[group_theory]

The "hypothesis" that immunization weakens the immune system is interesting, but there is no scientific basis for it. I have yet to see a peer-review article in a reputable journal suggesting this hypothesis.

The posts against immunization so far have listed interesting arguments. It employs a logical fallacy called post hoc ergo propter hoc ("after this, therefore because of this"), which mistakes association for causation.

Right now in medicine, EBM (evidence-based medicine) is stressed. I suspect a similar trend is occuring in the nursing field.

Anyway, interesting reads if you have time

A cohort study of the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in older people, performed using the United Kingdom general practice research database.
J Infect Dis. 2004 Jul 1;190(1):1-10

Acute respiratory illness in patients with COPD and the effectiveness of influenza vaccination: a randomized controlled study.
Chest. 2004 Jun;125(6):2011-20.

Influence of clinical case definitions with differing levels of sensitivity and specificity on estimates of the relative and absolute health benefits of influenza vaccination among healthy working adults and implications for economic analyses.
Virus Res. 2004 Jul;103(1-2):3-8.

[uk_nurse]

2 yrs ago i had the flu jab for the first time....A few days later i was ill and diagnosed with the flu. I was very poorly and was off work for a while. I cant really remember having the flu like that until i had my jab. So i go on my experience, research is not 100% accurate , everyone is different and no the flu jab is not for me! I am 19 weeks pregnant too and been recommended by occupational health doctor not to have it......not as though i was going to any way.
My theory is if in doubt dont do it!

[Energizer Bunny]

A question because I really don't know and I have a neighbor who is in my class that insists that this is true....is there mercury in the flu shot? And what are the implications if there is?

[GoLytely]

Originally Posted by rnmi2004

Last I checked, the immune system was designed to create antibodies. If getting the flu vax weakens a person's immune system, then they already have problems that have nothing to do with getting immunizations.

Thanks for posting this thread, Shotzie.

Hey, so those old kodgers have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel anyway so why not go ahead and push them over the edge. If they live they live if not...oh well!

You need to do a search on autoimmune disorders and why it is not good to intentionally induce the body into creating these antibodies. You should be able to pull up Dr. James Kornberg pretty easily.

[GoLytely]

Originally Posted by CNM2B

A question because I really don't know and I have a neighbor who is in my class that insists that this is true....is there mercury in the flu shot? And what are the implications if there is?

Want to know what is in vaccine potions?

Check this out http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/7/va...ngredients.htm

[Hardknox]

Have had the flu shot for the last 20 years with no problems--no flu. So has hubby. It's a choice. I'll get it this year, too.

[stsdoc]

Originally Posted by LPNtoRN

Want to know what is in vaccine potions?

Check this out http://www.mercola.com/2001/mar/7/va...ngredients.htm

Gee,that looked like a really unbiased site. The levels of mercury are so minute that it is almost impossible to have adverse effects from them. The bottom line is that clinical research (which, like it or not, is what medicine is based on) has shown flu vaccines to be very effective in preventing and lessening the severity of the flu. I hope you don't force your uneducated views on your patients.

[Shotzie]

LPNtoRN, the mercola website is a joke among physicians and scientists. That guy is the equivilent of a right wing terrorist who spreads misinformation and leads patients to poor choices.
This kind of "truth" reminds me of the "healthcare" professionals who said laetril still had a place in cancer treatment even as patients were dying by the hundreds and losing their life savings paying for it.

Additional sentence deleted by TraumaRUs, reason: inflammatory.

[stsdoc]

BTW, do you ever eat tuna or ANY other salt water fish? You probably get more mercury in that than you do from the flu vaccine.

[Energizer Bunny]

I was told that you can actually ask the doctor if the vaccine (whatever it may be...whether a childhood one or the flu) has mercury in it and then choose whether or not to get it.

Last winter, if my son had not had the flu shot, I believe he would have been gravely ill. He had developed pneumonia and some other type of GI infection (can't remember the name). No one else in my house got very sick but I think with his weakened immune system from the sicknesses, he probably would have ended up with the flu.

I always get it, we all do, and always will.