We've made the family decision to NOT get flu vaccines.

[Carolina Husker]

The body may die, but I take comfort in my belief that by virtue of my actions, I will live eternally on the internet archives through my awesome message board posts.

Hate to tell you, but if the server crashes again, it will be as though you never existed.

[5158Poundin]

Just a little edumacation for the uninformed.

Seasonal flu vaccines are typically trivalent, meaning there are three different strains of influenza virus used. The WHO (World Health Organization) and CDC (Center for Disease Control) decide what strains will be used each year and dictate this to all flu vaccine manufacturers. Vaccines are intended to target the predominant strains that are predicted to be prevalent for that flu season. No vaccine is 100% effective in attaining immunity if the person is infected with a strain that they were not vaccinated against, so is it possible to get flu if you were vaccinated - yes, it's possible - however, WHO and CDC have been pretty close to target in predicting the emerging seasonal strains year to year. Vaccine manufacturers are often changing minimally two if not all three strains in their manufacturing process year to year with few exceptions.

A good rule of thumb is that any vaccine that is injected is a not a live viral vaccine. Vaccines administered nasally are attenuated, or live virus.

There are both preserved (thimerosal) and non-preserved versions of the vaccines and children are now given the thimerosal-free versions, typically.

Pandemic, Swine, or H1N1 Vaccine is a mono-valent vaccine and contains only the pandemic strain that emerged earlier this year. Getting this vaccine increases the probability that if you are infected, you will be protected and not be subjected to the horrible outcomes seen recently with both children, young people and pregnant women.

A decision to not take the vaccine(s) is a personal choice yet this is a public health issue.

The vaccine manufacturers are not out to scare the public into submission and taking the vaccines. Our government and many international authorities are subsidizing the manufacture of a vaccine that can prevent this disease and it's horrible outcome.

I saw a lot of misinformation being thrown loosely here and I agree with Epistaxis, it's disturbing.

[Scrumtrilescent]

Now send me my syringe, please.

[TheSaint]

So why would someone who goes to a clinic complaining of flu-like symptoms be told, "we arent really testing for flu"? But when they test and you are positive, you get treated like a leper. Stupid thinking imo. "Hey, as long as we dont test you, you can go to work and infect everyone else!"

[jdl]

I saw a lot of misinformation being thrown loosely here and I agree with Epistaxis, it's disturbing.

It is also disturbing that our Nation and our World doesnt preach proper eating. The first line of defense is eating correctly, not a vaccine. But i guess that is the point. Because people do not eat right, they have crappy immune systems and 'Need' a vaccine.

The vaccine manufacturers are not out to scare the public into submission and taking the vaccines. Our government and many international authorities are subsidizing the manufacture of a vaccine that can prevent this disease and it's horrible outcome.

Vaccine manufacturers pray for flu season, and it was Christmas in July when the H1N1 issues were found. If the world wanted cured, money would be put into education instead of drug development. Drug development is reactive, not a proactive approach. Drug development for cures are needed, but our government gives drug development money to usually mask issues, not cure them.

Education is a must, but I guess it all depends what topic you want to educate yourself.

[5158Poundin]

It is also disturbing that our Nation and our World doesnt preach proper eating. The first line of defense is eating correctly, not a vaccine. But i guess that is the point. Because people do not eat right, they have crappy immune systems and 'Need' a vaccine.

Vaccine manufacturers pray for flu season, and it was Christmas in July when the H1N1 issues were found. If the world wanted cured, money would be put into education instead of drug development. Drug development is reactive, not a proactive approach. Drug development for cures are needed, but our government gives drug development money to usually mask issues, not cure them.

Education is a must, but I guess it all depends what topic you want to educate yourself.

Eating healthy is just one part of the picture and no one is discounting that.

Is it christmas in July if Vaccine manufacturers have to work 24-7 to supply a vaccine for a strain that did not emerge explosively until March-April this year? IMO it seems that you are making a lot of sweeping statements that are not based in fact regarding the vaccine industry and I wonder what your true motivation is.

[Captroop]

Eating healthy is just one part of the picture and no one is discounting that.

Is it christmas in July if Vaccine manufacturers have to work 24-7 to supply a vaccine for a strain that did not emerge explosively until March-April this year? IMO it seems that you are making a lot of sweeping statements that are not based in fact regarding the vaccine industry and I wonder what your true motivation is.

This.

Clearly jdl does not appreciate how much time it takes to develop a vaccine, and what a pain in the ass it is to get it to pass FDA. And I'd honestly be surprised if the pharmaceuticals companies made any sort of a significant profit. Developing vaccines costs a LOT of money, a lot more when the deadline is only a few months away. There's a reason that drugs are so expensive, the companies have to recoup their costs.

[Samuel L. Jackson]

This.

Clearly jdl does not appreciate how much time it takes to develop a vaccine, and what a pain in the ass it is to get it to pass FDA. And I'd honestly be surprised if the pharmaceuticals companies made any sort of a significant profit. Developing vaccines costs a LOT of money, a lot more when the deadline is only a few months away. There's a reason that drugs are so expensive, the companies have to recoup their costs.

I actually don't believe that for a second...

In the cases of vaccines, maybe... But for all drugs, not so...

But, that's for another topic I suppose...

[Captroop]

I actually don't believe that for a second...

In the cases of vaccines, maybe... But for all drugs, not so...

But, that's for another topic I suppose...

No it's so. The cost to develop the first working pill is in the millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars and they take years to develop. Then after you develop a drug, and run animal tests and human tests, you submit the data to the FDA, who usually denies it, so you go back to fomula and repeat the process a few more times. All without making a dime.

You're probably thinking of generics or OTC drugs. When the company that spent millions to develop the drug's patent expires (which the government mandates so that there can be fair competitive pricing), then any old rinky-dink drug company can buy the formula and produce it themselves and sell it at bottom-basement prices. They can sell it for so cheap because they had no R&D costs.

So yes, drugs cost a lot of money and take a lot of time to develop, and even longer to get approved.

[jdl]

This.

Clearly jdl does not appreciate how much time it takes to develop a vaccine, and what a pain in the ass it is to get it to pass FDA. And I'd honestly be surprised if the pharmaceuticals companies made any sort of a significant profit. Developing vaccines costs a LOT of money, a lot more when the deadline is only a few months away. There's a reason that drugs are so expensive, the companies have to recoup their costs.

I actually worked for a drug development service company for 6 years, that makes drugs/vaccines/whatever for big pharma. I know how it works more then you think.

the coolest thing i did was help with surgury on rabbits. The bunnies get these wires put in them so when they test something, they can be monitored without any human around for better test results.

[Captroop]

I actually worked for a drug development service company for 6 years, that makes drugs/vaccines/whatever for big pharma. I know how it works more then you think.

the coolest thing i did was help with surgury on rabbits. The bunnies get these wires put in them so when they test something, they can be monitored without any human around for better test results.

Did you snap their necks after the experiment? That shiz still creeps me out

[jdl]

Did you snap their necks after the experiment? That shiz still creeps me out

no i dont know what happened to them after an experiment. We basically implanted the bunnies and sold them to the big pharma companies and they did there tests.

Some underpaid lab student in some university probably got the euthanization job.

[Go To Girl]

I've always gotten one and everyone in my family has because my husband is immunocompromised. Plus, I was a nurse as well and was exposed to everything under the sun. I did get one when I was pregnant and my kids got them when they were tots. I think we only missed one year when pretty much nobody got them. Even my husband was unable to get one that year despite being in a high risk group. But we just dealt with it.

I got the call today at my daughter's school to pick her up today and apparently she's got textbook H1N1 symptoms. Her doc called in Tamiflu for her because of my husband. Typically that's not given for healthy kids. There are a bunch of kids in her school who have been out and she presented just like you were reading the CDC website on symptoms. Fortunately, the cases in our area have been mild and most kids have been better in a few days. That just didn't seem right to me, but I did confirm with the docs and they said they're 99% sure she's got it, but they won't test her for it unless she takes a significant turn for the worse. I think she'll be fine, it's just got to run its course.

[5158Poundin]

I've always gotten one and everyone in my family has because my husband is immunocompromised. Plus, I was a nurse as well and was exposed to everything under the sun. I did get one when I was pregnant and my kids got them when they were tots. I think we only missed one year when pretty much nobody got them. Even my husband was unable to get one that year despite being in a high risk group. But we just dealt with it.

I got the call today at my daughter's school to pick her up today and apparently she's got textbook H1N1 symptoms. Her doc called in Tamiflu for her because of my husband. Typically that's not given for healthy kids. There are a bunch of kids in her school who have been out and she presented just like you were reading the CDC website on symptoms. Fortunately, the cases in our area have been mild and most kids have been better in a few days. That just didn't seem right to me, but I did confirm with the docs and they said they're 99% sure she's got it, but they won't test her for it unless she takes a significant turn for the worse. I think she'll be fine, it's just got to run its course.

:eek: Sorry to hear it and I really hope she has the mild form if she indeed has H1N1. I have a family member who works in a pediatric hospital and she says it's been crazy busy with both seasonal and pandemic flu since August. It's early and it's hitting all the kids fast.

I hope for the best...the vaccine takes about 1-2 weeks after immunization to build the immunity.

I have been vaccinated but I hope to get my family all vaccinated for both too. Both of my parents are high risk....