Originally published October 21 2012
University study: Flu vaccine effectiveness claims are wildly exaggerated
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) It is once again the season of influenza, and the push is on to "get your flu shot." But does this hallmark of Western medicine really provide the protection health experts claim it does? A recent study out of the University of Minnesota (UM) suggests not, having found that the two groups most at risk from developing serious complications from the flu, seniors and children, derive little or no benefit from getting flu shots.
Michael Osterholm from the UM Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy analyzed more than 12,000 peer-reviewed studies, documents, transcripts, and notes dating back to the 1930s, and found that there was very little solid evidence that the flu shot provides any real protection for most people. As it turns out, those at highest risk of suffering from the flu are least likely to derive any benefit from flu shots, especially because flu strains are constantly morphing and becoming more virulent.
"We found that current influenza vaccine protection is substantially lower than for most routine recommended vaccines and is suboptimal," said Osterholm about the findings. "We believe the current influenza vaccine will continue to have a role in reducing influenza morbidity until more effective interventions are available, but we can no longer accept the status quo regarding vaccine research and development."
Research proves that flu shots are medically useless
But what, exactly, is this "role" of which Osterholm speaks? If you consider the findings of a 2011 study published in the journal The Lancet, only 1.5 out of every 100 adults, at best, who get a flu shot will avoid developing influenza. Since only 2.7 out of every 100 adults develops the flu apart from getting a flu shot anyway, the benefits of getting a flu shot are statistically negligible, in other words, according to that particular study. (http://www.naturalnews.com)
In Osterholm's opinion, a flu shot should ideally be between 85 and 95 percent effective in all age groups before ever being considered effective and useful. This means that the types of flu shots currently administered to hundreds of millions of Americans every single year are complete medical quackery. And yet, even though officials are now admitting this inconvenient truth about flu shots, many are still pushing it as the "best defense available" against the flu, to quote the words of KARE News 11 in Minneapolis, which recently covered Osterholm's study.
If real flu protection is something that matters to you, it may be worth your while to consider supplementing with vitamin D3 during the winter months when natural sunlight exposure is limited. Taking extra B vitamins, eating more organic fruits and vegetables, supplementing with garlic, eating medicinal mushrooms, getting plenty of rest every night, and drinking plenty of purified, mineral-rich water are also highly-effective ways to naturally avoid the flu without risking potentially deadly side effects. (http://www.naturalnews.com/019194_flu_the_health.html)
Also, be sure to check out the special Natural News report The Five Best Anti-Viral Products to Beat Influenza, Swine Flu, Bird Flu, and Sars by the Health Ranger, Mike Adams:
http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_Anti-Viral_Remedies_Influenza_5.html
Sources for this article include:
http://www.kare11.com
http://minnesota.publicradio.org
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