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Influenza

Vaccine Efficacy: 

1. According to the CDC, over the last 16 years, the influenza vaccine is 39.9% effective.

2. A 2020 observational study in the Annuals of Internal Medicine looking at 170 million episodes of influenza in vaccinated adults over the age of 65 found “no evidence indicated that vaccination reduced hospitalizations or mortality among elderly persons.”

3. Another large review of twenty five reports of studies involving 59,566 people done by the Cochrane Library concluded that “influenza vaccines are effective in reducing serologically confirmed cases of influenza. However, they are not as effective in reducing cases of clinical influenza and number of working days lost. Universal immunization of healthy adults is not supported by the results of this review.”

4. Four observational studies in Canada during the H1N1 pandemic showed “that prior receipt of 2008–09 TIV was associated with increased risk of medically attended pH1N1 illness during the spring–summer 2009.” A follow up study on ferrets concluded that “they support the hypothesis that prior receipt of 2008–09 TIV may have had direct, adverse effects on H1N1 illness. Both human and ferret findings from Canada are consistent with observations elsewhere of enhanced disease following heterologous influenza challenge in vaccinated swine.”

Vaccine Safety & Adverse Events

1. National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)

The Health Resources and Services Commission shows that out of all petitions submitted to the VICP, 55% were from the influenza vaccine.  Influence vaccination accounted for 69% of all compensable petitions (the injured petitioner was paid money by the VICP).   

2. Adverse effects of vaccines: Evidence and causality- 2012 Institute for Medicine Report

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) was charged by Congress when it enacted the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act in 1986 with reviewing the literature regarding the adverse events associated with vaccines covered by the program. Their most recent (2012) conclusions regarding the influenza vaccine are summarized below:

1. The evidence convincingly supports a causal relationship between influenza vaccine and anaphylaxis.
2. The evidence favors acceptance of a causal relationship between Oculorespiratory syndrom and two particular vaccines used in 3 particular years in Canada.
3. The evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between inactivated influenza vaccine and Bell’s palsy and asthma exacerbation or reactive airway disease episodes in children and adults.
4. The evidence* is inadequate to accept or reject a causal relationship between influenza vaccine and:
encephalitis, encephalopathy, seizure, optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, small fiber neuropathy, neuromyelitis optica, vasculitis, polyarthritis. nodosa, fibromyalgia, stroke, myocardial infarction, onset or relapse of multiple sclerosis in adults, onset or exacerbation of arthropathy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, brachial neuritis, acute disseminated, encephalomyelitis, all-cause mortality, onset or exacerbation of systemic, lupus erythematosus, chronic inflammatory disseminated, polyneuropathy, asthma exacerbation or reactive airway disease episodes in children younger than 5 years of age
*”The vast majority of causality conclusions in the report are that the evidence was inadequate to accept or reject a causal relationship. Some might interpret that to mean either of the following statements: Because the committee did not find convincing evidence that the vaccine does cause the adverse event, the vaccine is safe. Because the committee did not find convincing evidence that the vaccine does not cause the adverse event, the vaccine is unsafe. Neither of these interpretations is correct. “Inadequate to accept or reject” means just that—inadequate.”

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Other Useful Websites:

Hope from Holly

Vaccine Papers

National Vaccine Information Center

Informed Consent Action Network

Vaccine Injury and Compensation Program

DISCLAIMER:

All information, data and material contained, presented, or provided here is for general information purposes only and is not to be construed as reflecting the knowledge or opinions of the publisher, and is not to be construed or intended as providing medical or legal advise. The decision to vaccinate and how you implement that decision is yours and yours alone. You are encouraged to consult with your medical professional and legal adviser.