I Hear You Knocking But You Can’t Come In

Or, Even Though We Know You Have a Better Answer for Influenza Therapy, We Don’t Want to Hear From You!

A Series of Letters Sent Out of Frustration After Watching Millions Unnecessarily Suffer From Influenza

© Copyright 2004 by Bruce H. Shelton, M.D., M.D.(h), DiHOM & HEEL Inc. USA Medical Director, USA
(Explore Issue: Volume 13, Number 1)

Influenza is a potentially fatal disease in patients with compromised immune systems or those with debilitating illness. The American answer to the problem is the time-honored “flu shot,” given in the fall of each year in expectation of the annual spread of the virus during January and February. In order to properly protect people, the annually produced vaccine must contain a strain of flu virus that is either the exact strain in the community, or a strain immunologically similar to the infection of the season.

It somehow takes many months to produce the vaccine using chicken eggs, as the “incubator” and the decision of what strains to include must be made in the springtime in order to produce it, package it, do quality control and get it distributed in time for the annual autumn vaccination clinics.

During 2003, two separate events occurred that might have set up circumstances that will create a worse flu season than seasons past. One of these events was a natural occurrence; the second was manmade.

The natural event was a mutation in the strain of the virus prevalent in the community. The main type of Influenza A that became prevalent was the A/Fujian strain, that was prevalent this year in Australia and New Zealand. THIS STRAIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR’S FLU VACCINE because the Australian winter is the northern hemispheres summer, and the decision of what strains to include were made in the springtime, before it became obvious in the Australian flu season. The 83 million doses of this year’s flu vaccine were already resting on their eggs, ready to be harvested. IT WAS TOO LATE TO CHANGE THE 2003 VACCINE.