Three Minute Video: What's In A Flu Shot?

[mhatrw]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2163175142473074044

[izzie]

1. They really push these shots on old people.

One year my sister talked me into it and it was a big pain. The next year is was worse and she finally got her doctor to give her one. Like it was an underground thing it got so hard to get it. I frankly think one was all I would ever bother about. I have to be better off not standing in line for hours with all those sick people in the cold wind as we trailed into some building. Plus I understand it is a new strain every year or every few months. How can a shot keep up with it?

[Bridget Burke]

2. Which is why "young" people like me need to get them.

Some studies indicate that they're less effective for you oldsters. But if there are fewer cases of flu out there, your chances of being escaping exposure are better.

It's usually easy for me to get the shot. Personally, I'm glad for a chance to avoid the flu. I've only had real flu twice in my life & it was far worse than that cold I get every winter.

[mhatrw]

6. The only time I've ever had the flu was after my roommate

came down with the flu a day after getting his shot.

[Justice Is Comin]

7. You can't get the flu from the shot.

That's a myth. I'm almost sure they are injecting you with a dead virus. I heard a doctor commenting on it on my teevee.

[jmowreader]

15. That you can't get the flu from the shot is the myth

I was in the army 12 years. One year I was out of the area the day the flu shots were given, and I never bothered to go down to the hospital to get one. That was the only year I didn't have the flu while I was in the service. (It was also a good thing I didn't get the shot--the batch they sent to Berlin was bad somehow, and EVERYONE who got it eventually got put on quarters because of the flu.)

After I got out of the army, I swore off flu shots forever. I haven't had the flu since.

If I got the flu the years I got the flu shot and didn't get the flu the years I didn't get the shot, simple logic says the shot causes the flu, at least in me.

[izzie]

32. I am sure you are right. But I do think that the shots have this------

trouble keeping up with each new strain of the flu that mutates and makes the rounds. I figured I would just forget the shots. I have always thought things for my children were the right way to go in the shot field but this just got to be a crazy thing to me.

[Bridget Burke]

10. So--your roommate got his shot too late.

The vaccine doesn't become effective immediately.

[mhatrw]

17. Yeah, that's the ticket!

Never question authority!

[Crunchy Frog]

3. They formulate new vaccines each year

based on whichever strains are out there and most likely to cause widespread illness. The viruses are constantly mutating, which is why it's necessary to get vaccinated every year.

They especially like to make sure elderly and immune compromised people are vaccinated because they are much more vulnerable to serious complications and life threatening secondary conditions. Around 35,000 people die in this country every year to due flue, and most of them are elderly. That's why the priority is to vaccinate older people; it's an attempt to protect the most vulnerable when there's not enough vaccine for everybody. They shouldn't be forcing people to stand in line for hours out in the cold though. That seems like it would kind of defeat the whole purpose.

I did a study on this subject for my microbiology course a couple of years ago, so I hopefully know a little bit about it.

[mhatrw]

19. What is the correlation between the vaccination rate among

elderly and the flu death rate among the elderly?

Also, see table 10 (page 31) of this report:

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr52/nvsr52_03.pdf

It says that in 2001, there were only 257 total flu fatalities.

[Crunchy Frog]

29. Actually, it lumps influenza and pneumonia together

and gives the number of fatalities as 62,034. My guess is the reason for this is that the overwhelming majority of influenza deaths are caused by pneumonia resulting from secondary bacterial infections.

All the literature that I've ever seen puts the yearly number of influenza fatalities in the tens of thousands, including the same CDC that produced your PDF. Please see this link. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/keyfacts.htm It puts the yearly number of influenza deaths in this country at 36,000.

[trotsky]

4. "Humor" based on anti-vax misinformation.

Not funny.

[mhatrw]

5. Misinformation?

What about it is misinformation?

[trotsky]

12. The mercury in vaccines is NOT the same as elemental mercury.

It's not even the same as the most dangerous form of it, methylmercury, which is the kind found in the environment and food chain.

Formaldehyde is actually created as a byproduct in our bodies. It's not a deadly poison in the very small amounts found in vaccines.

And on and on. It is sad that the anti-vaccination crowd has to engage in such distortions and lies.

[mhatrw]

18. So that makes it all better?

So that makes the mercury in vaccines harmless?

That makes formaldehyde fun for little kiddies to shoot up?

That makes it OK to keep injecting us with stuff, protected against lawsuits, without even having to tell us what ingredients are in these vaccines?

[trotsky]

31. If and when you decide you want to have a rational discussion...

just let me know. :hi:

[REP]

33. Pray You're Never Treated For a Urinary Tract Problem Then

A common treatment for urinary tract problems, Prosed (also Urised, Dolsed, etc) works in part by one of the ingredients hydrolyzing into formaldahyde in the urinary tract, which acts an anticseptic.

[ComerPerro]

8. Funny, definately.

I have to question the intelligence of anyone who would attack vaccination based on this sketch alone.

The presentation of it kinda reminded me of the Daily Show, BTW.

What is that program?

[RiDuvessa]

9. Get one every year.

Have been for the last 11 years. Have a good friend who can't get one because she is allergic to eggs. It makes her mad because she seems to be susceptible.

Never had any reactions or problems.

[Bridget Burke]

11. One of my office-mates has atrocious allergies....

So he can't get the shot. And his immune system is wonky, so he'd really suffer if he got the flu.

If I get the shot, I reduce my chance of getting the flu--& passing it on to others.

[RiDuvessa]

13. That's the way I look at it too.

Kind of as a responsibility to everyone. The more people who are immune to a disease, the harder it is for the disease to spread. you not only protect yourself, but everyone else.

[gkhouston]

14. actually, there have been some studies which indicate

that instead of targeting grandma, maybe we should be honing in on the rugrats who are likely to infect grandma. :P No kidding, the traditional flu-shot-first populations have been the elderly, chronically ill, health-care workers, etc., but it's now thought that vaccinating little kids helps a lot because they're tremendous disease spreaders and their immune systems are more likely to respond robustly to the vaccine than their elderly counterparts'.

[bleedingheart]

16. I have asthma....I get the shot because the flu can kill me

[pinto]

20. Questions & Answers: Flu Vaccine (CDC)

General Information

What kind of flu vaccines are there?
There are two types of vaccines that protect against the flu. The "flu shot" is an inactivated vaccine (containing killed virus) that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. A different kind of vaccine, called the nasal-spray flu vaccine (sometimes referred to as LAIV for Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine), was approved in 2003. The nasal-spray flu vaccine contains attenuated (weakened) live viruses, and is administered by nasal sprayer. It is approved for use only among healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49 years. The flu shot is approved for use among people over 6 months of age, including healthy people and those with chronic medical conditions.

Each of the two vaccines contains three influenza viruses, representing one of the three groups of viruses circulating among people in a given year. Each of the three vaccine strains in both vaccines – one A (H3N2) virus, one A (H1N1) virus, and one B virus – are representative of the influenza vaccine strains recommended for that year. Viruses for both vaccines are grown in eggs.

How do flu vaccines work?
Both flu vaccines (the flu shot and the nasal-spray flu vaccine (LAIV)) work in the same way; they cause antibodies to develop in the body, and these antibodies provide protection against influenza virus infection.

Why should people get vaccinated against the flu?
Influenza is a serious disease, and people of any age can get it. In an average year, the flu causes 36,000 deaths (mostly among those aged 65 years or older) and more than 200,000 hospitalizations in the United States. The "flu season" in the United States is usually from November through April each year. During this time, flu viruses are circulating in the population. An annual flu vaccine (either the flu shot or the nasal-spray flu vaccine) is the best way to reduce the chances that you will get the flu.

When should I get a flu vaccination?
Beginning each September, the flu shot should be offered to people when they are seen by health-care providers for routine care or as a result of hospitalization. See the ACIP Recommendations for Using Inactivated Influenza Vaccine.

Try to get vaccinated in October or November because flu activity in the United States generally peaks between late December and early March.

You can still benefit from getting vaccinated after November, even if flu is present in your community. Vaccine should continue to be offered to unvaccinated people throughout the flu season as long as vaccine is still available. Once you get vaccinated, your body makes protective antibodies in about two weeks.

Does flu vaccine work right away?
No. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against influenza virus infection. In the meantime, you are still at risk for getting the flu. That's why it's better to get vaccinated early in the fall, before the flu season really gets under way.

Can I get the flu even though I got a flu vaccine this year?
Yes. The ability of flu vaccine to protect a person depends on two things: 1) the age and health status of the person getting the vaccine, and 2) the similarity or "match" between the virus strains in the vaccine and those in circulation.

Why do I need to get vaccinated against the flu every year?
Flu viruses change from year to year, which means two things. First, you can get the flu more than once during your lifetime. The immunity (natural protection that develops against a disease after a person has had that disease) that is built up from having the flu caused by one virus strain doesn't always provide protection when a new strain is circulating. Second, a vaccine made against flu viruses circulating last year may not protect against the newer viruses. That is why the influenza vaccine is updated to include current viruses every year.

Another reason to get flu vaccine every year is that after you get vaccinated, your immunity to the disease declines over time and may be too low to provide protection after one year.

How are the viruses for flu vaccine selected?
Each year, many laboratories throughout the world, including in the United States, collect flu viruses. Some of these flu viruses are sent to one of four World Health Organization (WHO) reference laboratories, one of which is at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, for detailed testing. These laboratories also test how well antibodies made to the current vaccine react to the circulating virus and new flu viruses. This information, along with information about flu activity, is summarized and presented to an advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and at a WHO meeting. These meetings result in the selection of three viruses (two subtypes of influenza A viruses and one influenza B virus) to go into flu vaccines for the following fall and winter. Usually, one or two of the three virus strains in the vaccine are changed each year.

Page last modified July 24, 2006

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/fluvaccine.htm

see also main Influenza page for other flu/vaccination topics:

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

[mhatrw]

21. Note no mention of ingredients. n/t

[pinto]

22. Questions & Answers: Thimerosal-Containing Influenza Vaccine

Again, from the CDC website. Check it out. There's lots of other vaccine related info.

Questions & Answers: Thimerosal-Containing Influenza Vaccine

Q & A: Flu Vaccines

General
The Flu Shot

Updated: September 22, 2005

What is thimerosal?

Thimerosal is a very effective preservative that has been used since the 1930s to prevent contamination in some multi-dose vials of vaccines (preservatives are not required for vaccines in single dose vials). Thimerosal contains approximately 49% ethylmercury. There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999 the Public Health Service (PHS) agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure.

Today, all routinely recommended licensed pediatric vaccines that are currently being manufactured for the U.S. market, with the exception of influenza vaccine, contain no thimerosal or only trace amounts. Thimerosal preservative-free influenza vaccines are available, but in limited quantities. The total amount of inactivated influenza vaccine available without thimerosal as a preservative will continue to increase as manufacturing capabilities are expanded.

Updated: September 14, 2004

Does the influenza vaccine contain thimerosal?

Yes, the majority of influenza vaccines distributed in the United States currently contain thimerosal as a preservative. However, some contain only trace amounts of thimerosal and are considered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be preservative-free. Manufacturers of preservative-free flu vaccine use thimerosal early in the manufacturing process. The thimerosal gets diluted as the vaccine goes through the steps in processing. By the end of the manufacturing process there is not enough thimerosal left in the vaccine to act as a preservative and the vaccine is labeled ‘preservative-free'.

Updated: September 22, 2005

Is influenza vaccine that does not contain thimerosal as a preservative available this flu season (2005-2006)?

For the 2005-06 flu season, a limited amount of influenza vaccine that does not contain thimerosal as a preservative is available. Sanofi pasteur estimates that they will produce 6-8 million doses of thimerosal-free vaccine this year. GlaxoSmithKline projects that they will produce 8 million doses of preservative-free vaccine for use in people 18 years of age and over. A minimal number of preservative-free vaccine may be available from Chiron late in the influenza season. Also, the nasal-spray influenza vaccine (sold commercially as FluMist®) does not contain any thimerosal and can be given to healthy people 5 to 49 years of age who are not pregnant.

Updated: September 22, 2005

Is it safe for children to receive an influenza vaccine that contains thimerosal?

Yes. There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the small amount of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor effects like swelling and redness at the injection site due to sensitivity to thimerosal. Most importantly, since 1999, newly formulated thimerosal preservative-free childhood vaccines (Hepatitis B, Hib, and DTaP) have been licensed. With the newly formulated childhood vaccines, the maximum total exposure during the first six months of life will now be less than three micrograms of mercury. Based on guidelines established by the FDA, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), no child will receive excessive mercury from childhood vaccines regardless of whether or not their flu shot contains thimerosal as a preservative.

Recent research suggests that healthy children under the age of 2 are more likely than older children and as likely as people over the age of 65 to be hospitalized with flu complications. Therefore, vaccination with reduced or standard thimerosal-content flu vaccine is encouraged when feasible in children, including those that are 6-23 months of age.

Updated: September 14, 2004

Is it safe for pregnant women to receive an influenza vaccine that contains thimerosal?

Yes. A study of influenza vaccination examining over 2,000 pregnant women demonstrated no adverse fetal effects associated with influenza vaccine. Case reports and limited studies indicate that pregnancy can increase the risk for serious medical complications of influenza. One study found that out of every 10,000 women in their third trimester of pregnancy during an average flu season, 25 will be hospitalized for flu related complications.

Additionally, influenza-associated excess deaths among pregnant women have been documented during influenza pandemics. Because pregnant women are at increased risk for influenza-related complications and because a substantial safety margin has been incorporated into the health guidance values for organic mercury exposure, the benefits of influenza vaccine with reduced or standard thimerosal content outweighs the theoretical risk, if any, of thimerosal.

References
Ball LK, Ball R, Pratt RD. An assessment of thimerosal use in childhood vaccines. Pediatrics 2001;107(5):1147-54.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention and control of influenza; recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 2002; 51(RR03):1-31.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations regarding the use of vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative. MMWR 1999;48(43):996-8.

Heinonen OP, Shapiro S, Monson RR, Hartz SC, Rosenberg L, Slone D. Immunization during pregnancy against poliomyelitis and influenza in relation to childhood malignancy. Int J Epidemiol 1973;2:229–35.

Izurieta HS, Thompson WW, Kramarz P, et al. Influenza and the rates of hospitalization for respiratory disease among infants and young children. New Engl J Med 2000;342:232–9.

Kirshon B, Faro S, Zurawin RK, Samo TC, Carpenter RJ. Favorable outcome after treatment with amantadine and ribavirin in a pregnancy complicated by influenza pneumonia: a case report. J Reprod Med 1988;33:399–401.

Neuzil KM, Wright PF, Mitchel EF, Griffin MR. Burden of influenza illness in children with asthma and other chronic medical conditions. J Pediatr 2000;137:856–64.

Neuzil KM, Reed GW, Mitchel EF, Simonsen L, Griffin MR. Impact of influenza on acute cardiopulmonary hospitalizations in pregnant women. Am J of Epidemiol 1998;148(11):1094-102.

Shahab SZ, Glezen WP. Influenza virus. In: Gonik B, ed. Viral diseases in pregnancy. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag, 1994:215–23.

Page last modified September 22, 2005

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/thimerosal.htm

[mhatrw]

23. How much is in each dose of each vaccine?

What other ingredients are in each vaccine?

[pinto]

25. 2006-07 Influenza Vaccine Composition

http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/vaccination/composition0607.htm

See also:

Prevention and Control of Influenza
Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)

"Vaccines containing trace amounts of thimerosal have <1 mcg mercury/dose."


http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5510a1.htm

[mhatrw]

28. And the rest of the ingredients?

And the proof that they are safe?

And the proof that they are effective?

[mhatrw]

24. Study: Benefits Of Flu Shots For Elderly Exaggerated

http://www.kcci.com/health/4196039/detail.html

Research Finds No Evidence That Flu Shots Lower Death Rates

Annual flu shots have been recommended for people 65 and older since the 1960s, and more and more people in this age group are getting vaccinated. But the new study published in Monday's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine found no corresponding decrease in death rates.

Researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases suggested that past observational studies may have overestimated the impact flu shots have on decreasing death rates.

[pinto]

26. A further snip from the same article adds some light to the findings:

The researchers suggested that their findings may be explained by who is likely to be vaccinated.

"Very ill elderly people, whose fragile health would make them highly likely to die over the coming winter months, are less likely to be vaccinated during the autumn vaccination period," they wrote.

One of the study's researchers predicts that the study, which is based on more than three decades of data, will affect the nation's flu prevention strategy. She said the new data may lead to a shift toward vaccinating schoolchildren, who are seen as the biggest spreaders of the flu virus.

Past research has found that the flu vaccine is effective in the elderly, but less so than in younger people.

In another study published in the journal, researchers from the Netherlands found that people under 65 with high-risk medical conditions such as chronic lung and heart disease can substantially benefit from annual flu shots.

Additional Resources:

Archives of Internal Medicine
http://archinte.ama-assn.org/

CDC Flu Information
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

http://www.kcci.com/health/4196039/detail.html

[mhatrw]

27. That's all speculation.

What the actual results show is no correlation between increased vaccinations and decreased mortality.

[Bridget Burke]

34. So don't get a shot, Grandpa! (or Grandma!)

We young whippersnappers will get ours so the general population will be less dangerous to your delicate system.

[donco6]

30. So you're not supposed to get a flu shot based on this?

Brother.