LifeCare Chiropractic

The Best Chiropractic Care in Mesa, Arizona

Vaccination

COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF VARICELLA VACCINATION – (05-16-05)

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Cost benefit analysis of universal varicella vaccination in the U.S. taking into account the closely related herpes¨Czoster epidemiology

This cost benefit analysis brings to light an interesting piece of the puzzle.  Herpes zoster (aka shingles) is a reactivation of the chicken pox virus in the dorsal root ganglion.  It is believed that occasional exposure to the chicken pox virus causes your body to “refresh” its immune defense against this virus even though you don’t actually get sick.  So, this process occurring over the years allows the immune system to be on constant defense against chicken pox, which would naturally ALSO suppress shingles.  This process does not occur with the vaccination, so those who have received the vaccination will be at increased risk for shingles.

Figuring this into the cost/benefit equation provides the healthcare society with an additional 14.6 MILLION cases of shingles at a cost of $80 million/year.  So, the drug companies make money on the vaccination which then increases likelihood of another disease for which patient need more drugs and more money for the drug companies.  If this occurred in any other industry the government and/or courts would shut the racket down so quickly it would make your wallet spin.

Read entire article here

HOW TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO VACCINATION? – (05-16-05)

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Negative attitude of highly educated parents and health care workers towards future vaccinations in the Dutch childhood vaccination program

Holy cow.  They just don’t get it.  This study and every other one I’ve come across show that the more educated someone is, the less likely they are to choose vaccination.

In this study, you can add health care workers to the list of those less likely to choose vaccination.  But the asinine quote of the year goes to the author’s conclusion, “Modifiable determinants for a negative attitude to comply with new vaccinations are mainly based on lack of specific knowledge. These barriers to vaccinations might be overcome by improving health education in the vaccination program, especially when targeted at educated parents and health care workers.”

So we need to educate the educated and teach the health care workers about health?  Is there no light bulb going off that these people who are less likely to choose vaccination might be onto something?

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FACTORS INVLOVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CERVICAL CANCER – (11-05-07)

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Lower Blood Cell Folate Enhances the HPV-16 associated Risk of Intraepithelial Neoplasm

There has been endless press over the past year since the release of the HPV vaccine, which, incidentally is never called that–it is called the “cervical cancer vaccine.” How’s that for a twist from the marketing guys? What seems to have gotten lost in the mix is that it is not exposure to these specific strains of HPV alone that leads to development of cervical cancer. There are many other factors involved, and folic acid status has long been known to be a major player, believed to play a role through aiding healthy cell division.

This study adds further weight to that thought process. Today’s processed diet low in fresh fruits and vegetables and phytonutrients will lead to lower folate status and contribute to cervical cancer risk. Indeed, there have been clinical studies where high dose folic acid alone has reversed abnormal pap results. What is most remarkable, though, is just HOW MUCH of a risk the combination of HPV-16 and low folic acid was. A massive 9 X the risk!!

Read entire article here

ADJUVANT IS USED TO STRENGTHEN THE BODY’S IMMUNE SYSTEM – (07-30-07)

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Ginseng and Salviae herbs play a role as immune activators and modulate immune responses during influenza virus infection

What some people may not be aware of is that, in many vaccinations, drug companies use what’s called an adjuvant to strengthen the body’s immune response. Aluminum is a component of many of these adjuvants. While it would seem like an inherently bad idea to inject a toxic metal directly into the human body, that is exactly what they do to stimulate a stronger response. So, while I am against the idea of forcing an immune response in a route of administration other then what Mother Nature intended, natural compounds might be a better route to try.

This study used ginseng and salviae as part of an intranasal injection (which is a natural route of exposure) and found that it may make a good adjuvant for this flu vaccine.

Read entire article here

FLU VACCINE DANGEROUS AFTER FLU SEASON?

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“Flu season” is winding down and you are happy that you narrowly escaped with your life and health intact.  Good thing you had the flu vaccine at your doctor/nurse/pharmacist/HR department/gas station attendent’s wizened advice. Or was it?

It should come as no shock that there is controversy associated with the use of the influenza vaccination. One would think that, after nearly 100 years of use, public health officials should be able to stand high on a pedestal and clearly proclaim that yes, the influenza vaccination protects us. Alas, we’re not even close.

When it comes to the research, there are many ways to look at the data. Truly, few studies come out demonstrating that the flu vaccination clearly protects against hospitilization, influenza and death. Something as simple as the definition of “flu” can affect outcomes. The is laboratory confirmed influenza viral infection and then there is “influenza-like illness,” which does not require confirmation and assumes that certain symptoms at a certain time of year are from the flu.

Several recent studies include:

  1. Flu vaccination effectiveness in children
  2. Flu vaccination effectiveness in the elderly
  3. My personal favorite – the Cochrane Collaboration review that pretty much sums it all up

This particular study looked at the data in a different way in an attempt to negate the effect of bias by using instrumental variable methods.  Researchers looked at a rather massive amount of data (almost 13 million person influenza seasons) and concluded that, when this method was used, effectiveness of the flu vaccination at preventing death during the flu season at 6% (down from 33% without this method).  Pretty dismal.

Compare this with the use of green tea, vitamin D or probiotics, both of which have been shown to lower the risk of catching the flu.

What becomes even more interesting is when researchers looked at what happened after the flu season was over.  Without this method, the vaccination lowered the risk of death by 15%. However, when the data was looked at using the instrumental variable method, the risk of death actually went UP 13%.

So, while you may have a lower risk of dying during the flu season, any benefit gained may be overridden by a much greater risk of death after flu season.

Things that make you go “Hmmm….”

EFFECT OF INTRODUCTION OF THE PNEUMOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VACCINE – (02-11-07)

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Effect of Introduction of the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine on Drug-Resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae

I realize that there are bacteria out there that cause lots of nasty stuff in suseptable persons.  But, for some reason, today’s society is hell bent on getting rid of these infections that create problems, mostly through the use of vaccination.  The problem is that Mother Nature is not inclined to be happy about it, so while we eradicate some infectious bug, another pops up right behind it (AIDS, anyone?).

This article clearly demonstrates this.  While the pneumococcal vaccine has reduced the number of infections that it is made for, a subgroup of this same bacteria is increasing.  I envision it as one large “whack a mole” game.

Read entire article here

USE OF TOO MUCH ANTIBIOTIC INCREASES CHILDHOOD ASTHMA RISK – (02-25-08)

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Increased Risk of Childhood Asthma From Antibiotic Use in Early Life

While the physiology behind this makes perfect sense, this is a relationship that doesn’t seem to gain wings. Some studies have not been able to find an association, but the problem is that antibiotic use does not occur in a vacuum. Probiotics in the gut are needed for healthy development of the immune system, with an emphasis on the importance on creating a strong Th-1 system. This arm of the immune system is needed to battle off bacteria and viruses that enter the body.

On the flip side, vaccinations are well know to stimulate the Th-2 profile. So, coupling antibiotic use with immunizations can definitely increase a child’s risk of developing asthma.

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EAR INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN RESPONDS INCREDIBLY WELL TO NON-PHARMACEUTICAL APPROACHES – (03-17-08)

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Emergence of a Multiresistant Serotype 19A Pneumococcal Strain Not Included in the 7-Valent Conjugate Vaccine as an Otopathogen in Children

Geez. Where do we start with this one? Do we start with the idea that ear infections in children responds incredibly well to non-pharmaceutical approaches like allergen avoidance, probiotics and chiropractic adjusting that it is crazy to think we would need a vaccine?

Do we start with the fact that Mother Nature ALWAYS wins, and that when we try to squash down her creations that she’s going to get upset? It reminds me of a Whac-a-Mole game, where you try to smash down a mole with a mallet, only to have him pop up in another hole. Such is what we’re seeing here. Develop a vaccine against some strains of bacteria, and we see other strains, more difficult to treat, rise up. What a mess we are creating!!

Read entire article here