Guest commentary by Larry Hanus
WHO’s flu?
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a worldwide H1N1 influenza “Level-6 Pandemic,” even while stating the disease is neither highly communicable nor, for most infected, serious. It seems to only cause mild symptoms and most recover quickly. WHO also warns about the dangers of using untested and experimental vaccines for which neither safety nor effectiveness have been proven (nor cost-effectiveness considered).
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is preparing to use troops to assist FEMA in managing potential flu outbreaks, and the Maine National Guard has held “vaccine riot” exercises in public schools. Under an “emergency health” declaration, Iowa officials may refuse to honor vaccination exemptions, mandate swine-flu vaccination and forcibly quarantine those who dare decline.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is mobilizing public schools as mass vaccination clinics. Are school officials capable of doing proper medical screenings and keeping records? Who will monitor the long-term adverse health effects from vaccines? How will the officials provide effective informed consent to parents of those children whose medical conditions excluded them from clinical trials? Worse, contrary to vaccine manufacturers’ package insert warnings, the WHO and the U.S. CDC are recommending pregnant women routinely be vaccinated.
Globally, health care workers are refusing vaccination. In New York, the state nurses association has revolted against forced vaccination, Canadian doctors and nurses are resisting mandatory flu shots and half of UK doctors plan to refuse. What is driving this rush to vaccinate every person on the planet? As always, follow the money.
Given the revolving-door politics involving Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services and the pharmaceutical industry, the Federal government has already appropriated more than $7 billion, enriching vaccine manufacturers at public expense. More disturbingly, the PREP Act now protects the drug companies and all involved in any capacity from ANY liability incurred through vaccine injury or death. Annual influenza vaccines, once on the financial fringe of the pharmaceutical industry, have become a significant profit center for the companies who make them.
HHS Secretary Sebelius tells us that many of the swine-flu formulations will contain a preservative level of Thimerosal (49.6 percent mercury by weight), stating that her scientists say mercury in vaccines is safe. However, Congressional reports and numerous scientists have long reported a list of symptoms and disorders that occur at mercury exposure levels far lower than in these vaccines, www. mercury-freedrugs.org. Further, $6-plus-million worth of the dangerous oil adjuvant, squalene (not licensed in the US; and implicated in Gulf War Syndrome), has been purchased and will likely be in some formulation(s), even though squalene caused severe auto-immune disorders in 100 percent of test animals.
Major research studies, including those reviewing the Cochrane database and a 2006 study published in Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, clearly demonstrate that “flu shots are ineffective in every age group hardly seems to matter to those who continually promote their use” and the “yearly U.S. mass influenza vaccination campaign has been ineffective in preventing influenza.” Based upon fifteen years of data from Ontario’s Universal Influenza Immunization Campaign, the prestigious journal Vaccine, states, “The runaway 100 percent effectiveness that’s touted by proponents was nowhere to be seen … What you see is that marketing rules the response to influenza, and scientific evidence comes fourth or fifth.”
Stating that more people died from the 1976 swine-flu vaccine than the flu and five-hundred-plus came down with vaccine-induced Guillain-Barré syndrome, the British Government is warning neurologists to be alert for an increase in this brain disorder and the German Health Committee chair warns of concerns for the risk of cancer from the H1N1 vaccine. But, remember this is America. Until the “mandatory button” is pushed, you are free to choose. Inform yourself. Write your Government officials. Demand they preserve your right to choose. Our sovereignty over our own bodies should not come second to drug company profits. CV
Larry Hanus is a dentist and volunteer lobbyist and activist on informed consent and safety in healthcare issues. He is also a member of the national information resource, www.PandemicFluOnline.com and www.iowansforinformedconsent.org.
