GUARDIAN: Expert casts doubt on flu vaccine

Expert casts doubt on flu vaccine
Press Association
Friday October 27, 2006 3:03 AM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/s...173979,00.html


Flu vaccines may not be as effective as people think, an expert has
warned.

There is little clinical evidence that the vaccines have an effect on
things like hospital stay, time off work, death in healthy adults or
even those with conditions like asthma and cystic fibrosis, he said.

Vaccines given to children under the age of two have the same effect
as if they were given a dummy drug, he added.

Tom Jefferson, co-ordinator of the vaccines field of the
highly-respected Cochrane Collaboration, called for an "urgent"
re-evaluation of vaccination campaigns.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, he said that, because
influenza viruses mutate and vary from year to year, it was difficult
for scientists to study the precise effects of vaccines.

Most studies are of poor quality, and there is little comparative
evidence on the safety of the vaccines, he said.

In addition, policy makers wanted to be seen to be doing something,
all of which leads to a "large gap" between policy and the evidence,
he said.

The difficulty in distinguishing between flu and flu-like illness
added to the confusion, with some illnesses listed as flu when they
were not, he said.

Earlier this month, there were fears that vulnerable people in the UK
might have to wait for flu jabs after the Government confirmed stocks
would arrive late.

The jab is given to high-risk groups first, including the over-65s,
people with respiratory conditions such as asthma, and those with
chronic conditions such as diabetes.

"Ilena Rose" wrote in message
...
Expert casts doubt on flu vaccine
Press Association
Friday October 27, 2006 3:03 AM

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/s...173979,00.html


Flu vaccines may not be as effective as people think, an expert has
warned.

There is little clinical evidence that the vaccines have an effect on
things like hospital stay, time off work, death in healthy adults or
even those with conditions like asthma and cystic fibrosis, he said.

Thankfully, there has been little clinical experience with bird flu, because
there have been few cases of bird flu.

Jeff