Wanting to fact-check Flu vaccine claim

[nebula]

Story someone shared on Facebook. It looks like the originator is sharing a personal testimony.

Where would one look to fact-check this, or should I do as she did and ask a pharmacist for the packet insert?

~~~

Sandra Ganey

Yesterday at 2:41pm · Portland, OR · 

 

Me: "May I please have the package insert for the flu vaccine?"
Rite-Aid Pharmacist: "Why?"
Me: "So I can read it."
P: "Which one?"
Me: "The one advertised with the little banners on every aisle."
P: "I will print you the information sheet."
Me: "No, that's not the same thing."
P: "What do you want to know? I can tell you."
Me: "I would just like to read the whole thing before I consider getting one...side effects, contraindications, effectiveness, ingredients like mercury."
P: "I don't think I have any. Let me check. (checks) Sorry, I can't give you one until the box is empty, because it has to stay in the box. And there isn't any thimerisol in the single dose flu shot any more. I can print you the information sheet."
Pharmacy co-worker with big smile at me: "Hi, I found one." (hands insert to P, hands to me).
***
Here are some things in the insert not on the store's sheet:
1. The single dose vial contains mercury at 1mcg (This is called a "trace amount" by the industry.) (The multi-vial contains 25 mcg.)
2. People with egg allergies are contraindicated.
3. "Safety and effectiveness have not been established in pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under four. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. This vaccine should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. It is not known whether fluvarin is excreted in human milk."
4. "Fluvarin has not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility."
5. "Antibody response is low in the geriatric population."
6. "Serious reactions, including anaphylactic shock, have been observed."
7. "There are no data to assess the concomitant administration of flu vaccine with other vaccines."
8. "The vaccine has been associated with an increased frequency of Guillain-Barre syndrome."
9. "In some studies, fluvarin protected up to 50% of subjects."

Yes, I went back and showed the pharmacist the trace amount and he was genuinely puzzled, kept staring at it and scratching his head, thanked me for the information.

With love to those who read this far. Please share.

[coheir]

sounds no different than all the other man made medicine. should say BEWARE on the box or bottle

[missmuffet]

1 hour ago, nebula said:

Story someone shared on Facebook. It looks like the originator is sharing a personal testimony.

Where would one look to fact-check this, or should I do as she did and ask a pharmacist for the packet insert?

~~~

Sandra Ganey

Yesterday at 2:41pm · Portland, OR · 

 

Me: "May I please have the package insert for the flu vaccine?"
Rite-Aid Pharmacist: "Why?"
Me: "So I can read it."
P: "Which one?"
Me: "The one advertised with the little banners on every aisle."
P: "I will print you the information sheet."
Me: "No, that's not the same thing."
P: "What do you want to know? I can tell you."
Me: "I would just like to read the whole thing before I consider getting one...side effects, contraindications, effectiveness, ingredients like mercury."
P: "I don't think I have any. Let me check. (checks) Sorry, I can't give you one until the box is empty, because it has to stay in the box. And there isn't any thimerisol in the single dose flu shot any more. I can print you the information sheet."
Pharmacy co-worker with big smile at me: "Hi, I found one." (hands insert to P, hands to me).
***
Here are some things in the insert not on the store's sheet:
1. The single dose vial contains mercury at 1mcg (This is called a "trace amount" by the industry.) (The multi-vial contains 25 mcg.)
2. People with egg allergies are contraindicated.
3. "Safety and effectiveness have not been established in pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under four. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. This vaccine should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. It is not known whether fluvarin is excreted in human milk."
4. "Fluvarin has not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility."
5. "Antibody response is low in the geriatric population."
6. "Serious reactions, including anaphylactic shock, have been observed."
7. "There are no data to assess the concomitant administration of flu vaccine with other vaccines."
8. "The vaccine has been associated with an increased frequency of Guillain-Barre syndrome."
9. "In some studies, fluvarin protected up to 50% of subjects."

Yes, I went back and showed the pharmacist the trace amount and he was genuinely puzzled, kept staring at it and scratching his head, thanked me for the information.

With love to those who read this far. Please share.

Are you for or against flu vaccine nebula?

[Ezra]

2 hours ago, nebula said:

Where would one look to fact-check this, or should I do as she did and ask a pharmacist for the packet insert?

The packet insert may not necessarily give you the truth about the flu vaccine (or anything else).  You would be better served by maintaining your health (diet, exercise, sleep, and avoiding negativity) while avoiding flu vaccines and most other pharmaceuticals.

 

[other one]

you should read up on it for you will find that there are different mercury compounds used for different things in the world and they are not all harmful to humans or animals.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element found in the earth's crust, air, soil, and water.  Two types of mercury to which people may be exposed -- methylmercury and ethylmercury -- are very different.

Methylmercury is the type of mercury found in certain kinds of fish. At high exposure levels methylmercury can be toxic to people. In the United States, federal guidelines keep as much methylmercury as possible out of the environment and food, but over a lifetime, everyone is exposed to some methylmercury.

Thimerosal contains ethylmercury, which is cleared from the human body more quickly than methylmercury, and is therefore less likely to cause any harm

I've gotten a flue shot every year since I was in the military in 1968 and have had no problems with the mercury in the vaccines.

[other one]

When my doctor was in school, one of the projects they had to do was to go through all the steps to get a drug approved by the FDA.   In theory of course not all the actual testing.    Her and her group chose chocolate to put through the stages and when finished showed where Chocolate would be a schedule 1 drug banned from any use....   Has no medical use, is extremely addictive and has all kinds of side effects, even killing some people who are allergic to it.

[missmuffet]

Just now, other one said:

When my doctor was in school, one of the projects they had to do was to go through all the steps to get a drug approved by the FDA.   In theory of course not all the actual testing.    Her and her group chose chocolate to put through the stages and when finished showed where Chocolate would be a schedule 1 drug banned from any use....   Has no medical use, is extremely addictive and has all kinds of side effects, even killing some people who are allergic to it.

That is interesting. Yes, chocolate has side effects. I can not eat it. Although I love it.

[The_Patriot21]

the flu shot does contain trace amounts of mercury, and other stuff that in high doses will kill you-but like other said, its naturally occuring, and trace amounts wont hurt you. There are side effects, and can have negative side effects with certain people. However, by in large, it is not "dangerous" and does help stop the flu. Statistically, i cant think of anyone who has died from it (its possible someone has) but its highly unlikely-your probably far more likely to die from the flu itself, then the vaccinne. Posts like this are basically nothing but bad information spread through fear tactics.

[missmuffet]

11 minutes ago, Ezra said:

The packet insert may not necessarily give you the truth about the flu vaccine (or anything else).  You would be better served by maintaining your health (diet, exercise, sleep, and avoiding negativity) while avoiding flu vaccines and most other pharmaceuticals.

 

False statement. Millions died in the earlier years before the flu vaccine and many other vaccines. If a diabetic did not have their insulin they would die, If you had a serious infection and did not get an antibiotic you would die. I think you would change your tune at your death bed if someone came up to you and offered to give you a couple of doses of a pharmaceutical that would save your life.

[other one]

9 minutes ago, Ezra said:

The packet insert may not necessarily give you the truth about the flu vaccine (or anything else).  You would be better served by maintaining your health (diet, exercise, sleep, and avoiding negativity) while avoiding flu vaccines and most other pharmaceuticals.

 

if you are perfectly healthy that might be ok, but if you have any kind of respiratory problem or immune deficiency, that is not wise.  It is estimated that over 36,000 people die each year from complications that come about from having the flu.....  not the flu itself, but asthma attacks, flu that ends up with Pneumonia or people with COPD problems....    One never knows what bacteria or other serious virus will attack you when you are down with the flu.....

You are more likely to have a reaction to the egg proteins in it than harm from the mercury....   many many people are allergic to eggs and they can't take the vaccines at all.