Swine Flu: Looking More Closely At Celvapan Vaccine.

(Vero cells)

The H1N1, swine flu vaccine, which will be offered to most people in the UK is pandemrix from GlaxoSmithKline. The viral antigen for this vaccine is grown in eggs and for those people who have an allergy to eggs or chicken protein, the alternative is the celvapan vaccine from Baxter International. Baxter has been involved in a few scandals over recent years. In 1996 haemophilia components were contaminated with HIV virus and injected into tens of thousands of people, including thousands of children. Even when the contamination became known, Baxter continued to release the contaminated clotting substance. As of March 2008, Baxter's heparin had been linked to hundreds of serious and sometimes life-threatening reactions, including at least 4 deaths.

In February 2009, Baxter released contaminated flu virus material from a plant in Orth-Donau, Austria.

The contaminated product, a mix of human H3N2 seasonal flu viruses and unlabelled avian H5N1 viruses, was supplied to an Austrian research company. The Austrian firm, Avir Green Hills Biotechnology, then sent portions of it to sub-contractors in the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Germany.

The contamination incident, which is being investigated by four European countries, came to light when the subcontractor in the Czech Republic inoculated ferrets with the material and they died. Ferrets shouldn’t die from exposure to human H3N2 flu viruses.The H5N1 component of the product was found to be live. The accidental release of a mix of live H5N1 and H3N2 viruses could have had dire consequences.

Celvapan H1N1 is the first cell-cultured and non-adjuvanted vaccine to be authorised by the European Commission, to be marketed within the European Union.

So, having a wee shuftie at the patients' information leaflet, produced by Baxter:

"What Celvapan contains
Active substance:
Whole virion influenza vaccine, inactivated, containing antigen of pandemic strain*:
A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) 7.5 micrograms** per 0.5 ml dose
* propagated in Vero cells (continuous cell line of mammalian origin)"

Vero cells are lineages of cells used in cell cultures. The lineage was developed in 1962 by two scientists at a university in Japan. The Vero lineage is continuous, which means it can be replicated through many cycles of division without becoming senescent (liable to the process of aging that normal cells go through). For this reason they are referred to as, "immortalised."

What is coming through that needle?

The problem of pathogenic vaccine contamination.

by Benjamin McRearden

www.tetrahedron.org

excerpt— There is another very important issue reported in studies that is evidently being largely ignored as regards long-term vaccine effects and safety. There is obvious evidence that in the lab, continuous immortal cell lines react differently between one type of animal species and another (21, 23). As an example, tissue from one species will allow the immortal cell to induce a cancerous change more quickly, in comparison to tissue from a different species. These results then beg the following questions. How extensively have these continuous cell lines been tested on human tissues, and would the results vary from one type of tissue to another? And what happens over the long term if an immortal cell from a vaccine culture makes its way into the final vaccine product, does it keep dividing in the human body? Another scenario might suggest the tumor-promoting portion of its DNA inserting into a viral genome, which then gets injected into the body what happens at that point?.......

................As one researcher states, Using neoplastic cell lines as substrates for vaccine development could inadvertently result in viral-viral or viral-cellular interactions whose biological consequences are unclear viral-viral and viral-cellular interactions can result in the generation of new retroviruses with pathological consequences (30). We note the term "neoplastic" means the quality of having an abnormal growth characteristic.

There is an even stronger statement dating back to 1990. A scientist in the field writes, "The present concern is for safety of vaccines made using transformed or neoplastic mammalian cells that may contain endogenous contaminating viruses or integrated gene sequences from oncogenic viruses.

Vero cells are susceptible to a broad range of viruses and are widely used to develop vaccines against associated diseases. The array of viruses that Vero cells are susceptible to is broad and includes polioviruses, simian virus 5 (SV5), simian virus 40 (SV40), rubeola, rubellavirus, reoviruses, simian adenoviruses, Getah, Ndumu, Pixuna, Ross River, Semliki Forest, Paramaribo, Kokobera, Modoc, Murutucu, Germiston, Guaroa, Pongola, and Tacaribe

Picking out SV40, simian virus 40, for special attention. This virus contaminated both the Inactivated Polio Vaccine, created by Dr Jonas Salk, and the Oral, or "Live," polio vaccine, created by Dr Albert Sabin. Although a Federal law was passed in the USA in 1961, requiring that no vaccine contained this virus, it did not require that seed material be discarded and it has been alleged that oral polio vaccine containing the virus was administered up to the 1990s.

SV40 is a persistent infection in Vero cells.

A letter from the FDA in 2001 to vaccine manufacturers said that use of immortalised cell lines was a cause for concern and that all product should be free of intact Vero cells. Yet, it seems that there are very basic safety questions not resolved by the manufacturers.

Cell replication/division: how SV40 can disrupt this process and cause cancer.

Cells of all multicellular organisms replicate during creation and maturation and for growth and repair of tissues. When cells are injured or damaged in this process, tumour-suppressor genes promote cell cycle arrest to stop these damaged cells proliferating out of control and forming tumours. P53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) are tumour-suppressor genes, which are inactivated by SV40, allowing damaged cells to proliferate.

SV40 is a type of polyoma virus: poly means many; oma means tumour. This designates its ability to form many types of tumour.

The celvapan patient infromation leaflet instructs that you should not receive celvapan if you have had a sudden, life-threatening allergic reaction to any of the ingredients or any substance of which there may be traces in the vaccine. One of those substances is formaldehyde, which is used to split and inactivate the influenza virus. Formaldehyde was also used in the injected form of polio vaccine used between 1955 and 1961, but this vaccine was contaminated with SV40.

SV40 - Polio vaccine contamination

Soon after its discovery, SV40 was identified in the injected form of the polio vaccine produced between 1955 and 1961. This is believed to be due to kidney cells from infected monkeys being used to amplify the vaccine virus during production. Both the Sabin vaccine (oral, live virus) and the Salk vaccine (injectable, killed virus) were affected; the technique used to inactivate the polio virus in the Salk vaccine, by means of formaldehyde, did not reliably kill SV40. (SV40 Foundation)

Finally, testing of the vaccine.

Normal clinical trials, as outlined by the NHS. There are 4 phases to ensure that a vaccine is safe and effective.

1) Safety: on a small number of healthy adult volunteers (10-12) to test safety of doses and to monitor for side-effects.
2) Safety and immune response: several hundred people in the age groups for whom the vaccine is intended. Often carried out in several different countries.
3) Safety, immune response and efficacy: first step towards its use in public health. Several thousand people tested in relevant age groups. If the vaccine passes all safety and efficacy requirements, the manufacturer can then apply for a licence to produce and distribute the vaccine.
4) Post-licencing evaluation. Ongoing surveillance to monitor for rare side-effects.

Testing of celvapan H1N1 vaccine:

Earlier this year, Baxter conducted tests with a "mock-up," vaccine, using a different strain. (Not H1N1) on several thousand people.

For celvapan H1N1, post-licencing, Baxter conducted randomized trials in 400 healthy adults, aged 18 and over and in 400 children and adolescents. Baxter said that once countries initiated vaccination programmes using celvapan, they would initiate a large-scale observational study of 9,000 people in different age groups.

So, instead of testing for safety and efficacy before the vaccine was distributed and administered, Baxter will carry out the most important phase of testing after countries have initiated vaccination programmes.

The guinea pigs for this vaccine will not be the usual volunteers who sign up for testing before use on the public. The guinea pigs will be those people queuing up to receive this vaccine, assuming that if the government has given its approval, it must be safe. And remember, because this is a vaccine introduced as a contingency in a pandemic situation, the vaccine manufacturers have immunity from liability.

References:

Toronto Sun-Baxter product contained live bird flu virus

Baxter-celvapan patient information leaflet

About.com-Vero cells

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vero_cell

Informed Choice-SV40 in polio vaccines

PubMed-contamination of Vero cells with SV40

Karl Loren-cell replication/division

http://www.sv40foundation.org/How-causes.html

Encyclopedia II-SV40 polio vaccine contamination

NHS-Immunisation Safety/Clinical trials

Baxter's press release October 7th 2009

Swine Flu: Looking More Closely At Pandemrix.- Squalene as an adjuvant

Thinking that the best kind of decision is an informed one, especially when one's health is involved, I like to know what I'm being asked to take into my body, whether that's by way of my digestive system, my nasal membranes or any other route of administration. So, on the matter of these swine flu vaccines, which are being distributed for use in the UK, at a time when it is being reported that swine flu peaked in the middle of October and that, as CBS reports, many cases have been misdiagnosed as swine flu, I want to know what's in them.

For me, not having a background in genetics or biochemistry, the patient information leaflets produced by the manufacturers are written in gobbledy-gook. All I see is lists of things I've either never heard of or have no idea of their function in the vaccine itself or in its production. But, thanks to the wonders of the internet, I can find out. I do wonder, though, if all recipients of the vaccines are given these information leaflets and at what point: some time before, a few days maybe, so that they can read at their leisure; while they are sitting in the queue for the needle; when they are rolling their sleeves back down? The timing would, of course, affect the opportunity to make an informed decision.

So, what's in the vaccines that are being rolled out in the UK? The vaccination programme began last week, with the vaccine being offered initially to those patients considered to be more vulnerable to complications from swine flu itself. The vaccine which will be available to most people is pandemrix from GlaxoSmithKline .

"At the front of the queue are those aged six months to 65 years who have underlying health problems such as asthma. Sky News 21/10/09

Pandemrix from GlaxoSmithKline:

Pandemrix consists of two containers:
Suspension: multidose vial containing the antigen,
Emulsion: multidose vial containing the adjuvant.
Prior to administration, the two components should be mixed.

Active substance:

Split influenza virus, inactivated, containing antigen* equivalent to:
A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like strain (X-179A)
3.75 micrograms** per 0.5 ml dose
* propagated in eggs
** expressed in microgram haemagglutinin

This vaccine complies with the WHO recommendation and EU decision
for the pandemic.

• Adjuvant:
The vaccine contains an ‘adjuvant’ AS03 to stimulate a better response.
This adjuvant contains squalene (10.69 milligrams), DL-α-tocopherol
(11.86 milligrams) and polysorbate 80 (4.86 milligrams).

Other ingredients:
The other ingredients are: polysorbate 80, octoxynol 10,
thiomersal, sodium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate,
potassium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium chloride,
magnesium chloride, water for injections.

Take special care with Pandemrix:
• if you have had any allergic reaction other than a sudden lifethreatening
allergic reaction to any ingredient contained in the
vaccine, to thiomersal, to egg and chicken protein, ovalbumin,formaldehyde, gentamicin sulphate (antibiotic) or to sodium
deoxycholate. (see section 6. Further information).

I have highlighted formaldehyde as it is not listed under "Active substances," or, "Other ingredients." Under, Active substances, we have, "Split influenza virus, inactivated, containing antigen." Formaldehyde is the chemical used to split the virus and inactivate it. It is listed under the special care precautions because small traces may remain in the vaccine.

It is well known that formaldehyde is a toxin and much has been written about exposure to high levels of formaldehyde. I have found a great many blogs that insist on the dangers of formaldehyde in vaccines, but I have also found a great many scientific reports which state that the amount of formaldehyde remaining in vaccines is significantly less than in the air we breathe every day, mostly in vehicle exhaust. (Formaldehyde is an intermediate stage in the oxidation or combustion of methane.) However, it may be that formaldehyde entering the body via the abnormal route of injection into deep muscle produces an abnormal immune response.

Thiomersal, (known in the United Sates as thimerosal) under Other ingredients, contains mercury. Opinions differ on the safety of mercury in vaccines.

"Vaccines with mercury have been considered to contribute to autism, learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other neurological conditions, and an FDA review conducted in 1998 determined that, at the time, children who received the full complement of childhood vaccines were potentially exposed to levels of mercury that were sometimes 30 to 50 times the acceptable levels established by the EPA." (Read the full article here)

From the CDC (Centers For Disease Control And Prevention)

"Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930s. There is no convincing scientific evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site. However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure."

The adjuvant contains squalene, which is added to stimulate the immune system. When an antigen is introduced into the body via the abnormal route of injection into deep muscle, an abnormal immune response is produced. So, an adjuvant, like squalene is added to produce an intense immune response.

"What squalene does to rats." (Read the entire article here)

"Oil-based vaccination adjuvants like squalene have been proved to generate concentrated, unremitting immune responses over long periods of time.

A 2000 study published in the American Journal of Pathology demonstrated a single injection of the adjuvant squalene into rats triggered “chronic, immune-mediated joint-specific inflammation,” also known as rheumatoid arthritis."

"What squalene does to humans." (Mercola.com - as above)

"Your immune system recognizes squalene as an oil molecule native to your body. It is found throughout your nervous system and brain. In fact, you can consume squalene in olive oil and not only will your immune system recognize it, you will also reap the benefits of its antioxidant properties."

"The difference between “good” and “bad” squalene is the route by which it enters your body. Injection is an abnormal route of entry which incites your immune system to attack all the squalene in your body, not just the vaccine adjuvant."

"Your immune system will attempt to destroy the molecule wherever it finds it, including in places where it occurs naturally, and where it is vital to the health of your nervous system."

"Gulf War veterans with Gulf War Syndrome (GWS) received anthrax vaccines which contained squalene.......and has since been linked to the devastating autoimmune diseases suffered by countless Gulf War vets."

"Pandemrix has been authorised under “Exceptional Circumstances”.

In other words, it hasn't gone through the usual rigorous testing protocols.

"The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) will regularly review any new information on the medicine and this package leaflet will be updated as necessary."

We'll monitor it as we go along!

When making a decision about whether or not to receive the H1N1, swine flu vaccine, perhaps it should be borne in mind that the vaccine manufacturers have immunity from liability for adverse reactions. This is an extract from a response to a question, under the Freedom of Information Act to the Scottish Chief Medical Officer and Public Health Directorate.

"The UK Government, on behalf of the four administrations, signed advance
purchase agreements in June 2007 and accepted liability for the safety
of any vaccines that would be produced as a contingency. All
governments signing up to an advance purchase agreement were expected to
provide an indemnity for the vaccine and neither manufacturer would sign
the contracts without it. The Government's decision was based on the
best procurement and legal advice. Accepting liability in this way is
in line with Government accounting rules and was cleared by the Public
Accounts Committee at the time."

The A (H1N1) vaccines that will be used in Scotland and the UK will be
subject to the licensing and regulation requirements for any new
vaccines. We will only use influenza A (H1N1) vaccines if we have
confidence in their safety."

Syed Kerbalai

Read the entire correspondence here.

We should also bear in mind, that although the above correspondence tells us that the government is accepting liability, that liability is limited to cases where the vaccine is administered in the full knowledge that it may harm. When a vaccine is introduced as a contingency, it has not gone through the normal testing protocol. Therefore, any adverse reaction to something which has not been tested for cannot be a known factor and therefore there is no liability because no intention to harm can be proved.

The above information relating to the ingredients and production of pandemrix is taken from the 2 page patients information leaflet, produced by GlaxoSmithKline. This is the 38 page information leaflet produced by the European Medicines Agency. Note the many instances of, "No data are available," and that the information on testing actually relates mostly to previous vaccines and not to the present H1N1 pandemrix.

Whatever your views about vaccines in general, do you really want to take a vaccine that has not been rigorously tested, against an infection that is said to be on the way out, for which swab testing was suspended in the UK in August this year, because the number of people diagnosed with swine flu was decreasing? Consider the evidence and make an informed decision about this. I will not be accepting the vaccine, but if you do, make sure you know what you are getting. There will be no one to accept liability if your health suffers as a consequence.

Obama Declares Swine Flu A National Emergency

Reuters 24/10/09

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama has declared 2009 H1N1 swine flu a national emergency, the White House said on Saturday. The declaration will make it easier for U.S. medical facilities to handle a surge in flu patients by allowing the waiver of some requirements of Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health insurance programs as needed, the White House said in a statement."

Yet, just a few days ago, (21/10/09) this is what was reported on CBS News:

"H1N1 Misdiagnoses Could Have Consequences."

On "Washington Unplugged" Wednesday, moderator Sharyl Attkisson spoke to Wall Street Journal reporter Alicia Mundy and Politico's Fred Barbash about a CBS News investigation finding that many people who were diagnosed “probable” or “presumed” to have 2009 H1N1 or "swine" flu actually did not have flu at all.

The three-month investigation found, based on state-by-state test results, that only a small fraction of cases that doctors flagged as most likely to be swine flu actually tested positive for swine flu at state labs. The vast majority of cases were negative. "

Reuters:

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that H1N1 swine flu has become widespread in 46 of the 50 U.S. states, a level comparable to the peak of ordinary flu seasons but far earlier and with more waves of infection expected.

Obama signed the statement on Friday night."

The White House statement said the declaration was intended to prepare the country in case of "a rapid increase in illness that may overburden health care resources." It was similar to disaster declarations issued before hurricanes hit coastal areas."

"It's important to note that this is a proactive measure -- not a response to a new development," an administration official said."

"H1N1 is moving rapidly, as expected. By the time regions or healthcare systems recognize they are becoming overburdened, they need to implement disaster plans quickly," he said."

Disaster plans? What might that mean? Quarantined zones? FEMA camps being used? The last paragraph of the Reuters' article gives a clue.

"The new declaration clears the way for waivers of federal requirements that, for example, could prevent hospitals from establishing off-site, alternate care facilities that could help them deal with emergency department demands, the White House said."

Off-site alternative care facilities? Quarantined areas, I reckon. And it would not surprise me if those FEMA camps*, sitting there with no occupants, are suddenly brought into action. I think these emergency powers given to Federal health officials are going to have far-reaching consequences in the very near future.

William Lewis and Gary Franchi on Alex Jones talking about "Camp FEMA."

Deaths In Sweden Linked To Swine Flu Vaccine

http://www.thelocal.se/22846/20091024/

Health investigators are under more pressure as two elderly women are reported to have died, days after receiving the swine flu vaccine. It brings the total number of deaths linked to the vaccine in Sweden to four.

The two latest deaths were reported to the Swedish Medical Products Agency (Läkemedelsverket) on Friday.

A 74-year-old woman from Solleftea in northern Sweden died four days after receiving the swine flu vaccine.

The woman, who suffered from heart and lung disease, was classified as a high-risk patient.

“Naturally a report will be undertaken,” said Dr. Markus Kallionen in a press statement released by Västernorrland County Council.

“We must take this case seriously and investigate what has happened.”

A further case of a 90-year-old woman who also died after receiving the vaccine has been reported by newspaper Expressen.

Läkemedelsverket are currently investigating circumstances surrounding the deaths of two high-risk patients, a 50-year-old man with a serious heart condition and woman with an acute muscle disease.

“It’s important to says that they had complicated illnesses,“ Gunilla Sjölin Forslund from Läkemedelsverket told news agency TT.

“We still do not know if the deaths are connected to the vaccine.”

It will be interesting to follow this report and to find out if a causal link is established with the vaccine. All four of those people died quite soon after receiving the vaccine. All four also had serious underlying medical conditions. So, coincidence may come into play here. However, if a link is established with the vaccine, it raises the question of why the swine flu vaccine is being given in the first instance to vulnerable people, those who have an existing health issue.

One thing is certain. The vaccine manufacturers can't have it both ways: they can't claim that vulnerable people should have this vaccine and then claim that perhaps the vaccine itself is OK but those people had serious underlying health conditions if the vaccine is shown to have played a part in their deaths.

Swine Flu Vaccination Starts in Britain

Sky News 21/10/09

"Doctors have started the task of vaccinating millions of vulnerable patients against swine flu.

From Monday, GPs will receive their initial deliveries, though it could take up to four weeks to distribute the 4.5m doses around the country.

More will follow as it is delivered by the manufacturers.

Nine million patients who are at risk of serious complications if they catch the virus will be given priority for the vaccine.

At the front of the queue are those aged six months to 65 years who have underlying health problems such as asthma."

Next will be pregnant women, those living with patients with weakened immune systems, and finally the over-65s with underlying health problems."

The swine flu vaccination being introduced in Britain is Pandemrix from GlaxoSmithKline. This is from the GSK information for patients leaflet:

Pandemrix is a "split virion, inactivated, adjuvanted," vaccine, which means that only structural proteins from the virus are present and it is not infectious. (Flumist from Immumed, contains a live attenuated virus, which carries the risk of reverting to live in transmission.)

Ingredients:

Active substance:
Split influenza virus, inactivated, containing antigen* equivalent to:
A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)v-like strain (X-179A)
3.75 micrograms** per 0.5 ml dose
* propagated in eggs
** expressed in microgram haemagglutinin
This vaccine complies with the WHO recommendation and EU decision
for the pandemic.

• Adjuvant:
The vaccine contains an ‘adjuvant’ AS03 to stimulate a better response.
This adjuvant contains squalene (10.69 milligrams), DL-α-tocopherol
(11.86 milligrams) and polysorbate 80 (4.86 milligrams).

Other ingredients:
The other ingredients are: polysorbate 80, octoxynol 10,
thiomersal, sodium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate,
potassium dihydrogen phosphate, potassium chloride,
magnesium chloride, water for injections

You should not receive Pandemrix:

• if you have previously had a sudden life-threatening allergic reaction to
any ingredient of Pandemrix (these are listed at the end of the leaflet) or
to any of the substances that may be present in trace amounts as follows:
egg and chicken protein, ovalbumin, formaldehyde, gentamicin sulphate
(antibiotic) or sodium deoxycholate. Signs of an allergic reaction may
include itchy skin rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or
tongue. However, in a pandemic situation, it may be appropriate for
you to have the vaccine provided that appropriate medical treatment is
immediately available in case of an allergic reaction.

Side effects:

Very common (affects more than 1 user in 10)

• Headache
• Tiredness
• Pain, redness, swelling or a hard lump at the injection site
• Fever
• Aching muscles, joint pain

Common (affects 1 to 10 users in 100)

• Warmth, itching or bruising at the injection site
• Increased sweating, shivering, flu-like symptoms
• Swollen glands in the neck, armpit or groin

Uncommon (affects 1 to 10 users in 1,000)

• Tingling or numbness of the hands or feet
• Sleepiness
• Dizziness
• Diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pain, feeling sick
• Itching, rash
• Generally feeling unwell
• Sleeplessness

Rare (affects 1 to 10 users in 10,000)

Allergic reactions leading to a dangerous decrease of blood pressure,
which, if untreated, may lead to shock. Doctors are aware of this
possibility and have emergency treatment available for use in such cases.
• Fits
• Severe stabbing or throbbing pain along one or more nerves
• Low blood platelet count which can result in bleeding or bruising

Very rare (affects less than 1 user in 10,000)

Vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels which can cause skin
rashes, joint pain and kidney problems)
• Neurological disorders such as encephalomyelitis (inflammation of the
central nervous system), neuritis (inflammation of nerves) and a type of
paralysis known a Guillain-Barré Syndrome

Squalene as an adjuvant.

According to Dr Russell Blaylock, a former neurosurgeon, squalene is added to boost the immune response to vaccines. The normal route by which an infectious agent enters the body is via the nose or the gut and this triggers a coordinated response from the immune system. When the infectious agent is injected into deep muscle, there is a need to include adjuvants to incite a response and this actually produces an abnormal response. Squalene is present in the body as a precursor to all the body's steroids. When injected into deep muscle, the immune system produces antibodies to squalene and attacks all the squalene in the body. 95% of vets returning from the Gulf, diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome were reported to have tested positive for squalene antibodies.

Thiomersal as an adjuvant.

Thiomersal, or sodium ethylmercurithiosalicylate, commonly known in the United States as thimerosal, is an organomercury compound (approx. 49% mercury by weight) used as an antiseptic and anti-fungal agent, used as a preservative in vaccines.

Thiomersal is very toxic by inhalation, ingestion, and in contact with skin. In the United States, countries in the European Union and a few other affluent countries, thiomersal is no longer used as a preservative in routine childhood vaccinations. In the U.S., the only exceptions among vaccines routinely recommended for children are some formulations of the inactivated influenza vaccine for children older than two years.

Finally, from the American Journal Of Pathology

"The Endogenous Adjuvant Squalene Can Induce A Chronic T-Cell-Mediated Arthritis In Rats."

"Squalene is a cholesterol precursor, which stimulates the immune system nonspecifically. We demonstrate that one intradermal injection of this adjuvant lipid can induce joint-specific inflammation in arthritis-prone DA rats."

Read the entire article on the above link.

Serious Vaccine Reactions to Now Be Called 'Coincidence'?

Mercola.com 20/10/09

About Dr Mercola (From the Mercola.com web site)

"Dr. Joseph Mercola has made significant milestones in his mission to bring people practical solutions to their health problems. A New York Times Best Selling Author, Dr. Mercola is author of The No-Grain Diet and Take Control of Your Health. He has also been featured in TIME magazine, LA Times, CNN, Fox News, ABC News with Peter Jennings, Today Show and other major media resources."

By Dr Mercola 20/10/09

Every day Americans wake up to news reports that warn us about the dangers of influenza, especially the new H1N1 “swine flu”.

But swine flu is mild for most people and the virus is not mutating into a more serious form.

Millions of people around the world have recovered from swine flu, and millions more will get sick with fevers, body aches, nasal congestion, cough and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting and recover from it this year and next year without any complications.

Nonetheless, wide-scale vaccination is being encouraged -- even though swine flu vaccines have been tested on only a few thousand healthy Americans for a few weeks. There is little or no information about how safe the vaccine is for pregnant women and chronically ill or disabled children.

If you or your child are injured from getting a flu swine flu shot, you are on your own. Congress has shielded the vaccine manufacturers and any person giving swine flu shots from lawsuits if people get hurt.

There is no funded government vaccine injury compensation program for swine flu vaccine.

Do NOT let a doctor or anyone else tell you that a serious health problem you or your child experiences after vaccination is a coincidence and allow more shots to be given until you know for sure.

The most tragic cases of vaccine injury occur when vaccine reaction symptoms are dismissed as a 'coincidence" and more vaccines are given that result in more severe symptoms -- and sometimes end with permanent brain and immune system damage or death.

But while Americans are still debating whether to roll up their sleeves for a swine flu shot, companies have already figured it out: vaccines are good for business.

Drug companies have sold $1.5 billion worth of swine flu shots, in addition to the $1 billion for seasonal flu they booked earlier this year. These inoculations are part of a much wider and rapidly growing $20 billion global vaccine market.

"The vaccine market is booming," says Bruce Carlson, spokesperson at market research firm Kalorama, which publishes an annual survey of the vaccine industry. "It's an enormous growth area for pharmaceuticals at a time when other areas are not doing so well," he says, noting that the pipeline for more traditional blockbuster drugs such as Lipitor and Nexium has thinned.

As always with pandemic flus, taxpayers are footing the $1.5 billion check for the 250 million swine flu vaccines that the government has ordered so far and will be distributing free to doctors, pharmacies and schools. In addition, Congress has set aside more than $10 billion this year to research flu viruses, monitor H1N1's progress and educate the public about prevention.

Drugmakers pocket most of the revenues from flu sales, with Sanofi-Pasteur, Glaxo Smith Kline and Novartis cornering most of the market.

But some say it's not just drugmakers who stand to benefit. Doctors collect copayments for special office visits to inject shots, and there have been assertions that these doctors actually profit handsomely from these vaccinations.

Sources:

Vaccine Awakening October 1, 2009

New York Times October 7, 2009

Time Magazine October 19, 2009

Examiner September 30, 2009

Science News September 20, 2009

To subscribe to Dr Mercola's excellent and informative newsletter, follow this link:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/current.aspx

Some very brief information on the Cervarix Vaccine.

Particularly for the young lady I was talking to today, who had decided not to have the vaccine.

I had a very interesting conversation today with a young lady, particularly about the adjuvants in the Cervarix vaccine and the properties of the antigen (how the virus is presented in the vaccine).

The Cervarix vaccine contains virus-like particles, which contain structural proteins from the virus, but lack the means to reproduce and so are not infectious. So, to answer the young lady's question, the vaccine does not contain live virus. It contains proteins from the virus that the immune system recognises and produces antibodies against.

However, since injection into deep muscle is not the normal route for a virus to enter your body, the vaccine manufacturers have to add something, called an "adjuvant," to help stimulate the immune system to respond and produce antibodies. The adjuvant in Cervarix is aluminium hydroxide.

The best way for anyone to decided whether they are going to take a vaccine, is to gather as much information as possible for themselves. In this way they can make an informed decision.

Swine flu vaccine is more deadly than flu shot.

Dr Sherri Tenpenny on vaccines

On fast-tracked H1N1 novel influenza/swine flu vaccine.

Beyond The Theory Of Vaccines - What's In Them And The Known Side-Effects.

Russell Blaylock is a former board certified neurosurgeon, author lecturer and health practitioner. I think the most important information he gives on this video is where he is talking about the normal immune response and what has to be added to vaccines to boost the system into action.

Dr Blaylock tells us that the problem is with the vaccine itself and trying to get the body to react to the agents that it is designed to immunise against. The normal routes of infection into the body are via the nasal passages and the gut. On exposure to an invading micro-organism, the body mounts a coordinated response. Vaccines by-pass this normal route by being injected into deep muscle and the result is an abnormal immune response. It is thus necessary to force the body to have a powerful immune response by including adjuvants in the vaccine material.

WHO USES ADJUVANTS AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis use adjuvants in their swine flu, H1N1 vaccines. They are producing H1N1 vaccines with and without adjuvants, but most countries have accepted the vaccine with adjuvants, particularly European countries.

Adjuvants used:

Squalene: an unsaturated terpene, which is an intermediate in cholesterol synthesis, and occurs normally at low levels in blood plasma and at elevated levels in viral influenza; used as a vehicle for pharmaceuticals. Squalene is the biochemical precursor to the whole family of steroids.

Squalene is used as an adjuvant in vaccines to boost immunogenicity and to reduce the amount of viral antigen needed. So, the supply of antigen goes further.
Your body will react naturally to squalene in olive oil, but when squalene enters the body through the abnormal route of being injected into deep muscle, it incites the immune system to attack all of the squalene in the body, including where it occurs naturally and is vital to the health of the nervous system. In returning military personnel, who were diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome, 95% were found to have antibodies to squalene.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10640454

Gardasil

From the Gardasil information leaflet: view on the Gardasil web site.

1Human Papillomavirus = HPV
2L1 protein in the form of virus like particles produced in yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae
CANADE 3C-5 (Strain 1895)) by recombinant DNA technology.
3adsorbed on amorphous aluminium hydroxyphosphate sulphate adjuvant (225 micrograms Al).
The other ingredients in the vaccine suspension are:
Sodium chloride, L-histidine, polysorbate 80, sodium borate and water for injections.
Aluminium as an adjuvant accumulates all over the body and the brain with each successive vaccine which incorporates it. In vaccines it helps to stimulate the immune system.

"A metallic element that does not appear to be an essential part of the diet even though the body of a 70 kg person contains about 50 mg. Aluminium is toxic and can damage nerve cells. Excess dietary aluminium is normally eliminated in the faeces, but when intakes are very high some aluminium may be retained. Some researchers claim that this retention can contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease (senile dementia). A study by the Medical Research Council showed that sufferers of the disease have unusual clusters of nerve cells in the brain saturated with aluminium. There is some evidence that vitamin C may help to reduce aluminium levels in the body."

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?s=aluminium&gwp=13

Cervarix, the HPV vaccine being used in the UK also contains aluminium as an adjuvant.

Herd Immunity

Herd immunity, or community immunity, is said to occur when the proportion of vaccinated people within a population (herd) provides protection to unprotected individuals. The theory is that in diseases passed from person to person, it is more difficult to maintain a chain of infection when large numbers are immune.

The higher the proportion of individuals who are immune, the lower the likelihood that a susceptible person will come into contact with an infected individual

Vaccination is thought to act as a sort of 'firebreak' in the spread of disease, slowing or preventing the further spread of the disease.

The proportion of immune individuals in a population above which a disease may no longer persist is the herd immunity threshold. Its value is said to vary according to the virulence of the disease and its method of spread from person to person. A few examples are:

Diphtheria: spread by saliva - threshold 85%

Pertussis (Whooping cough): spread by airborne droplets - threshold 92-94%

Smallpox: spread by social contact - threshold 83-85%

As of 2009, herd immunity to certain preventable diseases is said to be compromised by parental refusal: measles, whooping cough, mumps.

That is the theory of herd immunity and as with the theory of how vaccines work, I shall return to this topic in a later post.

Types Of Vaccine And How They Are Designed To Work

Child receiving a nasal spray vaccine.

In the generic sense, the process of artificially inducing immunity, in an effort to protect against infectious disease, works by 'priming' the immune system with an 'immunogen'. Stimulating immune response, via use of an infectious agent, is known as immunisation. Vaccinations involve the administration of one or more immunogens, which can be administered in several forms.

1) Inactivated vaccine: this is a virus which has been grown in culture and then killed. Certain virus proteins are intact enough to be recognised by the immune system and to provoke a response. Since the intended benefits are not thought to last, booster shots are needed.
2) Attenuated vaccine: these contain live virus particles with very low virulence. Less virulent strains are selected in the culture process, and since the virus is still reproducing, albeit slowly, fewer booster shots are needed. There is, apparently, a slight risk of reversion to virulence.
3) Virus-like particles: contain structural proteins from the virus, but lack the means to reproduce and so are not infectious.
4) A sub-unit vaccine: this presents an antigen without introducing viral particles, whole or otherwise. One method involves isolation of a specific protein from a virus. Thought to provoke a weaker immune response than other vaccines.

ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION

A vaccine administration may be oral, by injection or by nasal spray.

So, that is how vaccines are designed to work and how they are administered. The theory is quite simple: induce an immune response by introducing a harmless version of a dangerous infectious agent and the immune system will be primed for when the dangerous model of that agent comes along. A simple theory that sounds good, but the whole process needs a little help and I shall deal with that in the next post.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) And The Vaccine.

WHAT IS HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS? (HPV)

A human papillomavirus is a papilloma virus that infects the epidermis (skin) and mucous membranes of humans. HPV can lead to cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina and anus in women. I men, it can lead to cancers of the anus and penis.

Approximately 130 HPV types have been identified. Some HPV types can cause warts (verrucae), but those types don't cause cancer. Other types can cause cancer, but those types don't cause warts. Other types have no symptoms and are harmless. Most people who become infected with HPV do not know they have it.

About 30-40 HPV types are typically transmitted through sexual contact and infect the anogenital region. Some types may cause genital warts. Persistent infection with "high-risk" HPV types—different from the ones that cause warts—may progress to pre-cancerous lesions and invasive cancer. HPV infection is thought to be the cause of most cases of cervical cancer. However, most HPV infections in young females are temporary and have little long-term significance. 70% of infections are gone in 1 year and 90% in 2 years.

Most people have now heard of the HPV vaccines which are now being offered to young teenage females. Two vaccines are available, which are designed to prevent infection by some HPV types, Gardasil, marketed by Merck and Cervarix, marketed by GlaxoSmithKline. Both are intended to protect against initial infection with HPV types 16 and 18, which cause most of the HPV associated cancer cases. Gardasil is also said to protect against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause 90 percent of genital warts.

Both vaccines are delivered in three shots over six months. In most countries they're approved only for female use.

The History Of Modern Vaccination

Edward Jenner vaccinating James Phipps.

Although a form of immunisation was used in ancient China, modern vaccination was developed by Doctor Edward Jenner. Jenner was a doctor who worked in Gloucestershire and the great advance he made was to notice that individuals who had contracted cowpox (the cow's equivalent of smallpox) rarely caught the deadly human version. In 1796 he deliberately infected an eight year old boy called James Phipps with the pus from a cowpox sore. The boy became ill with cowpox but recovered. He then infected him with the normally deadly smallpox. As Jenner had predicted the earlier infection with the cowpox actually protected the boy who never caught smallpox. The practice of modern vaccination was born.

After many more successful vaccinations, Jenner published his results in 1798. However, they were met with skepticism and many doctors still carried out the more dangerous practice of inoculation with live smallpox pus. It was not until 1840 that this dangerous practice was banned and in 1853 vaccination by Jenner's method was made compulsory. Protestors argued against compulsory vaccination, saying that it limited their personal choice; a similar debate to the one raging today over the HPV and H1N1 vaccines.

In modern times, smallpox was judged to be the first vaccine-preventable disease and the World Health Organisation coordinated the global effort to eradicate the disease. The last naturally occurring case of smallpox was reported in Somalia in 1977 and the WHO's vaccination programme was judged to be the cause.

The next disease targeted by the WHO for global eradication was polio, with a target of the year 2000. This target has been missed, but eradication of polio is said to be very close, thanks to the vaccination programme. The next target is likely to be Measles.

Combined vaccinations are now widely used around the world, a result of the rapid increase in the number of shots recommended in current schedules.

In the UK, before a child goes to school at around age 4/5, he will have had a wide range of vaccinations, mostly combined.

• Two months old: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Pneumococcal infection
• Three months old: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
• Meningitis C
• Four months old: Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)Meningitis C
• Pneumococcal infection
• Around 12 months: Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Meningitis C
• Around 13 months: Measles, mumps and rubella, Pneumococcal infection
• Three years and four months or soon after:Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio. Measles, mumps and rubella.

During the school years:

• Girls aged 12-13 years: cervical cancer caused by human papillomavirus, types 16 and 18
• 13 - 18 year olds: diphtheria, tetanus, polio.

Vaccination, as the administration of antigenic material to produce immunity to disease, is thought to be the most effective and cost-effective method of preventing infectious diseases.

Your wonderful immune system

The immune system is a complex organisation of special cells, proteins, tissues and organs that defends against invading micro-organisms. Through a co-ordinated series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade the body and cause disease.

The cells that are part of this defence system are white blood cells, called leukocytes. They come in two basic types, which together seek out and destroy the organisms or substances that cause disease.

Leukocytes are produced or stored in many locations throughout the body, including the thymus, the spleen and the bone marrow. For this reason, these are called the lymphoid organs. There are also clumps of lymphoid tissue throughout the body, primarily in the form of lymph nodes that house the leukocytes.

The leukocytes circulate throughout the body between the organs and nodes by means of the lymphatic vessels. They can also circulate through the blood vessels. In this way, the immune system works in a co-ordinated way to monitor the body for invading substances and micro-organisms that might cause problems.

The two basic types of leukocytes are:

1) Phagocytes: cells that chew up invading organisms.

2) Lymphocytes: cells that allow the body to remember and recognise previous invaders and help the body destroy them.

When an invading organism has been challenged by the B lymphocytes and destroyed, the antibodies produced continue to exist in the body, so that if the same antigen (invading organism) is presented to the immune system again, the antibodies are already there to do their job. That's why if you get sick with, for example, chickenpox, you are unlikely to get sick with it again. This is also the theory underpinning the development and use of vaccines: by artificially forcing the body to produce antibodies to the targeted invader, when the invader is presented to the immune system for real, the antibodies are already in the system, ready to combat the infection.