Flu Follow-Up

Back in October I posted that it was probably a good idea to avoid flu shots. Since then I've read an article in Bottom Line Personal by William Schaffner, M.D. In it he "debunks" seven myths about flu shots.

One of the myths: "The mercury in the flu vaccine is dangerous."

Schaffner goes on to say, "Some flue vaccines contain thimerosal, a preservative that contains very tiny amounts of mercury. There is no evidence that this very small amount causes any health problems."

Unfortunately, Schaffner gives no evidence for his claim. And I'm left wondering why he says there is no evidence that the mercury in flu shots causes health problems when Dr. Hugh Fudenberg has said that it does cause health problems. He says:

"If an individual has had 5 consecutive flu shots between 1970 - 1980 (the years of the study) his/her chance of developing Alzheimer's Disease is 10 times greater than if they had 1, two or no shots." When asked why, Dr. Fudenberg stated that it is due to the mercury and aluminum buildup that is in EVERY flu shot (and in almost all childhood shots). The gradual mercury and aluminum buildup in the brain causes cognitive dysfunction.

Fudenberg verified that his research had been published: "Hazards of Vaccines 1 & 2" in Internat. J. Clin. Invest., 2000 & 2004.

Schaffner claims there's no evidence that the mercury in flu shots causes health problems... So is there or isn't there?

Comments

[Adam]

My recollection was that the connection between aluminum and ALZ is tenuous at best, or more likely been disproven. Do you know of evidence to the contrary?

[Jill's Blog]

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) informed WHO on 26 March that an influenza A/H2N2 virus was identified by a local laboratory in Canada. The H2N2 virus identified was found to be similar to H2N2 viruses that circulated in humans in 1957-58 at the beginning of the so-called Asian influenza pandemic. The H2N2 virus which circulated at this time was fully transmissible among humans. It continued to circulate in humans and cause annual epidemics until 1968, when it vanished after the emergence of influenza A/H3N2 viruses that caused the next pandemic. Therefore, persons born after 1968 are expected to have no or only limited immunity to H2N2. H2N2 virus is not contained in current trivalent influenza vaccines.

Appropriate biosafety measures were immediately taken at the involved laboratory in Canada and respiratory surveillance measures initiated. Subsequent investigation by the Public Health Agency of Canada traced the source of the H2N2 virus to a panel of proficiency testing samples containing influenza A and influenza B viruses which the Canadian laboratory received from the College of American Pathologists (CAP) in February 2005. CAP routinely sends various panels of proficiency testing samples to participating laboratories every year. Normally, currently circulating influenza A viruses (H3N2; H1N1) are used for proficiency testing. The H2N2 virus was distributed by CAP for the first time in October 2004.

WHO, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the USA and its Centers for Disease Control were informed of the situation by PHAC on 8 April. Subsequent investigation revealed that similar proficiency testing samples with H2N2 virus were sent to 3747 laboratories in 18 countries. Sixty one of these laboratories are located in 16 countries outside the USA and Canada (see list of countries and areas below). HHS has recently learnt that other proficiency testing providers have sent additional H2N2 containing samples to further laboratories in the USA. HHS is taking steps to ensure the rapid destruction of this material.