Guest guest Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Fear Factor > Wed, 08 Sep 2004 00:34:14 -0400 > > Fear Factor > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > September 08, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > " You've probably heard the news by now: Doctors are > running low on flu > vaccines and are expected to run out completely > before the flu season > winds down. " > > That was the opening of the e-Alert " Does This Smell > Bad? " that I sent > you last December. Remember last year's flu vaccine > crisis? Dire > predictions that we were in for " the worst flu > season in 30 years " – a > possible pandemic! – arrived right alongside > hand-wringing reports > that there weren't enough flu vaccines to go around. > > > And what actually happened? According to a recent > Associated Press > (AP) article: " In the end, some vaccine was > leftover, and the season > was no worse than usual. " > > Gee, the sky didn't fall or anything. > > The AP piece also notes that there may be a big > demand for the vaccine > this year because of " memories of shortages " and > worries that are > circulating about new flu strains. > > Worries circulating? I haven't heard any worries > circulating. But you > can be certain that we will. Because officials for > the Centers for > Disease Control (CDC) National Immunization Program > (NIP) have > developed a plan specifically designed to do one > thing: circulate > worries about the flu season. > > Yep – those are our tax dollars at work. > > --------------------------- > > Overcooking it > --------------------------- > > > Sherri J. Tenpenny, D.O., is an internationally > known leader in > vaccine research. For many years, Dr. Tenpenny has > cautioned consumers > about the dangers of blindly accepting flu, smallpox > and other > vaccines, including the wide range of inoculations > for children. > > This week I came across a Red Flags Weekly article > written by Dr. > Tenpenny in which she reports on a communiqué from > the NIP that > contains a " Seven-Step Recipe for Generating > Interest in, and Demand > for, Flu (or any other) Vaccine. " > > Here are some of the recommendations in the > " recipe " : > > * " Medical experts and public health authorities > publicly (via media) > state concern and alarm (and predict dire outcomes) > and urge influenza > vaccination. " > > * These actions are intended to result in, > " significant media interest > and attention " by " framing of the flu season in > terms that motivate > behavior (e.g., as 'very severe,' 'more severe than > last or past > years,' 'deadly'). " > > * " Continued reports (from health officials and > media) that influenza > is causing severe illness and/or affecting lots of > people – helping > foster the perception that many people are > susceptible to a bad case > of influenza. " > > * " References to, and discussions of, pandemic > influenza – along with > continued reference to the importance of > vaccination. " > > Obviously, the recipe for flu vaccination success > calls for a large > portion of " alarm " to be blended with " dire > outcomes " and then laid on > as thick as possible. > > --------------------------- > > Get out your calculators > --------------------------- > > > The CDC especially likes to bring up the possibility > of a flu > pandemic. And the message is basic: This could be > the year of the big > one, so you better get your flu shot. > > Two weeks ago, the AP sounded the alarm that the > U.S. might have to > close schools, restrict travel and ration scarce > medications in the > event of a worldwide flu outbreak. And Dr. Julie > Gerberding – the head > of the CDC – gave the report a dramatic flourish > with this quote: > " We're all holding our breath. " > > It's been 36 years since the last pandemic. That's a > long time to keep > up the amateur theatrics. > > The August AP article noted that about 36,000 > Americans die from the > flu every year. That number is a CDC estimate that > was quoted again > and again last year, and it appears that we'll be > seeing it often > again this year. There's just one little thing wrong > with that number: > it's off the mark. In fact it's wildly off the mark. > > > How many American's died of the flu last year? > Here's Dr. Tenpenny's > comment from the Red Flags article: " Less than 175 > people actually > died from influenza in 2003. " > > Less than 175! Now THAT's good news! They expected > 36,000 to die, and > we lost less than 175. That's wonderful! > > But it's not wonderful if you're trying to sell flu > vaccines. Where's > the fear in 175 deaths? That's only half the number > of Americans who > die by drowning in bathtubs each year! You won't > even get people off > the couch, much less down to their doctor's office > with only 175 " dire > outcomes " hanging over their heads. > > So the CDC is sticking with the much scarier 36,000 > estimate. > > --------------------------- > > The rub > --------------------------- > > > All of this would simply be annoying, if it weren't > for the fact that > the CDC and NIP are basically using taxpayer dollars > to conduct a > marketing campaign for the three drug companies that > produce flu > vaccines for the U.S. > > And add to that the little wrinkle that just last > spring CDC reps > announced their new recommendation that children > aged 6 months to 23 > months should now receive flu shots (which contain > the mercury-based > preservative thimerosal, associated with a high risk > of autism). > > Annoying? How about infuriating? > > There are a couple of other flu issues " going > around " right now. And > since this is the time of year when I start to > receive requests for > advice on whether or not to get a flu shot, I'll > fill you in on those > issues in upcoming e-Alerts. In the meantime, it > will be interesting > to watch news reports over the next two or three > months to see just > how easily the media can be led into rubber stamping > CDC-approved > " information " (especially attention-grabbing SCARY > information) and > passing it along without question. > > ************************************************************ > ...and another thing > > Pink M & M's is a clever idea. But I've got a better > one. > > You may have heard that M & M's is (are?) observing > National Breast > Cancer Awareness Month (October) with a special > promotion. Whenever > you purchase specially marked bags of M & M's > throughout September, > October and November, 50 cents will be donated to > the Susan B. Komen > Breast Cancer Foundation. > > Although I don't agree with the Komen Foundation's > blanket > recommendation on the subject of mammography (see > the e-Alert " Easy as > 1...2...3 " 8/5/03), this is a worthwhile > organization, dedicated to > fighting breast cancer through research, grants and > education. > > But... M & M's? > > Just last week I told you about a Harvard study that > revealed how > carbohydrate intake raises the risk of breast cancer > ( " Positions of > Power " 8/31/04). But more specifically, the elevated > risk was > associated with the highest intake of the worst type > of carbs: refined > simple carbohydrates (such as pastry, soft drinks, > cookies, etc.). > > A 3.14 oz bag of M & M's contains 31 grams of sugar, > and 34 grams of > carbohydrates. That's three times as much sugar and > a third more carbs > than you'll find in a single Krispy Kreme doughnut. > So, nutritionally > speaking... 'nuff said. > > M & M's has pledged a minimum donation of $250,000 to > the Komen > Foundation, and my hat's off to both of those cute > little M & M cartoon > characters. But rather than purchase a bag of M & M's, > which, let's face > it, SOMEONE will end up eating, here's my idea: Go > to komen.org, find > " Support the Cause, " and read about how you can > contribute directly to > their organization or volunteer for breast cancer > awareness > activities. > > Because 31 grams of sugar and 34 grams of carbs > won't do anyone any > good. Especially women. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > > Sources: > > " The Flu Season Campaign Begins " Dr. Sherri > Tenpenny, Red Flags > Weekly, 8/30/04, redflagsweekly.com > " Planning for the 2004-05 Influenza Vaccination > Season – A > Communication Analysis " Glen Nowak, Ph.D., > ama-assn.org > " Government Preparing for World's Next Big Flu > Outbreak " The > Associated Press, 8/25/04, usatoday.com > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. The e-Alert may > not be posted on commercial sites without written > permission. > > ************************************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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