Literal Sign of Crumbling Paradigm: "$100 Rite Aid Coupon Book for Flu Vaccine"
By David Burd
Last week, I visited a local RITE AID drugstore in my town of Alexandria, Virginia for some soap and eyeglass nose pads. At the front door was a big fancy sign proclaiming a $100 worth of RITE AID coupons would be given if a customer only took a flu shot, the shot itself for $24.99 (or free if covered by various plans).
As is my frequent interest I've just checked the latest on-line U.S. CDC weekly Fluview report that shows a very mild flu season so far, unlike last year’s H1N1 (Swine) cases that were in part an artifact brought by 20 times the usual number of flu tests.
Not incoincidentally, last year's caseload of seasonal flu began earlier than ever in September and coincided with the largest vaccine promotion ever (with enough Americans participating by taking the shots) of 150 million newly manufactured H1N1 flu shots.
Every year there’s been alarmist fears of a new(!), mutated(!), potentially deadly(!) flu virus, such as back in 2003 on the heels of the SARS farce, and in 2005 on the heels of a few folks in SE Asia allegedly dying of H5N1, flu shots have been hysterically promoted by U.S. officials, starting in September, as opposed to the usual December promotions. And, not incoincidentally, in tandem with earlier promotions have come earlier flu-related illnesses. It’s right there on CDC’s own records and beautiful graphs and charts.
How about this 2010-2011 flu year? Many stories have been written, even by the Wall Street Journal about the American public currently refusing to go along with ceaseless flu shot promotions. This is reflected by a recent TV news story about Rhode Island school kids with 80% of them refusing the offered shots.
By NBC 10 News
Published: December 29, 2010
The state Department of Health says only one-fifth of Rhode Island school children participated in school-based flu vaccine clinics this fall.
That's well below the 50 percent participation rate health officials were hoping for in an effort to lower infections in the state.
Children still had the option of getting the vaccine from their doctor.
Peter Hanney of the Rhode Island Department of Health talked with NBC 10's Patrice Wood.
Thus, I can now get $100 of drug store goods by merely taking this wonderful vaccine!! Wow!. No thanks, I’ll stick to my Vitamin B supplement and some winter sunshine. Not incoincidentally I never get the flu. If enough of my fellow Americans also refuse the shots I will predict we have a very mild flu year – all bets accepted.
David M. Burd is a Medical Technology Consultant.
Rachael - Is it true that the Fluvax used in Australia which was associated with the febrile convulsions had no adjuvant, e.g. ISCOMATRIX?
http://www.csl.com.au/docs/692/27/CSL_AR_2007.pdf
http://www.whale.to/vaccine/injecting.html
“Injecting one thing for testing and then adding adjuvant later”
“The CDC lady says the vaccine being used in the clinical trials does NOT contain any adjuvant.”
Hmmmmm! Sounds like a pretty reliable source. :>)
Posted by: patrons99 | January 23, 2011 at 05:00 PM
Investigators in Australia have not been able to find anything in the CSL vaccine that would explain why it would cause more fevers and convulsions in children. Two other flu vaccines for children were also used in Australia, Influvac, made by Solvay Biologicals, and Vaxigrip, made by Sanofi Pasteur, but too few doses of them had been administered to accurately determine if they are linked to similar rates of fever and convulsion.
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/C8D6BEB67768E80ACA257735002424BF/$File/dept%20010610.pdf
Posted by: Rachael | January 23, 2011 at 12:13 PM
RE: Febrile Convulsions in Children in Australia
"Peter Collignon, a professor in infectious diseases from the Australian National University, says the seasonal flu vaccine has three components – one of which is swine flu – and children may be reacting badly to receiving a second exposure to part of the flu virus.
"If you were infected with swine flu itself last year or had been given the swine flu vaccine last November or December or January, if you then get exposed again to a part of the virus,
you've already got antibodies and white cells that are turned on to try to fight the virus," he said.
"Therefore if you get exposed to it again you may have a brisk reaction, where you produce more antibodies and more white cells, which gives you a fever and an inflammatory reaction."
"So one of the possibilities is that the children who have problems is because they already had immunity to the virus and therefore are over reacting when exposed again to some of the virus."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/04/23/2881522.htm
Posted by: Rachael | January 23, 2011 at 10:31 AM
patrons99: I know this is only a theory of mine, but one of the near-universal characteristics of autism is introversion. Introverts tend to be highly-sensitive and gifted in math, science, music or art, just like many children who are autistic. Introversion does not mean you are shy, but it does mean that you have a lower baseline for arousal. Therefore, it takes less to stimulate an introverted person. Perhaps, vaccine induced stimulation of the immune system, in an introverted child is what causes some of them to develop autism. Since, vaccines are designed to cause an immune-response, repeat vaccinations may play a role.
Seventy-five percent of the world's population is extroverted, this may be one of the reasons that vaccines don't induce autism in all children. I know this would be difficult to prove and I have no idea how you would decide who would/or would not suffer consequences from repeat vaccinations, but I often think that introversion may be the common link between illnesses like autism, CFS, autoimmune diseases etc. BTW, I have CFS and I am a "portrait artist".
Posted by: Rachael | January 22, 2011 at 06:51 PM
Rachael - re: the predisposition and the vaccine trigger.
I guess I'd be concerned that we don't confuse variations of normal, with "high-risk genetic profiles". Genetic profiling of this type has never been validated, at least, not that I'm aware of. Introversion versus extroversion strikes me as being variations of normal, as opposed to being disease states or high risk genetic profiles. So, please help me understand. Once we are profiled as being a non-introvert, it's then "deemed" safe to vaccinate. I'm not sure where you are going with this argument.
Pharma has already tried to market home in vitro diagnostic genetic testing. I'm sure that one day soon our pharma surrogate, aka FDA, will "approve" such a device. It's just the latest and more bizarre applications of DTCA in this country, with an enormous potential for misapplication.
btw - DTCA by pharma should be banned worldwide. There is no balance whatsoever in the presentation of risk to the public.
Posted by: patrons99 | January 22, 2011 at 06:03 PM
Hi patrons99: What do you think of the possibility, that the common link may be introversion, something that is hardwired from birth? Research shows that introverts have higher levels of certain types of brain arousal and are more sensitive to some kinds of stimuli. They actually do have more brain activity in their frontal lobes than extroverts. Maybe, that may be the correlation between diseases like CFS, Gulf War Syndrome, Autism, autoimmune diseases and ADHD; the predisposition and the vaccine trigger.
Posted by: Rachael | January 22, 2011 at 04:57 PM
Why not carefully design a series of neuroactivation studies of the brain using the experimental subject as their own control, in serial pre- and post-vaccination PET, SPET, or fMRI studies? I recall that Dr. Eileen Nicole Simon has proposed studies of this type. IMHO, this is where our research should be focused. Such studies might identify biomarkers and serve as pilot studies for the clinical study that we desperately need, the fully vaxed versus unvaxed comparison. Once the time frames for aberrant organ function, perfusion, and viability have been identified, histopathologic correlation could be obtained.
http://escher.elis.ugent.be/publ/Edocs/FULL/P102_159.pdf
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8753675
http://www.conradsimon.org/files/IACC4feb2009strategy.pdf
Posted by: patrons99 | January 22, 2011 at 04:44 PM
Rachael - “We have to account for the relationship between environmental factors as well as genetics. This is not an either/ or and the common link may very well be vaccine induced injury.”
Personally, I remain quite skeptical that genetics is playing a major role. Moreover, I’m concerned that a primary focus on hunting for a genetic cause will be a “wild goose chase” and a waste of both time and money. Further, the hunt for a genetic cause plays right into pharma’s hands, and provides yet another bogus excuse to develop ever more chemical and biologic intoxicants to pollute our bodies with. Genes for disease are a mirage.
“The Great DNA Data Deficit: Are Genes for Disease a Mirage?” by J. Latham and A. Wilson on December 8, 2010.
http://www.bioscienceresource.org/commentaries/article.php?id=46
Posted by: patrons99 | January 22, 2011 at 03:49 PM
David, this is the type of news articles, we here in Canada have been constantly bombarded with this flu season.
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20110104/flu-season-canada-110104/
http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/1371211
http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/doctor+urges+Canadians+shots/4109589/story.html
Posted by: Rachael | January 22, 2011 at 12:52 PM
Hi patrons99: Thanks for the link; very interesting. As someone who suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome an illness that has been almost completely ignored by those is the medical field, I definitely see the correlation between vaccines, seizures, brain injuries and illness. How can our MSM medical professionals acknowledge that vaccines can cause febrile seizures, yet continue to deny that vaccines can affect the brain? I believe there is a overlap between the autism susceptibility genes and those believed to be involved in illnesses like Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Gulf War Syndrome, ADHD, allergies and autoimmune illnesses. We have to account for the relationship between environmental factors as well as genetics. This is not an either/ or and the common link may very well be vaccine induced injury.
Auto-Immunity, Vaccines and Autism
http://www.healing-arts.org/children/vaccines/vaccines-auto-immunity.htm
Posted by: Rachael | January 22, 2011 at 11:36 AM
David, I read your very informative article many months ago, bookmarked it and refer people to it often, in my posts up here in Canada. I hoped Canadians would see that what they had been doing was working, but unfortunately they are really campaigning hard right now, in their pursuit of flu shot compliance.
There has been an almost 20% drop in Canadians getting the flu shot since last years H1N1 fiasco. At that time, almost 40% of Canadians complied and took the shot. The thing is other than a small surge of flu cases in a area of Toronto, flu has been relatively mild this year in Canada. So, other than money, I just don't understand why they are pushing so hard to vaccinate.
Keep up the good work David, I read everything I come across written by you. Maybe, you can find a way to tell Canadians that they were already doing the right thing. CBC.ca is our main news source. They have a blog going today about febrile seizures in young children in regards to the flu shot. I'm surprised it was even printed to tell you the truth. http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2011/01/21/flu-shot-fever-seizures-fluzone.html
Posted by: Rachael | January 22, 2011 at 09:33 AM
Rachael -
Reports of vaccine-related arrhythmias and siezures may be very important epidemiologic "signals". Could the basic underlying pathophysiology be the same? If so, would we not ALL be vulnerable, perhaps in varying degrees, depending on our individual pre-existing, baseline state of health?
“Vaccines Are One Big Experiment Causing Hundreds of Diseases in the Modern World” by Andrew Moulden, MD, PhD
http://preventdisease.com/news/09/092109_vaccines_responsible_for_all_diseases.shtml
“No oxygen to electrically active cells causes depolarization. In the heart, ischemia causes arrhythmia - a seizure to the heart. In the brain, ischemia causes seizures - arrhythmia to the brain. Seizures are a symptom of impaired blood flow and oxygenation just like vaccine induced autism-spectrum is a symptom of the same process.
You can have autism without seizures. You can have seizures without autism. You can have brain damages with or without autism or seizures. This is all ischemia - immediate and delayed, from instability of blood flow dynamics.“
Posted by: patrons99 | January 22, 2011 at 08:52 AM
Rachael, You should review my AoA June 9 2010 Post documenting child flu deaths in the U.S. compared to Canada.
http://www.ageofautism.com/2010/06/canada-knocks-out-flu-us-public-kept-in-the-dark.html
I personally conclude that flu vaccinations to kids already cause directly or indirectly many U.S. child "flu-associated" deaths. I make the case that the terribly toxic antiviral drug Ribavirin frequently given kids in hospitals (for influenza-like illness) is also a factor. But, it all comes back to giving infants and kids flu shots in the first place, literally causing them to become sick.
Posted by: david burd | January 22, 2011 at 08:19 AM
It's unbelievable Jan, but as we know any adverse effect a child experiences after a vaccine will be deemed a "coincidence". If they keep insisting, that flu vaccines are safe and effective for all small children and that one size fits all, it won't be long before a child in the US dies from the flu shot, just like Australia.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/flu-shot-not-ruled-out-in-child-death/story-e6frg6nf-1225917693482
Posted by: Rachael | January 21, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Oh my God, Rachael,"it might be coincidental." those guys will say/think anything to avoid the possibility that their beloved vaccine is doing harm! I hope they get on this quick because a child's death to this (or disability) will be on their hands!
Posted by: Jen | January 21, 2011 at 10:58 AM
CDC Update: Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting system (VAERS) Data on Febrile Seizures after Vaccination with Fluzone a 2010-2011 Trivalent Inactivated Vaccine in Children
Data through December 13, 2010
http://vaers.hhs.gov/resources/VAERSupdate_FebrileSeizures_Children.pdf
Posted by: Rachael | January 21, 2011 at 10:57 AM
I hope that flu shot comes with a warning for small children, now that "the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday said there have been 36 confirmed reports of seizures this flu season in children ages 6 months through 2 years. The seizures occurred within one day after they were vaccinated with Fluzone, the only flu shot recommended in the United States for infants and very young children. Ten of the children were hospitalized, but all recovered." What happened in Australia is now happening in the US.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jzkXpBdbenGmMS5igjGcWnTkjA4A?docId=889855438f674034afa1951f29003823
http://children.webmd.com/news/20110120/flu-vaccine-infant-febrile-seizures-reported
Posted by: Rachael | January 21, 2011 at 09:21 AM
Same story...different place :( I went with a friend to a food bank in Providence, RI back in September and there inside this tiny building, low and behold-A FLU SHOT CLINIC. Behind a bunch of boxes of free food, under a makeshift tent-A FLU SHOT CLINIC. It disgusted me. I was offered a free box of food and a flu shot. I said no to both and got the look of such disbelief. I told the woman in charge that I didn't qualify for free food and that I don't get a flu shot. She handed me a box of food and said there was a huge surplus. And as I went to leave, she said, "Are you sure you don't want that flu shot!" There were people lined up to get their shot, though. Maybe they thought they had to get jabbed to get the free food.
Posted by: Sherry | January 21, 2011 at 09:05 AM
The best thing to do to those signs is take a sharpie and change the 'o' to an 'i'. Bonus points if you scrawl 'contains mercury' on there.
Posted by: Steve | January 21, 2011 at 12:45 AM
patrons99, You hit the nail on its head about profitability and control of the public.
Indeed, it's huge power to control the masses by our hopelessly corrupted National Health entities such as CDC and HIH, and their undeserved sacrosanct budget increases. Which of course pays their non-deserved salaries.
They pay themselves to promote hysteria, and then increase their budgets and salaries (ala Anthony Fauci of NIAID) to pay for their ever-fantastic fiction on how to solve the insolvable if such as vaccines are decreed just fine.
Posted by: david burd | January 20, 2011 at 06:57 PM
Walgreens (Rite Aid) has the flu shot propaganda on their coupon books, signs out front, in media print, & all over the walls... I cringe when I see it. It especially makes my blood boil when they say RIDICULOUS stuff about being "responsible" (or something to that effect) because they got their flu shot... I LIKE being "irresponsible" if it means not putting that junk into my family's bodies.
Posted by: Erica W | January 20, 2011 at 05:37 PM
Rite Aid isn't the only entity pushing flu vaccines. My husband was recently admitted for a cardiac cath. They asked if he had a flu shot and if he would like a flu shot. He said no to both questions and I explained to the nurse that I did not think it was good medical practice to vaccinate any patient who was under stress or battling illness. She agreed. Protocol.
Posted by: Deb O. | January 20, 2011 at 05:03 PM
Actually, you can get the $100 RITE AID coupon book without getting the vaccine. It says, "No purchase necessary."
So I asked for the coupon book, but I gave it back to them because it didn't have coupons for any products I normally buy.
Posted by: Kristina | January 20, 2011 at 01:53 PM
One of the greatest public health risks today is that flu jabs will be mandated to increase vaccine uptake and corporate vaccine profitability. It came pretty close to that last year during the H1N1 pandemic flu fraud and hysteria of 2009.
Very reminiscent of the rock anthem, "Won't Get Fooled Again".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUbGLVvfB7Y
Posted by: patrons99 | January 20, 2011 at 10:56 AM
I'm waiting til they start paying people to get the vaccine. Then we'll finally get to see Offit take his 10,000 at once.
Posted by: Donna L. | January 20, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Same RiteAid promotion spotted in a nearby DC suburb, though I suspect there are strings attached.
You know, it has always struck me how drug stores have built a perverse synergy into their product lines -- the very store that offers the flu shot also wants to sell you Nyquil and Tylenol in case you get the flu after all. Toothpaste and candy. Candy and glucose test strips.
Kind of like having the pregnancy test kits on the same aisle as the condoms.
Posted by: Rob | January 20, 2011 at 09:59 AM
This makes me feel more and more sick to my stomach all the time!!! What is the world coming to when you can get your vaccines at your local grocery store?!?! WTF?! Who in their right mind, pro-vaccine or not, would get their shots from anywhere but their OWN DOCTOR?!?! If you get them at all that is. It's mind boggling to me!! The stupidity of these people, it just deeply saddens me! Reminds me of this verse from a Megadeth song. "Just like pied piper led rats through the streets, we dance like marionettes swaying to the Symphony of Destruction."
Posted by: Theodora Trudorn | January 20, 2011 at 09:40 AM
I also am a fan of on-line shopping, and avoid drug stores whenever possible. One of the last times I was in Target, I was shopping for electronics. All 3 dozen or so of their televisions were playing their Flu Shot ad! Talk about CREEEEEPY being completely surrounded by red and white shouts of "get your flu shot HERE - NOW!" Uh, no thank you. I am getting the hell OUT of HERE right now!
Posted by: Sylvia | January 20, 2011 at 09:06 AM
In North Carolina they have started this wonderful new offer to all children, 6 months to college age. They can get flu shots for FREE at certain locations all over the state! Guess the pharmacies know how much it is going to cost them to dispose of the toxic crap, so, hey, lets inject it into kids since the landfill won't take it!
Criminal.
Tanners Dad, where are you shopping? Practically every I go they are hawking flu shots.
Posted by: Allison | January 20, 2011 at 08:57 AM
I avoid the big chain drug stores for this very reason (incessant flu shot promotion).
We order our stuff online whenever possible. I refuse to go in these places unless there is no other option (and that's pretty rare if we plan ahead).
Ick.
Posted by: Parent | January 20, 2011 at 08:44 AM
Last year our school had a 14 percent vaccination rate. As far as I know there are no plans to give the flu vaccine in the schools this year.
Maurine
Posted by: Maurine meleck | January 20, 2011 at 08:21 AM
@KS_Pharmacist - they're down to $5 here in florida! I read the cochrane review and thought the same thing.
Posted by: Kevin | January 20, 2011 at 07:36 AM
the yard signs on every corner drug store just make my blood boil.I just want to jump out of the car and crunch them up. I wonder how many others get the same feeling? It would be an interesting study. I know I am refusing to shop where they give flu shots.
Posted by: TannersDad Tim Welsh | January 20, 2011 at 06:16 AM
The Dillon's grocery stores in Kansas (part of the Kroger family) have their signage for flu shots all over the store. The price has gone from initially $25 to $19.99 and now to $15 and they still can't unload them. When I see those signs with all of the previous prices marked out and decreased, I can't help but smile. I also wonder if Kroger could be subjected to a lawsuit for false advertising because the advertising signage states that the current flu shot "Protects agains H1N1 and 2 other flu strains" which may lead the public to believe that by getting the flu shot you will definitely be protected from getting the flu. The Cochrane Review, in my opinion, showed conclusively that flu shots are worthless.
Posted by: KS_Pharmacist | January 20, 2011 at 06:12 AM