This study, see below, assesses the need for infants less than 6 months old to receive influenza vaccine. The study is funded, designed and carried out by a vaccine manufacturer. Bias could be construed in the entire study.
There is on going discussion of how allergic reactions continue to rise in the population. Overuse of antibiotics is seen as a contributing factor (mind you, they were once hailed as ‘wonder drugs’), could the indiscriminate use of vaccines also be a contributing factor? The entire human race has lived without the need of vaccines at birth and throughout life at least since recorded history. Young children used to get sick and there is evidence it made them healthier. Mumps, measles, chicken pox were for the most part lived through. The body developed immunity against the ailment and life went on. Now, it is seen as a constant source of fear and on going threat. Why?
Here is the ‘study’ why healthy infants need influenza vaccine:
Safety and Tolerability of Cold-Adapted Influenza Vaccine, Trivalent, in Infants Younger Than 6 Months of Age
b Wyeth Vaccines Research, Taplow, United Kingdom
c Wyeth Vaccines Research, Pearl River, New York
OBJECTIVE. Young children are at high risk for influenza-related complications. Vaccination of close household contacts is recommended to provide indirect protection to children <6 months of age. Studies have shown that live, cold-adapted influenza vaccine, trivalent, is efficacious in children. To assess the risks associated with inadvertent exposure of infants to vaccine viruses from vaccinated contacts, this study was designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability of cold-adapted influenza vaccine, trivalent, administered intranasally to healthy children 6 to <24 weeks of age.
METHODS. Healthy infants aged 6 to <16 weeks and 16 to <24 weeks, respectively, were randomly assigned to receive 2 doses of influenza vaccine, or placebo intranasally 35 ± 7 days apart. Reactogenicity events were monitored for 11 days after each dose. Other adverse events were monitored through 28 to 35 days after dose 2.
RESULTS. Of the infants aged 6 to <16 weeks, 31 received influenza vaccine and 28 received placebo, and of those aged 16 to <24 weeks, 30 received influenza vaccine and 31 received placebo. In the 6- to <16-week cohort, more influenza vaccine, recipients experienced irritability (66.7% vs 35.7%) and runny nose or nasal congestion (63.3% vs 33.3%) after dose 1 but not dose 2. There were no significant increases in any other reactogenicity events or adverse events in the vaccine recipients compared with the placebo group.
CONCLUSIONS. Although there was an increase in mild reactogenicity events in children 6 to <16 weeks of age, cold-adapted influenza vaccine, trivalent, was generally well tolerated in infants 6 to <24 weeks of age. These findings support further evaluation of cold-adapted influenza vaccine, trivalent, in infants <6 months of age.