Article In The Lancet About Flu Vaccines beat_deadhorse:

[tex]

Hi All,

There's a brand new article in the British medical journal, The Lancet, this month, about the effectiveness of flu vaccines. The data show that, as we've always suspected, they're reasonably effective for kids, but not for older people.

Interpretation
Influenza vaccines can provide moderate protection against virologically confirmed influenza, but such protection is greatly reduced or absent in some seasons. Evidence for protection in adults aged 65 years or older is lacking. LAIVs consistently show highest efficacy in young children (aged 6 months to 7 years). New vaccines with improved clinical efficacy and effectiveness are needed to further reduce influenza-related morbidity and mortality.

The red emphasis is mine, of course.

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanin ... X/abstract

Tex

[sarkin]

Wow, *no wonder* there's so much energy (and marketing $$) spent persuading the 65+ population to have this vaccine... since it's actually not effective???

Presumably, if it were a good idea, we wouldn't have to talk people into it???

Wishing us all a safe and flu-free winter... and hoping for a day when the health recommendations are actually healthful...

xox/Sara

[Lesley]

I used to get sick every year. Really, really deathly ill with flu. Now I have one every year for the last 10 except 3 years ago. I was SO sick that year I swore never to miss a year again. I am a one person proof that it works. I completely believe on it.