Vaccine backlash builds

Each year, city streets in America are cluttered with billboards and flashing neon signs marketing vaccines for everything from the flu to diabetes to shingles. This year, the signs started appearing even earlier than normal. But, the rush to “protect” the public wasn’t due to a fear of another “epidemic.” It was triggered by just the opposite: a low-risk year. To make up for the lack of fear-driven consumers coming in droves for their vaccines, stores began pushing the drugs a month earlier than usual.

A Reuters report noted: “... with no expected H1N1 outbreak along the lines of last year's heavily hyped version, this season's sales could be slower for drugstores, groceries, and big-box retailers as fewer flu-stricken consumers come into pharmacies looking for cures and Kleenex.”

Less flu means less income for the drug makers and the millions of drug stores, department stores and pharmacies around the globe that make a significant portion of their revenue from the vaccine trade.

The profits from vaccines is staggering.

Last year, global vaccines sales reached $28 billion, up from $26 billion in 2009, $24 billion in 2008 and $18.5 billion in 2007. Although US stores love to claim they give out “free vaccines,” almost all of these freebies are paid by vouchers issued by the US federal government, which spends about $4 billion per year to purchase vaccines and fund the “free” vaccine program.

At the same time, thanks mainly to the Internet, reports about the dangers and ineffectiveness of vaccines have circulated among consumers and a major backlash appears to be gaining momentum.

Comments on personal blogs, news sites, and discussion forums are increasingly showing growing dissatisfaction with the clear profit motives of major drugstore chains, and of the push for more and more vaccines.

Blogger Cathy Jameson’s observations on a recent trip to a local drugstore, posted on the Age of Autism site (ageofautism.com), is typical: “Every counter, every shelf and every display screamed FLU SHOT. Even the stereo speaker system blared a flu shot commercial! I couldn’t escape the drivel repeating over and over again.”

Mike Adams, editor of the popular alternative health site NaturalNews.com, reported on the public outcry against “harassment” by Walgreens employees pressuring people to get vaccinated. “Multiple accounts from NaturalNews readers describe aggressive verbal harassment by Walgreens employees who appear to be "over the top" in pushing flu shots, even onto pregnant women,” he noted.

Adams also stated that his site has received reports from people identifying themselves as Walgreens employees, who claim they’re “being rewarded with incentives or threatened with reprimands if they met a certain ‘goal’ of pushing a certain number of customers into getting flu shots.”

Celebrities like Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey, Chuck Norris, Charlie Sheen, Britney Spears, and Lance Armstrong have joined the chorus of voices raised in opposition to the increasing use of vaccine drugs. While often blasted on the Internet for their stands, their high-profile statements have generated interest among the mainstream public.

The backlash has become so obvious that even the World Health Organization (WHO) is being forced to deal with it. In opening the WHO's executive board meeting last year, the head of the WHO cited anti-vaccine sentiments as a worrisome trend that may be very difficult to change. WHO Director-General Margaret Chan said: "In some cases, persuading the public to seek vaccination has become even more problematic than during the pandemic. As documented in the report on immunization, the problem of public mistrust extends well beyond influenza vaccines.... This is a worrisome new trend that needs to be addressed."

Stemming the tide may be impossible, given the numerous research reports being published that counter vaccine claims of safety and effectiveness.

In 2010, a research report that reviewed 50 studies of flu vaccine use in healthy adults concluded: “The combined results of these trials showed that under ideal conditions (vaccine completely matching circulating viral configuration) 33 healthy adults need to be vaccinated to avoid one set of influenza symptoms. In average conditions (partially matching vaccine) 100 people need to be vaccinated to avoid one set of influenza symptoms... Fifteen of the 36 trials were funded by vaccine companies and four had no funding declaration. Our results may be an optimistic estimate because company-sponsored influenza vaccines trials tend to produce results favorable to their products and some of the evidence comes from trials carried out in ideal viral circulation and matching conditions and because the harms evidence base is limited.” (“Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults,” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 7.)

Another research study that added fuel to the anti-vaccine backlash was published in the Journal of Virology in November 2011. The study found that while the vaccine may prevent some cases of influenza in children, the drug compromises the immune system but also “hampers the development of virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses.” Since T cells or T lymphocytes play a central role in cell-mediated immunity, the vaccines could actually be making children more susceptible to flu and other viruses. (“Annual Vaccination against Influenza Virus Hampers Development of Virus-Specific CD8 T Cell Immunity in Children “ Journal of Virology, Nov. 2011).

Terry A. Rondberg, DC, president of the World Chiropractic Alliance, said there may be an upside to the bad news about vaccines.

“People are looking for natural, drug-free ways to protect their health and chiropractors will be in the ideal position to help them,” he stated. “We have to continue our public education program to let people know that chiropractic adjustments have been shown to strengthen the immune system and enhance overall wellness. We have to make sure they don’t believe the myth that we are only effective for low back pain.”