By Dr. David Brownstein September 23, 2012
‘A 2010 study by the Cochrane group tried to answer the question, “Does seasonal influenza immunization of health care personnel reduce the incidence of influenza and its complications in older residents of long-term facilities?” The authors examined four randomized controlled trials and one cohort study. They found that vaccination of personnel had no effect on the incidence of laboratory-proven influenza, pneumonia, admissions to the hospital, and death from pneumonia. The authors concluded, “There is insufficient evidence to support the vaccination of health care workers as a measure to protect older patients from influenza.” (Am. Fam. Phy. Oct 1, 2010. Vol. 82, No. 7. Pg. 763-4).’
Listen to Get Your Mandates Out of My Body by The Refusers
Mandated Flu Vaccines: A Whole Lotta Nonsense
by Dr. David Brownstein September 23, 2012
I spoke at the Healthy Traditions Network annual conference today (9.23.12). A flyer was distributed to those attending the conference that was titled, “Healthcare Workers Protect Your Freedom of Choice.” This flyer explained the flu vaccination conundrum that many health care workers are experiencing. You see, the Powers-That-Be want everyone who works in our hospitals to have a flu shot in order to protect the patients from getting the flu from sick health care workers.
Protecting the patients should be the number one goal of any hospital. However, mandating that every single hospital worker receive the flu vaccine or face termination is not the correct way to improve patient care.
I blogged about the flu vaccine in September and October of 2009—see the archives section on my blog homepage. In the October, 2009 post, here is what I wrote: “The U.S. government and pretty much all mainstream groups claim that the flu shot prevents the flu in those that get the vaccine. However, the flu shots have not been shown to be effective in healthy babies, children with asthma, adults, and the elderly.
In Children: A review of 51 studies which included more than 294,000 children found “no evidence that injecting children 6-24 months of age with a flu shot was any more effective than placebo. In children over two years of age, it was only effective 33% of the time in preventing the flu. (Chochrane Database of Systemic Reviews 2. 2008).
In asthmatic children, the flu shot did not provide any benefit in preventing asthma exacerbations. The authors of this study compared 400 asthmatic children who were vaccinated with a similar number of asthmatic children who were not vaccinated. They found no difference between emergency visits, clinic visits, or hospitalizations in the vaccinated versus the non-vaccinated group. (Arch. Dis. Child. 2004. Aug;89(8):734-5). If this study wasn’t enough to get your attention a new study found that “Children who get the flu vaccine are three times more at risk for hospitalization than children who do not get the flu vaccine.” (American Thoracic Society 105th International Conference, May 15-20, 2009, San Diego, CA.).
According to the CDC, the elderly are a population at increased risk for acquiring the flu and developing complications of the flu. In nursing homes or for the elderly living in the community, researchers found the flu shot was ineffective for preventing the flu. (Chochrane Databse of Systemic Reviews. 3(2006). In fact, the flu shot has never been shown to lower the rate of mortality from the flu in any population, including the elderly.
Clearly, there is NO reason to get the flu shot. It doesn’t prevent the flu and has not been shown to prevent complications from the flu.”
Would I change anything that I wrote about the flu vaccine? No. It was, and is, still true.
However, I can add to it. The Cochrane group is an independent medical research group designed to help physicians put evidence into practice. They do not take Big Pharma money. A 2010 study by the Cochrane group tried to answer the question, “Does seasonal influenza immunization of health care personnel reduce the incidence of influenza and its complications in older residents of long-term facilities?” The authors examined four randomized controlled trials and one cohort study. They found that vaccination of personnel had no effect on the incidence of laboratory-proven influenza, pneumonia, admissions to the hospital, and death from pneumonia. The authors concluded, “There is insufficient evidence to support the vaccination of health care workers as a measure to protect older patients from influenza.” (Am. Fam. Phy. Oct 1, 2010. Vol. 82, No. 7. Pg. 763-4).
So, should all health care workers be mandated to get the flu vaccine? The answer is clear: No. Nobody should be forced to receive a vaccination that is not only ineffective; it is also contaminated with mercury.
What can you do? In Michigan, House Bill 5605 was introduced which would allow health care workers the right to refuse the influenza vaccine as a condition of employment. Representative Gail Haines is the chair of the committee looking at this bill. You can call her and voice your opinion at: 517-373-0615. You can also email her at: GailHaines@house.mi.gov.
In Michigan, more information can be found at www.hcpvc.org.
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I’ve been a postpartum nurse for Florida Hospital in Orlando for 25 years. I have never had a flu shot or the flu. In fact, I have never taken care of a patient with the flu. This year, if we don’t get the flu shot, we’ll have to wear a face mask for our 12 hour shifts, except during lunch in the break room. This will be ongoing for 4 months. And, if we are seen without the mask outside of that room, we will be terminated. It’s manditory for other hospitals to get the flu shot or be terminated, and I expect this hospital will eventually follow the insanity. I’m tired of working for a toxic healthcare system, I’ll be moving on.
Just today we were handed a “new policy” stating the same thing, that if we refused the flu shot, we would have to wear the mask. I too have never had the flu, and have been working in health care for 34 yrs. You can count on one hand the sick days I took in those 34 years. We live in such undescerning society, where the government thinks they know us and our children better then we do ourselves. God help us.
I teach childbirth classes in a local CA hospital and am facing termination for refusal to get a flu shot or wear a mask while I’m teaching. There is no way I can effectively teach wearing a mask- to even consider it is ridiculous! Very sad that there seems to be nothing I can do about this…
Under Indiana Law, one must sign consent for vaccines including influenza. According to the federal Patiens’ Rights Act, a consent must be done so on a voluntary basis.
If a vaccine is mandatory as a condition of employment, does it not stand to reason that the consent is obtained under a mandatory condition? So ultimately, as a condition of employment I must wave my rights granted by the federal and state governments provided for my protection……sign a consent involuntarily ……and received a treatment I do not want. I am beginning to think I do NOT want to work for this organization.
The facility I work for made flu vaccinations mandatory or you are terminated. I have never had the flu shot and I only had the flu one time in my life and I wasnt even working in the medical field at that time it has been at least 17 years ago that I had the flu.
I contacted our US Senator in Texas about this when I first was given notice of policy by my employer Sept 2012 to have flu shot, wear a mask, if NO, be disiplined up to termination for non-compliance (basically this is what it stated). I received a reply letter from our Senator stating the “law” is not federal, it is a state statute so I needed to contatct my state legislator. I did. People, this “law” needs to be challanged and thrown out!!! It’s ridiculous! It’s about money NOT about protecting patients. I AM all for protecting patients but this is NOT the way to do it nor is it RIGHT to force people into government mandanted medicial treatment and to shame them, single them out, and threaten them by loss of their job if they don’t comply! IT’S WRONG on every level. I am a healthcare worker. I support anyone who does not want to take the flu shot for any reason, and they should not be shamed or singled out. This whole mask thing is nothing more than a way to coearce employees into taking the shot. A “strong arm” tactic to make them so uncomfortable they will just get the shot to be free of the misery and humilation of wearing a mask, and to keep there job! Even if they object to the flu shot. Or harmed by it of they are medically exempt! And if anything tragic happens to those employees such as a severe allergic reaction or any other chronic illness of any kind, who will be held responsible? I know of 4 nurses in a single day, same day, where I work who had to go home sick after taking the flu shot. I do not know the outcome of those nurses. BTW, I am not a nurse. This “law” or whatever it is needs to be challanged and the TRUTH of why it became “law” in the first place be known. This is the only way it will be stopped or at least amended back to voluntary. My regards to all.