Re: HOW THE MASS MEDIA IN THE U.S. CREATED FLU HYSTERIA
From: awthrawthr (awthrawthr_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 10/14/04
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Date: 13 Oct 2004 22:12:08 -0700
"john" <nospamoridiots@vaccine.com> wrote in message news:<ckjklh$3cg$1@sparta.btinternet.com>...
> PLEASE go to the webpage for TONS MORE -
> From last year...............
It is interesting to me how many millions of people are still
worshipping at the altar of FDA drugs.
I use herbs. Elderbery is a great one for neutralizing bugs.
Kelley
------------------------------------------------
Author of a hotly controversial free newsletter Huge Health Secrets.
To subscribe, contact awthrawthr@yahoo.com
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> http://www.redflagsweekly.com/conferences/vaccines/2003_dec18.html
>
> HOW THE MASS MEDIA IN THE U.S. CREATED FLU HYSTERIA AND HELPED DRIVE THE
> VACCINE MARKETS FOR THE MAKERS OF FluMist AND FLUZONE.
>
> By RFD Columnist, Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
>
> The hype regarding this year's flu "epidemic" continues. In the wake of the
> media-induced hysteria, a fascinating series of chronologically connected
> events has materialized that appears to protect the pharmaceutical industry
> profits at the expense of our children. This issue demands further
> examination.
>
> On June 20, 2002, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)
> adopted a resolution to include the influenza vaccine in the childhood
> vaccination schedule. The influenza vaccine will be recommended annually to
> all children aged 6 months to 23 months, and to children aged 24 months to
> 18 years who are household contacts of children aged less than 2 years.
> After becoming effective on March 1, 2003, the resolution was implemented
> during the 2003-04 influenza season and the vaccine will be encouraged
> annually, for every subsequent flu season, [i] in other words, creating
> "regular customers for life."
>
> Coming on the coattails of this announcement, the FDA approved the use of
> FluMist, the first nasally injected vaccine. The company originally had
> sought an indication for use in healthy people aged 1-64 years, but it was
> denied by the FDA. Reports suggested the vaccine caused a 3.53-fold
> increased risk of "asthma events" after the first dose in children 12-59
> months of age.[ii] After a 32-month review that included the submission of
> additional data, the decision was reversed and on June 17, 2003, the FDA
> issued a license to Medimmune to produce FluMist, a live attenuated
> influenza vaccine for use in 5-to-49 year olds. In a complicated vote, ACIP
> decided that, because only 641 adults over 50 years of age were studied,
> there was insufficient evidence of vaccine efficacy in 50-64 year olds.[iii]
>
> MedImmune Inc., FluMist's manufacturer and Washington DC's successful
> biotechnology company, was jubilant over the decision. When MedImmune
> executives and Wall Street bulls learned that FluMist would be released in
> time for the fall flu season, MedImmune's stock soared to $43.32 per share,
> more than 63 times earnings.[iv] MedImmune announced it would manufacture
> between 4 million and 6 million units of FluMist for the 2003 season.
>
> A $25 million marketing campaign was launched in October by MedImmune, and
> its partner, Wyeth, to create a demand for their new product. Ad after ad
> demonstrated the inconveniences the flu caused to family members and
> co-workers, encouraging everyone to get their flu shot-especially the shot
> up the nose. It just so happened that flu outbreaks began to be reported in
> Houston earlier than in previous years and about the same time as FluMist
> began to be used. Texas Children's Hospital diagnosed 40 patients with the
> flu in five days. During comparable weeks of the flu seasons in the
> previous two years, only 9 cases per week had required treatment.[v]
>
> However, despite the best efforts of a massive marketing blitz, the big
> demand for FluMist didn't materialize. The "billion dollar blockbuster"
> lacked the appeal its creators had dreamed about. The advantage of a
> getting a mist up the nose over a shot in the arm couldn't justify the
> hefty price not covered by health insurance (FluMist for $60-70 vs. flu
> shot for $7).
>
> By November 17, MedImmune had reduced its 2003 fourth quarter, full-year
> revenue expectations as earnings were projected to be $60 million less than
> anticipated. MedImmune's CEO, David M. Mott, stated that he was
> "disappointed." Half-way through the 12-week peak "immunization season" the
> anticipated demand was just not there.[vi] Perplexed, MedImmune announced
> on November 23 that it had "hired a consultant to discover why its
> needle-free flu vaccine, FluMist, had disappointed sales expectations this
> fall and was considering placing the emphasis on FluMist's safety as well
> as its convenience."[vii]
>
> Shortly thereafter, the outbreaks initially seen in Texas were being
> reported all around the country-much earlier than usually anticipated.
> Indeed, even a few children were reported to have died from the flu. The
> media hyped these reports as though this were an outbreak of smallpox
> instead of the flu, causing hysteria.
>
> With the announcement of the "flu epidemic" blazoned from every conceivable
> form of news report, a stampede of patients arrived at doctors' offices,
> demanding a shot to ward off the "deadly strain" of influenza. Parents
> especially wanted their children vaccinated, and were willing to drive to
> cities hours from home and even stand in line for up to 90 minutes.[viii]
>
> But wait.
>
> Doesn't the CDC say repeatedly that 36,000 people die every year from the
> flu? Were these reported deaths indicative that all deaths possibly related
> to the flu might be different or more numerous than deaths reported any
> other year? In a telephone interview on November 17, 2003, this is what the
> CDC had to say:
>
> MODERATOR: Miriam Falco from CNN, your line is open.
>
> QUESTION: Hi, Dr. Gerberding, thanks for doing this. Is this the most
> serious early onset since 1976?
>
> DR. GERBERDING: This is early onset from the standpoint that we have more
> cases, particularly in Texas, where we see it's fairly widespread
> [outbreak] of flu. But we have had many years where flu has started early
> and peaked earlier than average. So it's a little too early in the game to
> say whether or not this portends the worst flu season we've had in a long
> time.[ix] (emphasis mine)
>
> Again, on December 11, 2003, Dr. Julie Gerberding reported the following
> during a CNN teleconference:
>
> "We don't have scientific evidence or epidemiologic evidence to suggest
> that this year's influenza outbreak is worse than it has been in the past
> or that the strain is more virulent than strains that we've dealt with
> before. It's just simply too early in the course of the outbreak to say for
> sure how this will compare overall."[x] (emphasis mine)
>
> If that is the case, isn't the "epidemic" being reported nationwide by the
> media a little like yelling "fire" in a crowded theater.when there is no
> fire? People can be harmed and even killed by the ensuing stampede.
>
> Further evidence suggests that the outbreaks did not deserve the
> feeding-frenzy level of media coverage they have received. For example, the
> Rocky Mountain News reported on December 11 that officials said flu cases
> had been cut in half and the "the worst of worst Colorado season in years
> is over." The report went on to say that, "during a typical year, no more
> than two children and a total of 750 to 800 Coloradoans die of
> complications of the flu or pneumonia." [xi] Do nine reported deaths in
> children make this year the "worst of the worst"? Does an increase of 7
> deaths over previous years constitute an epidemic?
>
> In Arizona, the Department of Health Services reported on December 11, 2002
> that two adults and one child had died of influenza related sickness.
> Michael Murphy, the health department's spokesperson, said that Arizona
> typically has 20 children deaths a year caused by influenza.[xii] Is one
> death an "epidemic"?
>
> This does not in any way minimize the tragedy of the death of a child. What
> needs to be put into context is how extraordinarily small these numbers are
> to lead to such media-driven hysteria. Furthermore, what were the
> underlying health conditions of those who died? At least one other report
> stated that one of the children in Colorado died of the flu and "other
> causes." A 3-year-old boy who reportedly died from complications of the flu
> at Children's Medical Center in Dayton also had a missing pituitary gland
> and a cleft pallet.[xiii] Both conditions can be associated with a
> compromised immune system. Perhaps the CDC should recommend giving the flu
> shot only to children at highest risk-and their immediate family
> members-instead of encouraging mass vaccination of children with normal,
> intact immune systems.
>
> Do we know if the reports of "flu-related illness" and death were actually
> caused by an influenza virus? The CDC reports that the majority of
> influenza-like illnesses are not caused by the influenza virus, but by
> other viruses (e.g., rhinoviruses and respiratory syncytial virus [RSV]),
> adenoviruses, and parainfluenza viruses).[xiv] Douglas Benevento, executive
> director of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment stated
> the department's definition of "flu-related illness" includes kids who have
> flu symptoms but haven't had a confirmatory test.[xv]
>
> By early December, reports began to come out that stated the viral strain
> of this year's flu "epidemic" was the A/Fujian strain. This was a serious
> error on the part of the vaccine program because the most virulent strain
> of the flu identified this season was not part of FluMist or Fluzone. In
> order to continue encouraging vaccination, the CDC proclaimed that the flu
> vaccines "should" confer "some" protection against this strain. The media
> continued to blare: get your flu vaccine.
>
> The CDC estimates that only 13 percent of healthy people less than 50 years
> of age, or about 17 million Americans, got flu shots last year.[xvi]
> Typically, 80 million doses of the flu shot are manufactured annually.
> Therefore, millions of unused doses of the flu vaccine from the previous
> year's stock are discarded, along with the profits connected to them. With
> all this attention on the flu, Aventis certainly benefited. As the
> manufacturer of Fluzone (the "flu shot"), it is interesting to note that
> Aventis stock rose from $48/share at the beginning of September to $61.43
> on December 12.[xvii] The extra, unanticipated Fluzone sales may not be
> the sole contributor to the stock increase, but certainly this can be
> considered as playing a role.
>
> Predictably, the demand for the flu vaccine soon outstripped supply. In an
> effort to assist health officials, effective December 10, 2003, Wellmark
> Blue Cross and Blue Shield was one of many insurance carriers that began
> covering the cost of FluMist vaccine through the end of December, or
> through the vaccination time period recommended by the CDC for the
> 2003-2004 flu season.[xviii]
>
> Now, even the government is getting on the band wagon to support consumer
> use of FluMist. Negotiated by the CDC, the agreement will allow state and
> local officials to purchase the nasal-spray vaccine for $20 a dose from now
> through the middle of February from both MedImmune and Wyeth. At less than
> half of the suggested wholesale price of $46 per dose, this may be the
> ultimate boost to faltering sales.[xix]
>
> The upshot of the run on flu shots, the newly implemented insurance
> coverage and the boost from the federal government has surely created a
> bonanza for MedImmune. The company probably hasn't had to spend an
> additional marketing dime to implement the ideas of its newly hired
> consultants. Much of its marketing was accomplished for free.through the
> Six O'clock news.
>
> (SEE OTHER ARTICLES ON THE FLU BY DR. SHERRI TENPENNY LISTED BELOW)
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
>
> [i] MMWR. September 27, 2002/51(38);864, 875
>
> [ii]ePediatric News. July 2003, Volume 37, Number 7.
>
> [iii] CDC.
>
> [iv]The Washington Post. MedImmune's Pain-Free Ambitions. March 18, 2002;
> Page E01
>
> [v]October 15, 2003.
>
> [vi] PRNewswire November 17, 2003.
>
> [vii] Washington Post. November 25, 2003. "MedImmune Seeks Help in
> Relaunching FluMist."
>
> [viii] Rocky Mountain News. December 11, 2003 "Cases of flu cut in half."
>
> [ix] CDC News Conference Transcript. November 17, 2003. Update on Current
> Influenza Season.
>
> [x] CDC News Conference Transcript. December 11, 2003. Influenza Update.
>
> [xi] Rocky Mountain News. December 11, 2003 "Cases of flu cut in half."
>
> [xii] The Navaho Times. December 11, 2002. "Flood of flu cases using up
> vaccine."
>
> [xiii] December 15, 2003. "Toddler Dies Of Flu Complications"
>
> [xiv] MMWR November 9, 2001/50(44); 984-6
>
> [xv] Rocky Mountain News. December 11, 2003 "Cases of flu cut in half."
>
> [xvi] Washington Post. June 18, 2003, Pg. A01. "Spray Vaccine For Flu Wins
> FDA Clearance."
>
> [xvii] Forbes Financial Report.
>
> [xviii] Blue Cross/Wellmark.
>
> [xix] The Washington Post. Tuesday, December 16, 2003; Page E01Government
> To Purchase FluMist at A Discount. Deal Could Give Boost To MedImmune
> Vaccine
>
> OTHER ARTICLES
>
> December 8, 2003
> IS IT POSSIBLE THAT FluMistŪ, THE NASAL SPRAY FLU VACCINE, MAY BE CAUSING
> THE FLU?
>
> November 30, 2003
> NEW CAMPAIGN TO MARKET TOUGH-SELL FluMist
>
> November 24, 2003
> SHOULD YOU GET THE FLU SHOT?
>
> October 3, 2003
> RISKS OF FluMist VACCINE
> Hundreds of TV and print ads have been designed to persuade everyone into
> taking FluMist. The campaign will cost an estimated $25 million over the
> next couple of months. And a three-year, $100 million campaign will be
> launched to encourage use of the nasal flu vaccine among physicians. But
> there are many reasons for caution.
>
> ABOUT SHERRI J. TENPENNY
- Next message: LEROY KNEVIL: "Re: "Porch Monkey" claims AIDS deliberate"
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