As a physician, I receive emails from Medscape. Medscape provides information and research articles for physicians. These emails contain news about drugs, medical procedures, and vaccinations. On January 3, 2014 I received an email titled, “High Dose Flu Vaccine: The Evidence Is In.” This interested me as I have done extensive research on the flu vaccine and know that it is ineffective at preventing the flu, especially in the elderly.
When I clicked the link, I was directed to a video by a well-known physician. I listened to the two-minute video and was shocked at what the doctor said. She stated, “In December, 2009, high-dose sesasonal flu vaccine for seniors aged 65 years or older (Fluzone®) was granted accelerated approval by the U.S. FDA.” Fluzone® is four times as strong as the standard dosed flu vaccine.
Describing the results of the study, the doctor said, “The results: case closed. The high-dose shot was more effective in seniors. It was 24% better at preventing the flu than the standard flu shot.”
Case closed? Be still my beating heart. I have written about the problems with the flu vaccines in previous blog posts as well as my newsletter, Dr. Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health. There have been no good studies showing that the flu vaccine is effective for seniors.
Case closed? I decided to look at the study in more detail. Here are the results.
The trial encompassed 32,000 adults aged 65 years or older in the U.S. and Canada. It was performed during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 flu seasons. Subjects were randomized to receive either the regular flu vaccine (Fluzone®) or the higher dosed flu vaccine (Fluzone High-Dose®). The rate of laboratory-confirmed influenza among subjects receiving the high dose vaccine was 1.43% compared to 1.89% for those receiving the regular flu vaccine.
When I saw these numbers, my first thought was, “You gotta be kidding me!” The 24% improvement with the high dose vaccine was accurate—1.43/1.89 equals a 24% improvement. However, as I teach other doctors and medical students, this is the relative risk difference. This number is not to be used when considering whether a particular therapy would help a patient. The more accurate number is the absolute risk reduction. The absolute risk reduction between the vaccines was 0.46% (1.89%-1.43%). The headlines should read, “New Flu Vaccine is 0.46% More Effective.” Going one step further, it takes 217 eldelry people to receive the high dose flu vaccine to prevent one case of the flu. That is the number needed to treat based on this study. That means that 216 out of 217 elderly people received the flu vaccine for naught—it did not help them prevent the flu. They paid double the price and were exposed to possible adverse effects.
Case closed? I agree, case closed. This new flu vaccine is worthless and too expensive—it is double the price of the regular flu shot, which is also worthless.
DrB
I’m so old I remember when someone went to the doctor or hospital with fever, etc., he would be told “Not to worry–it’s ONLY the flu!”. Now, we seem to have promoted “only the flu” to a death-dealing “pandemic” disease, in the same category as the plague. Anything to sell drugs, I guess.
I am extremely allergic to mercury. Since mercury is put in the flu vaccine as a preservative, I don’t get a flu shot. I don’t understand why they use a poison as a preservative. It makes no sense to me at all.
I used to get the flu all the time, then I started to use a homeopathic natural product with the name of Oscillococcinum. NO FLU in over 25 yrs. I carry it with me during flu season because the sooner you take it, the better it works. It will not work on colds and symptoms are similar. I will never take a flu shot when this works within hours & I have never taken more than 2 doses. Safe for children. Research studies are linking flu shots to Dementia & Alzerheimers, not sure about this, I’m not a doctor, just a great-grandmother with a lot of health knowledge.
I was at U of M Hospital in Ann Arbor yesterday for a gynecological visit. I was amazed at how they nurse was pushing me to get the flu shot. I told her that I have never had a flu shot and didn’t intend to ever get one. She was absolutely amazed. She then said, “Well I will be sure to let the doctor know and she will tell you that you should!” Needless to say, I walked out of there without one!
Dear Carrie,
YOU make your own health care decisions, nobody else. She is going to tell the doctor on you? Perhaps it is time to find a new doctor.
DrB
No control group? How on earth can any of the data be valid in any manner of speaking without a control group?
These “studies” get more ludicrous as we go on. Back in school we called it “dry lab”, remember? You come up with the answer first, then work backward with the experiment to “prove” it. Nope it’s not “case closed”; it’s a JOKE, and a bad one at that. Then in hospitals and business everywhere, they expect trained healthcare professionals who, yes, can read and think for themselves to just submit, like sheep, to be vaccinated! How can this psuedo-science be so pervasive in places where it should actually be rejected immediately as bad research?
Interesting how the exact same statistics can be presented in 2 ways, implying very different meanings.
Whoever originally said “There are lies, damned lies and statistics” knew what he was talking about.
My mother was part of that study last year (age 79) and although she doesn’t know which flu shot she got she had all sorts of issues and problems throughout the winter, never the flu per se but just not feeling right. She regrets it and will never do another study again.
Not only does the “flu shot” not prevent the flu but the whole HHS flu campaign is a fraud
If you but take a little time this protocol will demonstrate the following.
The CDC has CONTINUOUSLY overstated the mortality of seasonal influenza often by over 100 fold. For many decades the CDC told us each and every year that influenza killed 36,000 of us each year. They are NOW saying they have no idea how many die from the seasonal flu. We know it is less than 700/year for MOST years, perhaps MUCH less if based on serological results. Only slightly overstated figures from the UK imply less than 200/year die in the USA from influenza A or B. Based on serological results my guess is it is a mere handful.
http://healthyprotocols.com/2_flu_shot_intro.htm
What fraction of un-immunized people experience influenza? Or is that number classified, because it’s under 1.5%?
Tom,
Influenza rates range from about 5-20% of the population per season. This study had significantly lower levels of flu.
DrB
Every year my husband dutifully gets a flu shot. Yikes, he’s heard all about the dangers and ineffectiveness from me for years, but who am I? Twelve years ago when he had cardiac bypass (shortly after we were married – not my cooking!) – some doctor or other advisor told him he MUST always have a flu shot. Fast forward to 12/28/13. I woke up feeling a little queasy, threw up once, had a bit of mild diarrhea – gone the next day, He woke up feeling miserable, vomiting, diarrhea, aches, pains, all the flu schtick. He was sick in bed most of five days! I didn’t have the flu shot. HE DID. Case closed.
Here in the UK they are recommending that children have the flu shots so they don’t get it and pass it onto their grandparents. Can you believe that?
I wonder how often children get true flu? Colds, yes, but I don’t remember than any of my grandchildren have ever had flu. I have always refused to have it.
Sandy,
Sure, I can believe that. The incidence of the flu is from about 5-20% of the population.
DrB
As one who had a minor bout with Gillian Barre syndrome in the late 90’s, I was cautioned by my doctor and insurance literature against taking any flu vaccine. I have maintained a high level of vit.D3 and so far, so good. Also lots of vit C and B complex.
Great post. But you should also mention that 23 seniors died during the drug trials: http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/23-seniors-died-after-receiving-this-years-flu-shot-sold-by-pharmacies/
Thank you! Case Closed Again!
DrB
I have been exposed to the H1N1 repeatedly this year, often when my patients have the highest titers, and shedding off the virus just prior t symptom onset, and I have done well without the vaccine. I attribute my resistance to high serum D levels, as has been proposed by several investigators
I got a flu shot and it took me a year to get over it and a lot of problems. Thanks to the great doctors at chm
And what happened to the control group in that study? Were there any seniors who received no flu vaccine at all?
Al,
There was no control group in this study.
DrB
Dr. B–Thank you for breaking down the data so that the average reader can better understand the facts.
Once again, when the “number needed to treat” information is explained for a drug, it usually shows the lack of value for that compound. Unfortunately, this information is never openly shared with patients when prescribed a drug. If it wasn’t for physicians like Dr. Brownstein who dig down into the data, we would never understand the false promise of many compounds.
Christopher,
Every student that rotates in my office is given an article to read. I tell them to report back to me the number needed to treat and then tell me if the item is, in their opinion, useful. I implore all doctors to understand how to interpret research articles this way.
DrB
I absolutely agree! Medscape is just a propaganda site for the “system” I read it, but more often than not, just shake my head.
Unless the conventional medical arena realize that the underlying cause of the inability to fight influenza, infection, and virus is lack of nutrition and poor immune response it won’t matter what the strength is for the vaccine, I agree it is worthless. Also many of us are diabetic and don’t realize it until we are possibly battling not just the flu, but a virus, in addition to bacterial infection, and a yeast growth resulting in complete weakness of our ability to fight any of them. Over time we are left with a wiped out white blood count and weakened immune system which I believe contributes to the chronic conditions we see today including cancer. Changes need to be made in medicine as you have recognized and made, Dr. Brownstein in a holistic approach.