It is bad enough that the elderly and others at high risk of complications from the flu, such as pregnant women, are encouraged to get flu shots each year, but now a researcher reports that immunizing all healthy working adults makes economic sense. Yeah, right.
There has been no evidence to date that vaccinating most healthy adults is cost-effective.
One recent study of workers at the Ford Motor Company showed giving all workers the flu shot cost the company more than $65 per worker.
Healthy working adults have a low risk of developing serious flu-related complications, but now the claim is that widespread vaccination may result in savings by reducing physician visits and missed workdays.
With most vaccination drives concentrated on the elderly and other high-risk groups, fewer than 25% of healthy working adults aged 18 to 64 get a flu shot each year.
Archives of Internal Medicine March 12, 2001;161:749-759
This study estimates, about 12 missed workdays and 2.5 trips to the doctor's office would be prevented for every 100 healthy working people who received a flu shot. This translated to an average savings of nearly $14 for every person vaccinated. But even the author of the study notes that flu vaccinations could end up costing more than it saves, particularly during flu seasons in which the vaccine does not match the most common type of flu virus.
Yet the researcher persists in concluding that vaccinating healthy working adults should save money about 95% of the time. Any guess as to why this researcher can make such a ridiculous conclusion?
If you review the article you will find that the author has received all her research funding from companies that make flu vaccines. Imagine that. I can't possibly imagine any conflict of interest here.
Yet, what will the media report? Of course the headline will be that flu shots are cost effective. And future flu campaigns will now site this worthless piece of junk science to justify their expanded recommendations for flu vaccines to all adults.
In addition, as far as I know, the flu shots all contain mercury. This means that if every year, people get the flu shot, their life-long exposure to mercury will be significant.
If you really want to read the low down behind flu shots, read Chet Day's wonderful article on this subject below.
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Flu Shot is Not Cost Effective For Adults But is For Children?
Why I Never Get Flu Shots by Chet Day
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