Frpm ProMED:


INFLUENZA PANDEMIC (H1N1) 2009 (59): CANADA, VACCINATION
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Date: Sun 27 Sep 2009
Source: The Vancouver Sun, The Victoria Times Colonist report [edited]
<http://www.vancouversun.com/health/suspend+seasonal+shots/2041163/story.html>


BC may suspend seasonal flu shots
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British Columbia (BC) might suspend seasonal flu shots as early as Monday
[28 Sep 2009] for people who aren't seniors, in the wake of a Canadian
study that suggests people who get the normal flu vaccine are twice as
likely to contract H1N1 [pandemic 2009] virus infection. Several news
outlets have reported the preliminary findings of the study, which is still
under peer review. Researchers found that those who received the seasonal
flu vaccine in the past were more likely to catch H1N1 [pandemic 2009
virus] infection.

While the research was initially met with much skepticism from health
officials, several provinces, including Quebec, Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Ontario, and Nova Scotia, have suspended seasonal flu shots for anyone
younger than 65, the Globe and Mail newspaper is reporting in its Monday
[28 Sep 2009] editions. Quebec announced its decision on Sunday [27 Sep
2009], postponing regular flu shots until January [2010] to devote the fall
vaccination season to the wave of expected H1N1 [pandemic 2009 virus]
infections. New Brunswick, on the other hand, announced last week that it
will stick to its plans to offer seasonal flu shots in October [2009].

The BC Ministry of Healthy Living and Sport is holding a news conference
Monday [28 Sep 2009] morning at 9:30 to make what is billed as "an
announcement around BC's seasonal flu vaccine campaign." Jeff Rudd,
ministry spokesman, would not confirm whether minister Ida Chong will
announce a suspension of the vaccine. "I can't say what [the announcement]
is about," Rudd said. "All I can say is it has to do with the sequencing of
vaccines." Chong will be joined by provincial health officer Dr Perry
Kendall and Dr David Patrick, director of epidemiology services for the BC
Centre for Disease Control.

Last week, Kendall told CBC News that the uncertainty around how the flu
shot interacts with the pandemic flu shot makes "decision-making a lot more
complex." He said: "It would be very nice to have information cut and
dried, and very clear in advance in plenty of time to make the decisions.
But that isn't, unfortunately, the world that we're living in."

The lead researchers behind the controversial study were Danuta Skowronski
of the BC Centre for Disease Control and Gaston De Serres of Universite
Laval in Ste Foy, Quebec, according to news reports.

[byline: Katie Derosa]

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

[Further information is awaited on the outcome of the scheduled press
conference and on the scientific justification for the proposal to cancel
the seasonal flu vaccination programme. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (58): Netherlands, PB2 mutation 20090928.3394
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (57): case counts 20090925.3367
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (56): antiviral resistance risk 20090925.3363
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (55): vaccine formulation 20090925.3359
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (54): vaccine availability 20090921.3325
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (53): vaccine donation 20090919.3290
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (52): WHO update 66 20090918.3272
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (51): antibody deficiency 20090917.3261
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (50): oseltamivir-resistance 20090917.3260
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (40): global update 20090906.3138
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (30): assumptions 20090813.2879
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (20): Peru, 33 percent asymptomatic
20090730.2668
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 (10): vaccine 20090720.2577
Influenza pandemic (H1N1) 2009 - Viet Nam: patient data 20090708.2450]

.................cp/mj/sh



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In other words, the study is by no means definitive and may in fact be disproven under peer review. No reason to suspend flu shots at this time, for damned sure.

Non-medical/science people have no clue how the reseach literature works, nor how to read scientific papers critically. A single preliminary paper carries little weight in the research community.

I was happy to see I'm a senior so the flue shot is okay. Phew got by that one.