10/5/09

No need to change vaccine policy based on Canadian flu shot data: WHO

So lets see if Peacenik has this straight. The international medical community discounts Canadian research that says if you have had a seasonal flu shot in the past, you are more susceptible to getting the swine flu.

But many Canadian jurisdictions, including Ontario, where Peacenik lives, are delaying giving seasonal flu shots until they have finished giving the swine flu shots. Keeping in mind that the swine flu vaccine is still not available, and the swine flu pandemic is simultaneously worsening in Ontario.

And Peacnik still doesn't know if the Ontario vaccine will use adjuvants in the vaccine. The U.S. will not. The U.K. will. Peacenik thinks that by the time there is an available flu shot for Peacenik, that Peacenik will shrug, roll up Peacenik's sleve, and get the shot.

By Helen Branswell Medical Reporter (CP) –

TORONTO — International influenza vaccine experts are apparently not convinced that Canadian researchers have found a true link between getting a seasonal flu shot and catching swine flu.

The consensus that emerged from a World Health Organization teleconference Friday on the controversial data seemed to be that the Canadian findings are likely due to some confounding factor or factors in the data themselves and may not reflect a real increased risk, according to a WHO official who helped pull together the meeting.

"From a WHO point of view, the fact that the findings are not replicated in other countries I think is reassuring for us that this is an outlier, if you like, the unexpected findings that are coming out of Canada," said David Wood, co-ordinator of the quality, safety and standards team of WHO's department of immunization, vaccines and biologicals.

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