Is the Flu exaggerated?
Medical Experts Exaggerate The Benefits of Harmful Flu Vaccines
A study contends that the effectiveness of annual flu shots has been exaggerated; they have little or no effect on many influenza campaign objectives, including reducing the number of hospital stays, time off work, and death from influenza and its complications.
Influenza vaccination programs in place are said to reduce the number of cases of flu, in addition to related hospital admissions and deaths. In the United States, authorities recommend flu vaccine for all children 6 months to 5 years old, anyone 50 or older, those with chronic health conditions, and health-care professionals and caregivers.
The effects of flu programs could be exaggerated due to a conflation of influenza with other influenza-like respiratory illnesses in published reports. In addition, much of the data being used to argue the effectiveness of flu vaccines is flawed because flu strains mutate from year to year, making it difficult at best to measure how well vaccines truly work.
British Medical Journal October 28, 2006; 33(7574): 912-915
BBC News October 26, 2006
HealthScout October 26, 2006
A study contends that the effectiveness of annual flu shots has been exaggerated; they have little or no effect on many influenza campaign objectives, including reducing the number of hospital stays, time off work, and death from influenza and its complications.
Influenza vaccination programs in place are said to reduce the number of cases of flu, in addition to related hospital admissions and deaths. In the United States, authorities recommend flu vaccine for all children 6 months to 5 years old, anyone 50 or older, those with chronic health conditions, and health-care professionals and caregivers.
The effects of flu programs could be exaggerated due to a conflation of influenza with other influenza-like respiratory illnesses in published reports. In addition, much of the data being used to argue the effectiveness of flu vaccines is flawed because flu strains mutate from year to year, making it difficult at best to measure how well vaccines truly work.
British Medical Journal October 28, 2006; 33(7574): 912-915
BBC News October 26, 2006
HealthScout October 26, 2006