Swine Flu H1N1 Vaccine Concerns

I'm an educated person, one who realizes that things should be questioned before we consent to anything. I like to read the fine print, and that's where we usually find the information they don't want us to have. I never choose to do anything without information. When a physician recommends a treatment or a vaccination, I question him, then defer until later so I can do some research of my own. That's not being paranoid-it's being smart.

I'm not crazy, and I really don't think that the vaccine was "created by the government" to "make us sick" as a form of population control. I don't think that the swine flu was created by the government either, and I don't think they have "microchips" in it either. To say I don't believe this doesn't mean that I feel safe about it though. There are things to consider, other than conspiracy (although there could be some underlying conspiracy somewhere in this whole scheme, and I am open to hearing about it) that really concern me about the swine flu vaccine. They should concern you as well.

I work in the medical field, and have done so for more than 30 years. This doesn't mean I know more-and it might mean I know too much, for my own good. I have worked with some of the finest physicians, who have provided me a wealth of knowledge. When working with one in particular, I questioned why he didn't prescribe certain medications that were on the market to provide relief for specific disorders. His response? "I prefer to wait for a few months, or even a year when a new medication is released so I can see if any problems are associated with it. I understood this when one of the medications we discussed was quickly pulled from the market after causing many fatalities during the first 6 months of release. It was an eye opener, to say the least.

Drug companies advertise their new products heavily. Just look at the multi-national advertisement on television when a new medication is released, urging you to call your physician "right away". Many physicians don't like this marketing, as they feel as if they should be the one making the decision to medicate you, and choosing what they feel is to your benefit. But some physicians, just like the rest of us-can make unwise decisions. Drug companies are in constant contact with physicians through their representatives-and physician offices nationwide accept free lunches and brunches, pens, samples of medications, and literature to place in their offices. These free lunches are at your expense ladies and gentlemen. Why do you think the medication is so expensive?

Am I afraid of thimerosal? Not necessarily-I probably have so much of it in my system now to become concerned about a little more. I'm not pregnant or lactating, and I'm not vaccinating my children-so my concerns about birth defects and autism are restricted to others. I probably would ask for a single dose vial if I were, as thimerosal is only in the multi-dose vials. Yes, I would want to see the vial, as well as the clean needle the vaccine was drawn up in. By the way, I would probably ask to watch the vaccine being drawn up by the nurse administering it. That's smart and safe, and a good way to ensure you are getting what you asked for.

Here's the bottom line: I want to wait and see how many people fall ill from the vaccine, short term and long term, before I make a decision to expose myself to it. Drug companies make mistakes, if they didn't, there wouldn't be so many lawsuits now in progress for several medications that were popular over the last decade, which caused serious side effects, disabilities, and death. We are seeing news about adverse reactions already. Just google or watch TV and you will likely see information about these medications, recalls, and how to contact an attorney. I also want to watch and wait to see how bad this flu season will be. You see, we heard that things were just fine before the vaccine came out-but now there seems to be panic and pandemonium. I want to know what the hype is all about, and why it's so urgent this week, as opposed to September 1 of this year, when the vaccine wasn't available.

It's also very unsettling that the consent and information sheet on the vaccine states that if you become injured as a result of the vaccine, your legal rights to sue are limited. So if I become disabled, that's OK? How will you pay your bills if you are injured as a result of a vaccine that you signed a consent for that waives your rights? Why do you think there is such a consent? Because nobody wants to be held liable-that's why.

I'm not telling you what to do, and I can't make any recommendations, but hopefully I can provide you with some food for thought, and inspire you to learn more and investigate all your options. Use as much information as you have access to before making a decision. It's called "informed consent", so become informed.

I will be patiently waiting to see what the H1N1 flu vaccine has in store for me before I make a haphazard decision to become inoculated. It's called being smart and being informed, and I choose to make my decision based on valid information rather than scare tactics and hype.