the nasal mist vaccine, and this is known and freely admitted.
It might also be useful to do a little research on what a "live virus vaccine" actually means (hint: "Live" is a misnomer), and get a basic understanding of immunology from a scientific perspective (as opposed to a "Gov't is out to get us" perspective). I think if we're going to talk about doing our research before making decisions, we should be willing to look at both sides, not just at the pro- or anti- side that fits our particular beliefs and theories.
As far as a governmental push? So far the vax isn't even available to most of us, and it is being made available first to those considered most at-risk of death from H1N1. Nobody is being forced by the government to have this shot. There isn't enough of it for the government to force people to have it. They'll be lucky if they can cover the people who really need it.
You all who want to skip the vax, go ahead and do it. That's your choice (and you have it, in spite of your fears of the government), and it's your health and family. I am glad we have that choice. Please do not imply though, that only a stupid, or lazy, or uninformed person would take the vaccination. Some very intelligent, highly-educated, well-informed people who are not in Obama's pocket would disagree with you very strongly. ;)
[Margaret, no one has implied that at all.]
Posted by: Margaret | October 18, 2009 4:03 PM
One more piece of information that may help you in your quest to decide wheter or not to vaccinate againstH1N1. This vaccine is only approved safe by the FDA (none of this vaccine is being produced by US companies, Google Baxter International) because the proper procedures were followed in getting a vaccine on the market, no safety tests were done, the people getting the vaccines will be the test subjects!!!!!!!!!!!! Yours in Liberty Karen
Posted by: Karen Abelha | November 1, 2009 2:03 PM
