By Randall Neustaedter OMD
E-mail: randalln@concentric.net

What people do not know is that not only are flu vaccines nearly useless in preventing flu, they will cause the flu, and they often result in nervous system damage that can take years for the body to repair.

According to a CDC report of the 1994-1995 flu season, 87 percent of type A influenza virus samples were not similar to the year's vaccine, and 76 percent of type B virus samples were not similar to the virus in that year's vaccine. During the 1992-1993 season, 84 percent of samples for the predominant type A virus were not similar to the virus in the vaccine.

Here is a list of the most common side effects of the flu vaccine as stated by the CDC:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Headache

According to the CDC, the effectiveness of flu vaccine in preventing illness among elderly persons residing in nursing homes is 30 to 40 percent (CDC, 2001b).

Other studies have shown an even lower efficacy of 0 to 36 percent (averaging 21 percent). The CDC proudly notes that for those elderly persons living outside of nursing homes, flu vaccine is 30 to 70 percent effective in preventing hospitalization for pneumonia and influenza; the rationale being that one-third of Americans have a risk factor or chronic disease that puts them at risk of increased morbidity from the flu.

Vaccination is currently recommended for children over six months of age with high-risk medical conditions but is not recommended for healthy children.

Live intranasal vaccine was found to be 93 percent effective in preventing influenza in children age one to six years old (Belshe et al., 1998).

A mass vaccination program was mounted that year by the U.S. government,

During that year the rate of GBS in Ohio was 13.3 per million in vaccine recipients compared to 2.6 per million in nonrecipients (Marks & Halpin, 1980).

A follow-up study also showed a significantly increased incidence of GBS during the first six weeks following receipt of the vaccine in patients residing in two other states.

According to the CDC, two groups are most vulnerable to methylmercury -- the fetus and children ages 14 and younger.

We are confronted with what is undoubtedly the single most potent technology the world has ever known -- more powerful even than atomic energy.

Yet it is being released throughout our environment and deployed with superficial or no risk assessments as if no one needs to worry an iota about its unparalleled powers to harm life as we know it -- for all future generations.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

From earlier this year:

Did you know that these flu vaccines they now want to give to kids contain mercury?

The government just finished a two-year process to start to get the mercury out of the hepatitis B vaccines. Now they want to reintroduce mercury back again with flu vaccines.

Do you know who was on the advisory committees of the expert panels to recommend these vaccines?

If you did not have a chance to read my recent article on this, you will find that over 90 percent of those on the advisory committees are tied right back to the drug companies that are benefiting from the recommendation.

This was published in JAMA, the most widely circulated medical journal in the world, earlier this year.

The "experts" will use fear to motivate people to get a flu shot. Let's be clear, flu can definitely be a killer disease and is not something that should be easily dismissed. But, remember that flu shots don't prevent illness-never have, never will.

The flu shot actually weakens the immune system and makes you more predisposed to the illness.

It is my recommendation to avoid the flu shot just like you would avoid anthrax, and concentrate on eliminating the destroyer of health from your diet, which is sugar, by following the eating plan.

Related Articles:

Flu Vaccine Now Recommended for Infants

Why I Never Get Flu Shots

Flu Vaccine Encouraged for Kids 6 to 23 Months

Flu Shots Save Money? If At First You Don't Succeed Try

Do You Need the Flu Shot?