As a result of the 2009 H1N1 swine flu scare, millions of people around the world received the H1N1 vaccine, but what these millions of individuals may not have known was that this vaccine comes with numerous risks. Some might say that protection from the scary swine flu is worth any risk, but is it worth paralysis? What many people may not know is that the H1N1 vaccine side effects are quite concerning (similar to any vaccine), with the vaccine being tied to increased risk for nerve-paralyzing disease Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
H1N1 Vaccine Side Effects – Paralysis
Scientists from Quebec, Canada, reported recently in theย Journal of the American Medical Association:
“The disease [Guillain-Barrรฉ Syndrome]ย is thought to be autoimmune and triggered by a stimulus of external origin. In 1976-1977, an unusually high rate of GBS was identified in the United States following the administration of inactivated ‘swine’ย influenzaย A(H1N1) vaccines. In 2003, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that the evidence favored acceptance of a causal relationship between the 1976 swine influenza vaccines and GBS in adults.”
Researchers also spoke on a large immunization campaign in against the swine flu in Quebec during 2009, where 57% of Quebec’s 7.8 million residents received the H1N1 vaccine. After examining data from all neurology clinics and acute care hospitals that may have had individuals with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, data from summary discharge databases of provincial hospitals, and examining the immunization status of reported cases, researchers concluded thatย there wasย “a small but significant risk of GBS following influenza A(H1N1) vaccination”. Noting that Guillain-Barre Syndrome is extremely rare on its own, they attributed 2 GBS cases for every 1 million H1N1 vaccine doses.
In 2009, aย staggering 50 percent of doctors refused the H1N1 flu vaccineย due to the strong connection with adverse health concerns. Even thoughย 50 percent of the doctors were not receiving the shot, many of them wouldย still recommendย the shot to their patients – again, despite the H1N1 vaccine side effects.
In 2010,ย government health chiefsย confirmedย a linkย between the H1N1-containing seasonal flu vaccination and the killer nerve disease known asย Guillain-Barre Syndrome, although the link wasn’t actually new.ย But the information regarding H1N1 vaccine side effects and GBS didnโt stopย health officials from pushing the H1N1 vaccineย onto the population in 2010 and 2011.ย As we know, the connection between Guillain-Barre Snydrome and flu vaccines has been alive since the 1970โฒs.
โThe vaccines used to combat an expectedย swineย influenzaย pandemic in 1976 were shown to be associated with GBS and were withdrawn from use,โย Prof. Elizabeth Miller, head of the HPAโs immunization department, wrote.
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