Swine Flu Alert IV
Health Care Workers Will Not be Forced
to Take the Swine Flu Vaccine
According to an on-line report Health Care Workers who filed suit against the New York Department of Health will not be forced (even against their will) to be vaccinated with the swine flu vaccine.
I have many health care workers as patients in my practices, and I know that administrators in many health care facilities across the country have been watching this story closely to see if they would have a green light to "force" their employees to receive the swine flu vaccine, even against their wishes.
The reason for this turnaround in the state's policy is interesting at best. You see according to New York State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines the decision to rescind the Department's former position was not due to the "controversy over the vaccine", but instead was being blamed on the "shortage of the vaccine".
According to an article in the October 25, 2009 edition of the Wall Street Journal, "Less than half of the swine flu vaccine expected to be shipped to doctors, hospitals and clinics in the U.S. this month has been shipped." The delays are due to "manufacturing difficulties". These "difficulties" revolve around the "old technology that requires growing virus in chicken eggs." This process takes about six to nine months to produce vaccine once a flu strain has been identified." This front page article noted that; "By Friday" (10/23/09) "16.1 million doses of vaccine for what is also called H1N1 flu had been shipped to warehouses." This is significantly lower than previous government estimates that by the end of October there would be between 28 and 30 million doses available. The U.S. is purchasing the vaccine from five different drug manufacturers. One of these 5, Glaxo-SmithKline PLC has not even received FDA approval for its vaccine. Glaxo has been "contracted to produce 7.6 million doses of the vaccine." Norvartis, another contracted drug manufacturer which was to supply 90 million doses of the vaccine, has only produced "one-fifth of what was expected..." The problem here is that "the U.S. government wanted more single-dose syringes because they contain only very small amounts of thimerasol, a mercury-containing substance that causes concern among some people." I would think that injecting MERCURY into anyone's body would cause significant alarm. The "multi-dose vials" (those that most individuals receiving this vaccine will get) "contain more thimerasol" than the single dose. I guess that less "Heavy Metal Poison" is better than the "full dose."
So for those of you who thought that there was no MERCURY in this "safe and effective" vaccine, think again!!!
While the reason for this decision may have been convenient for New York health officials, the end result did preserve the individuals' right to chose what is best for themselves and their overall "Health and Wellness."
I am trying to give you the "Full Story" on this whole swine flu controversy, so that you are better armed to be able to make an informed decision regarding this condition, and the vaccine. The one concern that I have is that as the CDC states "while it (the swine flu) makes most people only mildly ill...", and since they also state that "the H1N1 flu has already infected millions of people in the U.S." there will be hundreds of thousands if not millions of U.S. citizens rolling up their sleeves to receive a vaccine which regardless of its efficacy, may not be necessary since the condition has already run its course and natural immunity has already been gained.
To paraphrase something my Renal Physiology professor used to say: "Think about it Doctors (Patients)". So think about the realities of our current "Swine Flu situation, and weigh carefully your options and health risks.
I know that this information will assist you in making the right decision.
Yours in health,
Dr. Pfeiffer