This is the season that many Americans are advised-even pressured–to get flu shots. Indeed, flu shots are being hawked at every drug store chain…

But what does the evidence show about the effectiveness of the flu vaccine when vaccinated and unvaccinated groups are compared ?

Well, the finding of a comprehensive review of 50 published reports by the highly credible Cochrane Collaboration should discourage healthy people from getting the flu shot:

“The results of this review seem to discourage the utilisation of vaccination against influenza in healthy adults as a routine public health measure.

As healthy adults have a low risk of complications due to respiratory disease, the use of the vaccine may be only advised as an individual protection measure against symptoms in specific cases.”

Specifically, the EVIDENCE REFUTES the claims that the flu vaccine prevents the flu;

the EVIDENCE REFUTES the claim that it prevents viral transmission in healthy adults;

and the EVIDENCE REFUTES the claim that the vaccine prevents complications and “saves lives.”

The EVIDENCE shows little or no benefit for influenza vaccinations.

“This review includes 15 out of 36 trials funded by industry (four had no funding declaration). An earlier systematic review of 274 influenza vaccine studies published up to 2007 found industry funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies independently from methodological quality and size. Studies funded from public sources were significantly less likely to report conclusions favorable to the vaccines. The review showed that reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin but there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions and spurious notoriety of the studies. The content and conclusions of this review should be interpreted in light of this finding.”

Repeat:

“…industry funded studies were published in more prestigious journals and cited more than other studies…”

“…reliable evidence on influenza vaccines is thin…”

“…there is evidence of widespread manipulation of conclusions…”

Most assuredly, the “content and conclusions of this review should be interpreted in light of this finding”!

So, it would be prudent to be highly skeptical about the pronouncements and recommendations of public health officials about the value or necessity of various vaccines.

There are hidden financial conflicts of interest.

See, Part III of AHRP’s examination of America’s Healthcare Crisis https://www.ahrp.org/cms/content/view/873/9/

with links to a detailed analysis of the intricate web of financial conflicts of interest that dominate public health vaccine policies.

Vera Sharav

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