Vaccine refusal by doctors and nurses increases worldwide

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According to a study published online by the British Medical Journal, more than half of healthcare workers surveyed in Hong Kong said they would refuse to be vaccinated against swine flu because of a fear of side effects and doubts as to efficacy.

Additionally, GP newspaper, a weekly newspaper for UK family doctors, conducted a survey of UK physicians regarding the swine flu vaccine and found that up to 60% of GPs may choose not to be vaccinated against swine flu, with many concerned about the safety of the vaccine.

The Daily Mail reported that a week ago, a poll of nurses showed that a third would turn down the opportunity of being vaccinated against swine flu. The Mail also claimed a poll of doctors for Pulse magazine found that 49 per cent would reject the vaccine with 9 per cent undecided.

Richard Hoey, editor of Pulse, said: 'The medical profession has yet to be convinced by the Government's whole approach to swine flu, with most GPs now feeling that the Department of Health overreacted in its policy on blanket use of Tamiflu. Inevitably, that has coloured feelings about the planned immunisation campaign. The view among many doctors is that the Government hasn't yet made its case for why such a huge vaccination program needs to be rushed in for what seems to be an unusually mild illness."

Health officials in Japan have recommended against prescribing Tamiflu to teenagers over fears it causes a rise in “neuropsychiatric events”. The researchers said that clinical trials had shown that about 20 per cent of adults reported side-effects of either nausea or vomiting after taking Tamiflu.

There are also concerns regarding cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome, which can lead to paralysis and even death. A mass swine flu vaccination programme in the U.S. in 1976 caused far more deaths than the disease it was designed to combat, and Britain's Health Protection Agency watchdog has asked doctors to look out for cases of GBS when the vaccinations begin.

According to Dr. Mercola, who publishes a natural health news letter, "[Tamiflu]...is part of a group of anti-influenza drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors, which work by blocking a viral enzyme that helps the influenza virus to invade cells in your respiratory tract. Serious side effects include convulsions, delirium or delusions, and 14 deaths in children and teens have been reported as a result of neuropsychiatric problems and brain infections. Japan actually banned Tamiflu for children in 2007 because of the steep risks. It was also around this time that the U.S. FDA began reviewing reports of abnormal behavior and other brain effects in more than 1,800 children who had taken Tamiflu.

AFP reports a team of researchers led by Paul Chan from the Chinese University of Hong Kong surveyed over 8,500 doctors, nurses, and other health professionals working at 31 hospital departments in Hong Kong. Participants were questioned first in early 2009, when the WHO influenza pandemic alert was at level 3, and again in May, when level had just be raised to 5. Results were virtually the same both times, with only 47 and 48 percent saying they would get vaccinated.

Research center using babies and children for experimental H1N1 Vaccine

The Warwick Beacon reports Omega Medical Research, a privately owned clinical research center providing clinical research services to the pharmaceutical industry, will "study three different vaccines on three different age groups. Roughly 300 adults will receive an injectable vaccine. The study will also include about 40-60 children between the ages of 2 and 17 and 40 infants and toddlers between six to 35 months old. Some of the patients in the younger age groups will get injections, while others will receive nasal sprays."

Patients will receive compensation for their participation in the study. Adult participants will receive up to $540, children up to $350 and the youngest group, up to $520.

According to their website, Omega Medical Research claims over 6,000 patients have been registered as study subjects for various trials. "Additionally, Dr. Fried [OMR's Medical Director and Principal Investigator] enjoys his own private practice of over 12,000 primary care patients, as well as being part of a regional primary care practice of 35 physicians who, collectively, have well over 200,000 patients. As such, recruitment is a streamlined process, utilizing an ever-expanding database of potential subjects."

So Dr. Fried and his clinic volunteer the services of his patients and the patients of 35 other doctors as guinea pigs to the drug companies for a fee.

“It’s a unique opportunity for the residents of Rhode Island to get vaccinated,” says Lynn Haughey, a nurse practitioner and co-owner of the Omega Medical Research center. Haughey claims that during the study participants will not actually be exposed to live novel H1N1 viruses, but thy will be exposed to their antigens.

Rhode Island Department of Health spokeswoman Annemarie Beardsworth said the clinical vaccine will likely be produced by one of five pharmaceutical companies: SanofiPasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, CSL Biotherapies or MedImmune. So, if a manufacturer experiences a mishap while making a vaccine, there will be others working toward the same goal.