by Dr. Brownstein
Holistic Medicine
The FDA has approved a new flu vaccine—Fluad. Should we say, “hooray,” or “oy veh”. I will let you decide.
Fluad is the first seasonal influenza vaccine containing an adjuvant called squalene. Adjuvants in vaccines, such as aluminum, are used to cause a greater immune system response as compared to vaccines used without an adjuvant. This increased immune system response is hypothesized to result in an enhanced efficacy of the vaccine–in other words, it should make the vaccine more effective. Therefore, you would think that a flu vaccine with an adjuvant such as squalene would result in a more robust antibody response when it is compared to the regular flu vaccine that is adjuvant-free.
Well, in the case of Fluad, you would think wrong.
According the FDA: (1)
“Fluad was evaluated in a multicenter clinical trial conducted in the United States and internationally that compared the safety and immunogenicity (ability to generate an antibody response) of Fluad to Agriflu, an FDA-approved unadjuvanted trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine, in individuals 65 years of age and older. In that trial, 7,082 participants received either Fluad or Agriflu. The study showed that Fluad induced antibody levels that were comparable to the levels induced by Agriflu.”
I would like to ask the FDA a question. If the results are comparable, then why do we need to spend money on a new flu vaccine?
Fluad is currently being promoted for the elderly. From the FDA’s website (see reference 1), they state:
“Fluad provides another alternative for a safe and effective influenza vaccine in people 65 years of age and older. Immunizing individuals in this age group is especially important because they bear the greatest burden of severe influenza disease and account for the majority of influenza-related hospitalizations and deaths.”
I have written to you about the failure of the flu vaccine many times, both in blog posts and in my newsletter (http://brownsteinhealth.com/). Folks, there is not a single good study that shows the flu vaccine prevents the elderly from getting the flu nor does it prevent the elderly from getting complications from the flu.
Since the immune response with the new Fluad vaccine has been shown to be comparable to the old flu vaccine, why would anyone consider the new vaccine to be better than the old ones? Keep in mind, the old flu vaccines fail nearly 99% of the elderly who receives them.
Although Fluad might not be an improvement for a flu vaccine, it may be associated with serious adverse effects. The science is not settled on whether it is safe to inject squalene in a human being. Squalene has been associated with serious illnesses when it is used in vaccines such as Gulf War Syndrome which affected thousands of U.S. soldiers who received squalene-containing vaccines in the first Gulf War. It is true that squalene is produced in our bodies naturally, but it is not true that it has been proven safe to inject it into our bodies. Squalene-containing vaccinations have also been associated with many serious autoimmune disorders including arthritis, Lupus, ALS, multiple sclerosis and Guillain Barre Syndrome.
So, “hooray” or “oy veh” for the new flu vaccine? For me, the answer is easy—“oy vey”. I would suggest that you avoid receiving any flu vaccine since all flu vaccines fail the vast majority who receive them. And, If you are forced to get a flu vaccine, use one that is mercury and adjuvant free.
Accessed on 12.6.2015 from: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm474295.htm
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