THE NARROW SCOPE OF FLU VACCINE USEFULNESS

By Byron J. Richards, CCN
September 9, 2009
NewsWithViews.com

Let’s assume for the moment that a textbook H1N1 swine flu vaccine is actually produced. Let’s put aside our concerns about its potential toxicity, adverse side effects, or the difficulty in getting a vaccine that actually looks like the current flu problem. And let’s focus on a more fundamental question: Would such a vaccine work for you?

Our public health officials seem to think that a vaccine is the answer to the swine flu or any other potential flu that could come along. The public version of vaccine theory is quite simple; a vaccine gives your immune system a heads up on what is likely to come around so that you are better able to mount an immune response if the real villain actually shows up. Such a rudimentary presentation of immunity to the general public is more fairy tale than fact.

A vaccine is essentially a tool for improved recognition of a specific virus. It is like having a surveillance system on your home that has been tweaked to profile the specific look of a known criminal. Sure, that’s nice. But is it needed? After all, humans already have the highest-powered surveillance system, one that has been dealing with viral infections since time immemorial, which is one reason why we as a race have managed to survive. Once again, for the sake of a focused discussion, let’s assume that the vaccine is important in its surveillance role and has value as an upgrade to your surveillance system.

OK, there you are in your home and your security alarm sounds. Your surveillance system has detected a criminal invader, in this case with the help of a vaccine. Now what are you going to do?

Maybe the invader is a smart one, the kind that knows how to cut your phone lines and jam your cell phone so you can’t dial 911 (a nasty pandemic type that confuses your dendritic cells). Maybe you’re starting to think you should have taken those self defense classes. Is there a gun in the house? Do you even have ammunition? Do you know how to use it? Are you going to be involved in hand-to-hand combat? Or would your immune system rather sit around and talk about the glory days while you hide under the bed?

My point is rather simple, just because your immune system happens to see something is no guarantee that it has the ability to do something about the problem.

Vaccine Failure is Common

Let’s connect this analogy to the real world of our often-vaccinated elderly population, the group that always suffers the most flu-related deaths in any one year. In this group we can make two broad divisions: the healthy elderly and those in a state of clear decline.

Those in a state of clear decline are at the mercy of their invader. They are often protein malnourished, antioxidant depleted, and in a state of locked-in inflammatory decline. This means their battlefield is already littered with trash, their supply lines have run dry, their guns are rusted and jammed, their ammunition is lacking, and food for the few troops that remain is in short supply. Seeing an invader “betterâ€