Flu Vaccine Advertised in the Times of India.

November 14, 2006

ToThe President,Indian Medical Association,New Delhi.Dt: 13.11.2006Dear Sir,It has come to our notice that the Times Of India has carried an article onthe Inactivated Influenza Vaccine in its Nov 13th edition titled "Why you don'tget that flu shot". While it carries the WHO logo what is surprising is that thearticle quotes only representatives of the distributors of the vaccine in India.It eulogises the vaccine, says it is 80% effective, costs Rs. 500/- (approx US$11.00) per shot and points out that influenza is a deadly disease which affects15 to 20 crore Indians every year. It acknowledges that the doctors of Delhi(Capital of India) were not forthcoming on the vaccine.Is the IIV an OTC vaccine that can be advertised in this manner? As per theCDC handout, the vaccine is genetically engineered with strains of three typesof influenza viruses which the scientists estimate could circulate in

thecurrent year. The handout also warns that influenza vaccines have beenassociated with the GBS, flu like symptoms and severe allergic reactions.Deaths due to the vaccine have already been reported from all over the world.The WHO link to the report of such deaths has been recently removed from publicdomain. None of these find mention in the article. Neither does the articlepoint out that the vaccine contains the decontaminant Thimerosal which is 49.56%ethylmercury and would deliver 25mcg of ethylmercury per shot. The CDC advisespatients to contact the VAERS in case of adverse reactions. No such facilityexists in India.We would request you to kindly probe the source of the article (it is notavailable online right now) reported by Abantika Ghosh, Rema Nagarajan & RupaliMukherjee of the Times News Network. We need to be assured that the vaccine willbe used with caution and under the supervision of a responsible

doctor. More soas the vaccination is usually recommended for use in small children, pregnantmothers and the elderly.In view of the controversy surrounding the BCG, DPT, DPaT, MMR, the JE vaccineand the OPV, we would request you to kindly ensure that vaccines are notadvertised as marketable commodities by unauthorised persons in this fashion.Yours faithfully,Jagannath Chatterjee,Health & Human Rights Activist.www.manitham.netwww.loksatta.orgcc: Dr Raju C Shah, Chairman, Immunisation Committee,Dr Naveen Thacker, President elect, Indian Academy of Pediatricians,Dr Ajay Gambhir, Hony Secy, IMA,Dr Leo Rebello, Director, Natural Health Centre, Mumbai,Secretary, Department of Health, Govt of India,Director General, Health Services,Executive Editor, The Times of India,Conscientious Doctors & Activists. "I am, and have been for years a confirmed anti-vaccinationist. I have not the least doubt in my mind that vaccination is a filthy process that is harmful in the end" - Mahatma Gandhi (Koren Publications Inc.)

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