AstraZeneca Sets Sights On Swine Flu VaccineJavier Espinoza, 07.30.09, 03:00 PM EDT
Anglo-Swedish drugmaker rushes to produce 200 million doses for next year.
AstraZeneca Group plc
07/30/2009 4:01PM ET
$46.35
$0.37
0.80%
1 day
3 mo
1 year
Advanced
At A Glance
Chart
News
People
GlaxoSmithKline
07/30/2009 4:04PM ET
$38.43
$0.04
0.10%
1 day
3 mo
1 year
Advanced
At A Glance
Chart
News
People
BATS Real-Time Market Data by Xignite
LONDON -- Astrazeneca is in a hurry. The Anglo-Swedish drugmaker said it is rushing to produce as many as 200 million doses of swine flu vaccine next year, as it posted a 5.6% raise in second-quarter profit and increased its guidance for the year.
Chief Executive David Brennan told Forbes he estimates his company can deliver 40 million doses in sprayers by March 2010 -- but he hopes to "step up" the number of doses to 200 million.
Article Controls
email
print
reprint
newsletter
comments
share
del.icio.us
Digg It!
yahoo
Facebook
Twitter
Reddit
rss
forbes:http://www.forbes.com/2009/07/30/astrazeneca-swine-flu-markets-equities-drugs.html?partner=yahoobuzz
Yahoo! Buzz
"This is not business as usual. We have a public health crisis and we don't know how bad it is going to get. But there are only five companies that can produce the swine flu vaccines and we are doing everything we can to make them available as soon as possible," Brennan said.
Astrazeneca will have to solve a shortage on sprayers to be able to deliver the vaccine. Unlike traditional flu injections, the vaccine is sprayed into the nose, the common entry route for the virus.
"We have been very successful at getting 40 million sprayers over the course of several months but we need to find an alternative way of delivering the vaccine," Brennan said, adding that relaying the vaccine in drops could be an option.
So far AstraZeneca only has a license to develop flu vaccines in the U.S., but it has applied for one in Europe, Canada, Hong Kong, among others.
Real-Time Quotes
07/30/2009 4:04PM ET
AstraZeneca Group plc (AZN)
$46.35
$0.37
0.80%
At A Glance
Chart
News
People
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
$38.43
$0.04
0.10%
At A Glance
Chart
News
People
BATS Exchange Real-Time Market Data by Xignite
Related Stories
Swine Flu Could Boost GlaxoSmithKline
Swine Flu: Shot In The Arm For Glaxo
Roche Beyond Tamiflu
The Flu Pandemic Rally
Europe Profits On Oil Rally
Related Videos
Dow Hits New High For 2009
Virgin America's Porter Gale
Mastercard, Visa Approved
Goldman Upgrades GE
Markets Impressed By Earnings
Quotes
Stories
Videos
Rate This Story
Your Rating
Overall Rating
Reader Comments
Comment On This Story
rtsUtil.addRtsBox('rateStoryP2',{source_type:"story",source_id:"2009/07/30/astrazeneca-swine-flu-markets-equities-drugs.html"});
The drug company said U.S. government orders for the vaccine would total $151 million of sales in the second half of 2009. Trials of the vaccine begin mid-August and it could be available by September, AstraZeneca said.
Astrazeneca is one of the smaller producers of the H1N1 vaccines. GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis and Novartis have higher capacity; Novartis has already received 690 million orders.
Yet analysts are hopeful about Astrazeneca's abilities. "Astrazeneca has shown that it can participate in the market of swine flu vaccines. Nobody would have thought that it would be capable of doing so at such as scale but it would depend on whether it can reach the 200 million orders," said Ami Roy, an analyst with Nomura International in London. Roy said the drugmaker has already included the swine flu vaccine sales in its guidance for the year.
Showing posts with label swine flu prevention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swine flu prevention. Show all posts
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
What To Do If You Get The Swine Flu
What to Do If You Get Flu-Like Symptoms
May 7, 2009 7:15 PM ET
NOTE: On May 22, 2009, CDC issued updated Interim Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator Use to Reduce Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Transmission. This new guidance should be considered the most up-to-date and supersede previously issued guidance.
Content related to masks and respirators on this web page will be used.
Symptoms
Avoid Contact With Others
Treatment is Available for Those Who Are Seriously Ill
Emergency Warning Signs
Protect Yourself and your family
Background
The novel H1N1 flu virus is causing illness in infected persons in the United States and countries around the world. CDC expects that illnesses may continue for some time. As a result, you or people around you may become ill. If so, you need to recognize the symptoms and know what to do.
Symptoms
The symptoms of this new H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this new H1N1 virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups for novel H1N1 flu are not known at this time but it’s possible that they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. People at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu include people age 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), and people who are immunosuppressed (e.g., taking immunosuppressive medications, infected with HIV).
Avoid Contact With Others
If you are sick, you may be ill for a week or longer. You should stay home and avoid contact with other persons, except to seek medical care. If you leave the house to seek medical care, wear a mask or cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. In general you should avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness. At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
Treatment is Available for Those Who Are Seriously III
It is expected that most people will recover without needing medical care.
If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed. Be aware that if the flu becomes wide spread, there will be little need to continue testing people, so your health care provider may decide not to test for the flu virus.
Antiviral drugs can be given to treat those who become severely ill with influenza. These antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including H1N1 flu virus. These medications must be prescribed by a health care professional.
There are two influenza antiviral medications that are recommended for use against H1N1 flu. The drugs that are used for treating H1N1 flu are called oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu ®) and zanamivir (Relenza ®). As the H1N1 flu spreads, these antiviral drugs may become in short supply. Therefore, the drugs will be given first to those people who have been hospitalized or are at high risk of complications. The drugs work best if given within 2 days of becoming ill, but may be given later if illness is severe or for those at a high risk for complications.
Aspirin or aspirin-containing products (e.g. bismuth subsalicylate – Pepto Bismol) should not be administered to any confirmed or suspected ill case of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection aged 18 years old and younger due to the risk of Reye syndrome. For relief of fever, other anti-pyretic medications are recommended such as acetaminophen or non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For more information about Reye’s syndrome, visit the National Institute of Health website.
Check ingredient labels on over-the-counter cold and flu medications to see if they contain aspirin.
Teenagers with the flu can take medicines without aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®), to relieve symptoms.
Children younger than 4 years of age should not be given over-the-counter cold medications without first speaking with a healthcare provider.
Emergency Warning Signs
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Community
Stay informed. Health officials will provide additional information as it becomes available. Visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Keep away from other household members as much as possible. This is to keep you from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
Learn more about how to take care of someone who is ill in "Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home"
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds, and other social distancing measures.
If you don’t have one yet, consider developing a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of extra food, medicines, and other essential supplies. Further information can be found in the "Flu Planning Checklist."
May 7, 2009 7:15 PM ET
NOTE: On May 22, 2009, CDC issued updated Interim Recommendations for Facemask and Respirator Use to Reduce Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Transmission. This new guidance should be considered the most up-to-date and supersede previously issued guidance.
Content related to masks and respirators on this web page will be used.
Symptoms
Avoid Contact With Others
Treatment is Available for Those Who Are Seriously Ill
Emergency Warning Signs
Protect Yourself and your family
Background
The novel H1N1 flu virus is causing illness in infected persons in the United States and countries around the world. CDC expects that illnesses may continue for some time. As a result, you or people around you may become ill. If so, you need to recognize the symptoms and know what to do.
Symptoms
The symptoms of this new H1N1 flu virus in people are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. A significant number of people who have been infected with this new H1N1 virus also have reported diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups for novel H1N1 flu are not known at this time but it’s possible that they may be the same as for seasonal influenza. People at higher risk of serious complications from seasonal flu include people age 65 years and older, children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, people of any age with chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), and people who are immunosuppressed (e.g., taking immunosuppressive medications, infected with HIV).
Avoid Contact With Others
If you are sick, you may be ill for a week or longer. You should stay home and avoid contact with other persons, except to seek medical care. If you leave the house to seek medical care, wear a mask or cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue. In general you should avoid contact with other people as much as possible to keep from spreading your illness. At the current time, CDC believes that this virus has the same properties in terms of spread as seasonal flu viruses. With seasonal flu, studies have shown that people may be contagious from one day before they develop symptoms to up to 7 days after they get sick. Children, especially younger children, might potentially be contagious for longer periods.
Treatment is Available for Those Who Are Seriously III
It is expected that most people will recover without needing medical care.
If you have severe illness or you are at high risk for flu complications, contact your health care provider or seek medical care. Your health care provider will determine whether flu testing or treatment is needed. Be aware that if the flu becomes wide spread, there will be little need to continue testing people, so your health care provider may decide not to test for the flu virus.
Antiviral drugs can be given to treat those who become severely ill with influenza. These antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) with activity against influenza viruses, including H1N1 flu virus. These medications must be prescribed by a health care professional.
There are two influenza antiviral medications that are recommended for use against H1N1 flu. The drugs that are used for treating H1N1 flu are called oseltamivir (trade name Tamiflu ®) and zanamivir (Relenza ®). As the H1N1 flu spreads, these antiviral drugs may become in short supply. Therefore, the drugs will be given first to those people who have been hospitalized or are at high risk of complications. The drugs work best if given within 2 days of becoming ill, but may be given later if illness is severe or for those at a high risk for complications.
Aspirin or aspirin-containing products (e.g. bismuth subsalicylate – Pepto Bismol) should not be administered to any confirmed or suspected ill case of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus infection aged 18 years old and younger due to the risk of Reye syndrome. For relief of fever, other anti-pyretic medications are recommended such as acetaminophen or non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. For more information about Reye’s syndrome, visit the National Institute of Health website.
Check ingredient labels on over-the-counter cold and flu medications to see if they contain aspirin.
Teenagers with the flu can take medicines without aspirin, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®, Nuprin®), to relieve symptoms.
Children younger than 4 years of age should not be given over-the-counter cold medications without first speaking with a healthcare provider.
Emergency Warning Signs
If you become ill and experience any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care.
In children emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Fast breathing or trouble breathing
Bluish or gray skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Severe or persistent vomiting
Not waking up or not interacting
Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
In adults, emergency warning signs that need urgent medical attention include:
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
Sudden dizziness
Confusion
Severe or persistent vomiting
Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Community
Stay informed. Health officials will provide additional information as it becomes available. Visit the CDC H1N1 Flu website.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
If you are sick with a flu-like illness, stay home for 7 days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. Keep away from other household members as much as possible. This is to keep you from infecting others and spreading the virus further.
Learn more about how to take care of someone who is ill in "Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home"
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds, and other social distancing measures.
If you don’t have one yet, consider developing a family emergency plan as a precaution. This should include storing a supply of extra food, medicines, and other essential supplies. Further information can be found in the "Flu Planning Checklist."
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Swine Flu Update
Important Swine Flu UPDATE
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I am going to reverse the order of my comment today and place it at the top of the article as I want to highlight an article written by one of the leaders in vaccine safety information awareness.
The latest depths of fear mongering the media has stooped into are really quite shocking. Barbara Loe Fisher from NVIC goes into more specifics in her article below, but one unbelievable example comes from Egypt where they ordered the slaughter of the country's 300,000 pigs, even though no cases have been reported there. Even worse, there are twenty million people in Mexico City, and it is shut down as if there were a nuclear war.
Another example comes from a previously well respected natural health journalist that I no longer recommend, because of his inappropriate and confused positions. Yes folks, there is an amazing amount of irrationality out there.
But let’s focus on the positive!
I want to thank all of you who responded to last Wednesday’s original post on the swine flu (now largely being referred to as H1N1). I continue to regularly update the swine flu article with current statistics, so if you are curious as to the current state of the “pandemic” you can just click on the page for the latest numbers.
I have also included new information on why Tamiflu will NOT work for the swine flu
The swine flu article was the most popular one I ever published, so much so that it set new records for bandwidth at the data center (one of the largest in the country) which hosts this site. It was the 7th most viewed article on the entire Internet on April 29th and has received nearly one million views thus far. If you haven't viewed the H1N1 flu article recently please review it as it has some important edits that were added.
This was largely as a result of your passing this vital and reassuring information onto to your friends and relatives. There is simply no question that this information has made a difference. It has been viewed by over one million people on this site and far more than that on the tens of thousands of sites it has been posted on across the Internet.
The media was literally trying to scare you to death and your actions, by spreading this article across the world last week, helped provide an antidote to their nonsense.
We have proved this model will work - and now has the unquestionable capacity to change the fatally flawed health care system.
To that end I am excited to formally announce the next generation of this site. For the last three years my incredible team has been working on creating the finest health social networking site on the web. We are in the final tweaking stages, and in the next month or so we hope to launch it.
Our new software platform will give the site the capacity to form a type of hybrid between Facebook and Wikipedia. The intention is to create and merge the finest collection of natural health wisdom in the world along with the ability to connect with your friends and family to provide support and assistance.
It is my primary focus for the near future as all my free time and energy is being directed to this project which has the capacity to change the health care system. I am meeting with many major health leaders in the country to brainstorm and better understand how we can explode this into the consciousness of more people.
You saw a taste of what is possible by your actions and this site with the swine flu, but this will pale in comparison to the new capabilities that this site will have in the near future.
The bottom line is that collectively we CAN change the world for good.
So stay tuned and in the meantime please enjoy Barbara’s excellent analysis.
Politics, Profits & Pandemic Fear Mongering
by Barbara Loe Fisher
Are you grabbing your face mask, stocking up on food and Tamiflu, locking your doors and keeping your TV tuned to the news to find out just how bad the "swine flu pandemic" really is going to get?
While Americans are being scared to death, few are noticing how much of their tax money politicians are giving to drug companies and government health officials to grease the skids to create more experimental flu vaccines and drugs and more effective ways to quarantine or force their mass use whenever a "public health emergency" is declared in the future.
Call me cynical but not clueless. The bird's eye view I have had for the past 27 years at the National Vaccine Information Center www.NVIC.org has taught me one thing: the global alliance between Big Pharma and Big Public Health is a prescription for disaster that could extend far beyond a bout with the flu.
The international drama playing out right now before our eyes is an example of how citizens around the world can be easily manipulated by doctors and politicians engaging in fear mongering in the name of disease control to forward agendas that have more to do with ideology, power and corporate profits than health.
In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an international call for all nations to do whatever it takes to increase public appetite and demand for annual influenza shots as the main strategy to prepare for an influenza pandemic. In April 2007, the WHO used money donated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to fund the creation of influenza vaccine manufacturing plants in Mexico and other countries one week after the FDA gave Sanofi Pasteur a license to produce an experimental bird flu (H5N1) vaccine. Sanofi Pasteur is just one of many drug companies the U.S. government has given millions of dollars to for the creation of bird flu vaccines.
On February 19, 2009, the FDA's Vaccines & Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) discussed whether to give approval for the testing of experimental bird flu vaccine on American infants. VRBPAC consumer member, also NVIC's Director of Patient Safety Vicky Debold,PhD, warned that testing of an experimental pandemic bird flu vaccine on infants in the absence of a real epidemic and without assurances that unapproved novel oil based (squalene) adjuvants (AS03, MF59) are safe, could pose unacceptable risks in terms of inducing severe immune dysfunction.
On February 27, 2009 it was confirmed that an influenza vaccine maker, Baxter International, had released a mixture of seasonal influenza viruses mixed with unlabeled live bird flu viruses to facilities in Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Slovenia. Baxter, which is waiting for a license to manufacturer bird flu vaccine, explained it was an "accident" and that no harm was done.
On April 23, 2009, the world heard the first news reports about a mysterious pig (H1N1) and bird (H5N1)and human hybrid influenza virus that was making people sick near a Mexican pig farm. By April 30, the WHO had issued a Phase 5 "Alert" warning that the world was facing an imminent pandemic influenza epidemic on the strength of several hundred cases of "swine" flu and less than 10 confirmed deaths.
The pandemic flu panic that has an especially strong grip on people living in Mexico and the U.S., thanks to the governments of both countries declaring a "public health emergency," has been a good thing for pharmaceutical companies in the pandemic flu business. Wall Street revealed that the pandemic scare sent stock prices soaring for drug companies making anti-viral drugs, rapid flu diagnosis tests and influenza vaccines. Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, Novavax, Baxter, Johnson & Johnson, Roche, BioCryst, and Vical are among the drug companies likely to benefit from the world pandemic panic.
In all the chaos that has Americans running to drug stores to buy face masks, closing schools to wipe desks down with rubbing alcohol and avoiding public transportation, there is action being taken behind the scenes by politicians and government health officials to prepare the way for implementation of future quarantine and mass vaccination of citizens with experimental vaccines and drugs that have by- passed normal FDA regulations for demonstrating purity and potency of pharmaceutical products.
A "public health emergency" has become an excuse to grease the skids and rush to market experimental drugs and vaccines that are not subject to product liability in the civil courts.
The mandated, mass use of multiple vaccines has become big business in the last quarter century since the U.S. Congress passed a law in 1986 shielding vaccine makers and doctors from liability for vaccine injuries and deaths and the numbers of vaccines recommended by the federal health officials for American children multiplied from 23 doses of 7 vaccines to 48 doses of 14 vaccines from birth to age six. For older children and adults, there are several dozen more federally recommended or state mandated vaccinations.
All of this liability protection and government vaccine mandating has been a boon for vaccine profit- making and public health agency empire building. In 1986, four drug companies made and sold vaccines in America and, by 2007, after corporate mergers and acquisitions there were six drug company giants making and selling vaccines in the U.S.
Today, there are more drug companies seeking to enter the lucrative multi- billion dollar U.S. vaccine market as financial predictions for global profits from the worldwide vaccine business by 2010 have climbed to more than $20B.
Politicians should not bow to additional pressure from vaccine manufacturers and public health officials to by-pass normal FDA standards in proving safety and efficacy of pandemic flu vaccines and their components for the purpose of rushing them to market in response to the pandemic panic that has been created. The swine flu debacle of 1976 should have taught Congress that lesson.
A rational perspective that reduces pandemic fear and includes common sense advice for staying healthy in every season is being offered by holistic health doctors, such as Joseph Mercola, D.O. and physician Congressman Ron Paul, M.D. The next time you turn on the TV or the radio or search the internet for the latest news on the flu pandemic, take a deep breath and consider all the natural ways to stay healthy and resist influenza or any illness : washing your hands; eating nutritious food; drinking plenty of pure water; getting enough exercise, rest and sunshine, and lowering stress - which includes not walking around filled with fear, anxiety and dread.
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I am going to reverse the order of my comment today and place it at the top of the article as I want to highlight an article written by one of the leaders in vaccine safety information awareness.
The latest depths of fear mongering the media has stooped into are really quite shocking. Barbara Loe Fisher from NVIC goes into more specifics in her article below, but one unbelievable example comes from Egypt where they ordered the slaughter of the country's 300,000 pigs, even though no cases have been reported there. Even worse, there are twenty million people in Mexico City, and it is shut down as if there were a nuclear war.
Another example comes from a previously well respected natural health journalist that I no longer recommend, because of his inappropriate and confused positions. Yes folks, there is an amazing amount of irrationality out there.
But let’s focus on the positive!
I want to thank all of you who responded to last Wednesday’s original post on the swine flu (now largely being referred to as H1N1). I continue to regularly update the swine flu article with current statistics, so if you are curious as to the current state of the “pandemic” you can just click on the page for the latest numbers.
I have also included new information on why Tamiflu will NOT work for the swine flu
The swine flu article was the most popular one I ever published, so much so that it set new records for bandwidth at the data center (one of the largest in the country) which hosts this site. It was the 7th most viewed article on the entire Internet on April 29th and has received nearly one million views thus far. If you haven't viewed the H1N1 flu article recently please review it as it has some important edits that were added.
This was largely as a result of your passing this vital and reassuring information onto to your friends and relatives. There is simply no question that this information has made a difference. It has been viewed by over one million people on this site and far more than that on the tens of thousands of sites it has been posted on across the Internet.
The media was literally trying to scare you to death and your actions, by spreading this article across the world last week, helped provide an antidote to their nonsense.
We have proved this model will work - and now has the unquestionable capacity to change the fatally flawed health care system.
To that end I am excited to formally announce the next generation of this site. For the last three years my incredible team has been working on creating the finest health social networking site on the web. We are in the final tweaking stages, and in the next month or so we hope to launch it.
Our new software platform will give the site the capacity to form a type of hybrid between Facebook and Wikipedia. The intention is to create and merge the finest collection of natural health wisdom in the world along with the ability to connect with your friends and family to provide support and assistance.
It is my primary focus for the near future as all my free time and energy is being directed to this project which has the capacity to change the health care system. I am meeting with many major health leaders in the country to brainstorm and better understand how we can explode this into the consciousness of more people.
You saw a taste of what is possible by your actions and this site with the swine flu, but this will pale in comparison to the new capabilities that this site will have in the near future.
The bottom line is that collectively we CAN change the world for good.
So stay tuned and in the meantime please enjoy Barbara’s excellent analysis.
Politics, Profits & Pandemic Fear Mongering
by Barbara Loe Fisher
Are you grabbing your face mask, stocking up on food and Tamiflu, locking your doors and keeping your TV tuned to the news to find out just how bad the "swine flu pandemic" really is going to get?
While Americans are being scared to death, few are noticing how much of their tax money politicians are giving to drug companies and government health officials to grease the skids to create more experimental flu vaccines and drugs and more effective ways to quarantine or force their mass use whenever a "public health emergency" is declared in the future.
Call me cynical but not clueless. The bird's eye view I have had for the past 27 years at the National Vaccine Information Center www.NVIC.org has taught me one thing: the global alliance between Big Pharma and Big Public Health is a prescription for disaster that could extend far beyond a bout with the flu.
The international drama playing out right now before our eyes is an example of how citizens around the world can be easily manipulated by doctors and politicians engaging in fear mongering in the name of disease control to forward agendas that have more to do with ideology, power and corporate profits than health.
In 2006, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an international call for all nations to do whatever it takes to increase public appetite and demand for annual influenza shots as the main strategy to prepare for an influenza pandemic. In April 2007, the WHO used money donated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to fund the creation of influenza vaccine manufacturing plants in Mexico and other countries one week after the FDA gave Sanofi Pasteur a license to produce an experimental bird flu (H5N1) vaccine. Sanofi Pasteur is just one of many drug companies the U.S. government has given millions of dollars to for the creation of bird flu vaccines.
On February 19, 2009, the FDA's Vaccines & Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) discussed whether to give approval for the testing of experimental bird flu vaccine on American infants. VRBPAC consumer member, also NVIC's Director of Patient Safety Vicky Debold,PhD, warned that testing of an experimental pandemic bird flu vaccine on infants in the absence of a real epidemic and without assurances that unapproved novel oil based (squalene) adjuvants (AS03, MF59) are safe, could pose unacceptable risks in terms of inducing severe immune dysfunction.
On February 27, 2009 it was confirmed that an influenza vaccine maker, Baxter International, had released a mixture of seasonal influenza viruses mixed with unlabeled live bird flu viruses to facilities in Czechoslovakia, Germany, and Slovenia. Baxter, which is waiting for a license to manufacturer bird flu vaccine, explained it was an "accident" and that no harm was done.
On April 23, 2009, the world heard the first news reports about a mysterious pig (H1N1) and bird (H5N1)and human hybrid influenza virus that was making people sick near a Mexican pig farm. By April 30, the WHO had issued a Phase 5 "Alert" warning that the world was facing an imminent pandemic influenza epidemic on the strength of several hundred cases of "swine" flu and less than 10 confirmed deaths.
The pandemic flu panic that has an especially strong grip on people living in Mexico and the U.S., thanks to the governments of both countries declaring a "public health emergency," has been a good thing for pharmaceutical companies in the pandemic flu business. Wall Street revealed that the pandemic scare sent stock prices soaring for drug companies making anti-viral drugs, rapid flu diagnosis tests and influenza vaccines. Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, Novavax, Baxter, Johnson & Johnson, Roche, BioCryst, and Vical are among the drug companies likely to benefit from the world pandemic panic.
In all the chaos that has Americans running to drug stores to buy face masks, closing schools to wipe desks down with rubbing alcohol and avoiding public transportation, there is action being taken behind the scenes by politicians and government health officials to prepare the way for implementation of future quarantine and mass vaccination of citizens with experimental vaccines and drugs that have by- passed normal FDA regulations for demonstrating purity and potency of pharmaceutical products.
A "public health emergency" has become an excuse to grease the skids and rush to market experimental drugs and vaccines that are not subject to product liability in the civil courts.
The mandated, mass use of multiple vaccines has become big business in the last quarter century since the U.S. Congress passed a law in 1986 shielding vaccine makers and doctors from liability for vaccine injuries and deaths and the numbers of vaccines recommended by the federal health officials for American children multiplied from 23 doses of 7 vaccines to 48 doses of 14 vaccines from birth to age six. For older children and adults, there are several dozen more federally recommended or state mandated vaccinations.
All of this liability protection and government vaccine mandating has been a boon for vaccine profit- making and public health agency empire building. In 1986, four drug companies made and sold vaccines in America and, by 2007, after corporate mergers and acquisitions there were six drug company giants making and selling vaccines in the U.S.
Today, there are more drug companies seeking to enter the lucrative multi- billion dollar U.S. vaccine market as financial predictions for global profits from the worldwide vaccine business by 2010 have climbed to more than $20B.
Politicians should not bow to additional pressure from vaccine manufacturers and public health officials to by-pass normal FDA standards in proving safety and efficacy of pandemic flu vaccines and their components for the purpose of rushing them to market in response to the pandemic panic that has been created. The swine flu debacle of 1976 should have taught Congress that lesson.
A rational perspective that reduces pandemic fear and includes common sense advice for staying healthy in every season is being offered by holistic health doctors, such as Joseph Mercola, D.O. and physician Congressman Ron Paul, M.D. The next time you turn on the TV or the radio or search the internet for the latest news on the flu pandemic, take a deep breath and consider all the natural ways to stay healthy and resist influenza or any illness : washing your hands; eating nutritious food; drinking plenty of pure water; getting enough exercise, rest and sunshine, and lowering stress - which includes not walking around filled with fear, anxiety and dread.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Swine Flu How To Stay Healthy
Stay Healthy
How to Clean and Disinfect Surfaces at Home and in Public Places (CDC)
Will the seasonal flu shot protect me against pandemic influenza?
No, it won't protect you against pandemic influenza. But flu shots can help you to stay healthy.
Get a flu shot to help protect yourself from seasonal flu.
Get a pneumonia shot to prevent secondary infection if you are over the age of 65 or have a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma. For specific guidelines, talk to your health care provider or call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hotline at 1-800-232-4636.
Make sure that your family's immunizations are up-to-date.
Take common-sense steps to limit the spread of germs. Make good hygiene a habit.
Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Put used tissues in a waste basket.
Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve if you don't have a tissue.
Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Stay at home if you are sick.
It is always a good idea to practice good health habits.
Eat a balanced diet. Be sure to eat a variety of foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. Also include low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, and beans. Drink lots of water and go easy on salt, sugar, alcohol, and saturated fat.
Exercise on a regular basis and get plenty of rest.
top of page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get Informed
Knowing the facts is the best preparation. Identify sources you can count on for reliable information. If a pandemic occurs, having accurate and reliable information will be critical.
Reliable, accurate, and timely information is available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
Another source for information on pandemic influenza is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hotline at: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636). This line is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY: 1-888-232-6348. Questions can be e-mailed to cdcinfo@cdc.gov.
Look for information on your local and state government Web sites. Links are available to each state department of public health at www.cdc.gov/other.htm#states.
Listen to local and national radio, watch news reports on television, and read your newspaper and other sources of printed and Web-based information.
Talk to your local health care providers and public health officials.
As you begin your individual or family planning, you may want to review your state's planning efforts and those of your local public health and emergency preparedness officials. Many of the state plans and other planning information can be found at pandemicflu.gov/plan/state/index.html.
top of page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Guidance
Interim Public Health Guidance for the Use of Facemasks and Respirators in Non-Occupational Community Settings during an Influenza Pandemic (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Provides information on influenza transmission and gives recommendations on when to use masks and respirators in public settings and communities. Gives additional actions to reduce the possibility of infection.
Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation (PDF - 10.3 MB)
CDC guidelines on actions, designed primarily to reduce contact between people, that community government and health officials can take to try to limit the spread of infection should a pandemic flu develop. Appendix 9 contains information for individuals and families.
Plan Now to Be Ready for the Next Flu Pandemic
How to Clean and Disinfect Surfaces at Home and in Public Places (CDC)
Will the seasonal flu shot protect me against pandemic influenza?
No, it won't protect you against pandemic influenza. But flu shots can help you to stay healthy.
Get a flu shot to help protect yourself from seasonal flu.
Get a pneumonia shot to prevent secondary infection if you are over the age of 65 or have a chronic illness such as diabetes or asthma. For specific guidelines, talk to your health care provider or call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hotline at 1-800-232-4636.
Make sure that your family's immunizations are up-to-date.
Take common-sense steps to limit the spread of germs. Make good hygiene a habit.
Wash hands frequently with soap and water.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
Put used tissues in a waste basket.
Cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve if you don't have a tissue.
Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Stay at home if you are sick.
It is always a good idea to practice good health habits.
Eat a balanced diet. Be sure to eat a variety of foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. Also include low-fat dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, and beans. Drink lots of water and go easy on salt, sugar, alcohol, and saturated fat.
Exercise on a regular basis and get plenty of rest.
top of page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get Informed
Knowing the facts is the best preparation. Identify sources you can count on for reliable information. If a pandemic occurs, having accurate and reliable information will be critical.
Reliable, accurate, and timely information is available at www.pandemicflu.gov.
Another source for information on pandemic influenza is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Hotline at: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636). This line is available in English and Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY: 1-888-232-6348. Questions can be e-mailed to cdcinfo@cdc.gov.
Look for information on your local and state government Web sites. Links are available to each state department of public health at www.cdc.gov/other.htm#states.
Listen to local and national radio, watch news reports on television, and read your newspaper and other sources of printed and Web-based information.
Talk to your local health care providers and public health officials.
As you begin your individual or family planning, you may want to review your state's planning efforts and those of your local public health and emergency preparedness officials. Many of the state plans and other planning information can be found at pandemicflu.gov/plan/state/index.html.
top of page
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Guidance
Interim Public Health Guidance for the Use of Facemasks and Respirators in Non-Occupational Community Settings during an Influenza Pandemic (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Provides information on influenza transmission and gives recommendations on when to use masks and respirators in public settings and communities. Gives additional actions to reduce the possibility of infection.
Community Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Mitigation (PDF - 10.3 MB)
CDC guidelines on actions, designed primarily to reduce contact between people, that community government and health officials can take to try to limit the spread of infection should a pandemic flu develop. Appendix 9 contains information for individuals and families.
Plan Now to Be Ready for the Next Flu Pandemic
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Stay Safe From Swine Flu
Staying Safe from Swine Flu
Andrew L. Rubman, ND
Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines
esterday, the World Health Organization raised the influenza pandemic alert to phase 5 on its "pandemic alert" scale, meaning that there is "widespread human infection" in at least two countries. "At this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities." Whether or not swine flu will become a full-blown pandemic remains unclear -- but there’s absolutely no question that everyone would benefit from measures to strengthen their immune systems to minimize the likelihood of infection.
I have written numerous times about flu prevention with regard to both the "standard" flu viruses as well as avian flu, so I have pulled together the most significant and helpful information to help you protect yourself. These are good strategies at all times but especially important and relevant right now.
It’s vital to follow all the same commonsense advice we’ve ever heard about staying healthy during the annual flu season: Wash your hands often... avoid exposure to infected people... try not to touch your face, as this is a common way germs are transmitted... cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze... and get plenty of fresh air.
IMMUNE-BUILDING STRATEGIES
According to Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, there are a number of particular strategies that are helpful in boosting your immune system in order to be strong enough to fight off the assault of germs. He is quick to point out that the real danger has less to do with exposure than with the state of your health at the moment -- being exposed to a virus doesn’t mean you absolutely will get it. Organisms are able to cause disease only when they can get past the body’s defenses. A strong immune system will help limit the duration and intensity of symptoms.
Dr. Rubman’s favorite immune boosters to fight viral infections:
Selenium: A Powerful Antioxidant
This essential trace mineral is a valuable antioxidant that prevents cell damage from free radicals. Selenium helps the immune system recognize viruses and block them from entering cells, explains Dr. Rubman. He recommends a dose of 400 micrograms (mcg) to 500 mcg a day divided into three parts -- that is about four times the usual.
Lomatium
Another potent and powerful weapon against flu is a plant called Lomatium dissectum, a member of the parsley family that grows in the northwestern US. This herb was traditionally used by Native Americans to treat upper respiratory infections and is thought to possess antimicrobial properties as well.
Specialized formulations of Lomatium are available to physicians, but consumers can purchase Lomatium - Osha throat spray (Eclectic Institute). Lomatium is most effective if used as soon as possible after a known exposure (such as a person with whom you work or attend school).
Vitamins
Supplemental vitamin C and D are both very helpful -- C in improving mucous membrane resistance, which is how the virus is most commonly transmitted, and D in reducing risk of infection (and if you do get sick, severity).
Red-Hot Chili Peppers: A Spicy, Immune-Boosting Tea
Another of Dr. Rubman’s flu-fighting favorites is a spicy tea concocted from echinacea, goldenseal, slippery elm bark and just a touch of the red-hot pepper capsicum. Echinacea, goldenseal and capsicum team up to fight off germs, while slippery elm allows the tea to coat the back of the throat, where viruses are most likely to take hold.
Here’s how to make it: At your local health-food store, purchase one-half ounce of powdered goldenseal root... one-half ounce of powdered echinacea root (not the whole plant)... two ounces of slippery elm bark powder... and one teaspoon of capsicum.
At home, put ingredients in a brown paper bag or plastic baggie, close tightly and shake. Transfer the contents to a screw-top jar. Give this jar a shake each time you use it in order to remix the ingredients.
To make the tea, pour one cup of very hot water into a mug over one-half teaspoon of the powder.
Cover and steep for five minutes. Sip up to several cups daily throughout flu season.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
It is important enough to repeat -- wash your hands. It’s age-old advice that remains critical. Wash hands before eating... before leaving the bathroom... and indeed, anytime they are dirty.
Andrew L. Rubman, ND, medical director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut.
Andrew L. Rubman, ND
Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines
esterday, the World Health Organization raised the influenza pandemic alert to phase 5 on its "pandemic alert" scale, meaning that there is "widespread human infection" in at least two countries. "At this stage, effective and essential measures include heightened surveillance, early detection and treatment of cases, and infection control in all health facilities." Whether or not swine flu will become a full-blown pandemic remains unclear -- but there’s absolutely no question that everyone would benefit from measures to strengthen their immune systems to minimize the likelihood of infection.
I have written numerous times about flu prevention with regard to both the "standard" flu viruses as well as avian flu, so I have pulled together the most significant and helpful information to help you protect yourself. These are good strategies at all times but especially important and relevant right now.
It’s vital to follow all the same commonsense advice we’ve ever heard about staying healthy during the annual flu season: Wash your hands often... avoid exposure to infected people... try not to touch your face, as this is a common way germs are transmitted... cover your mouth and nose with a tissue (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze... and get plenty of fresh air.
IMMUNE-BUILDING STRATEGIES
According to Daily Health News contributing editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, there are a number of particular strategies that are helpful in boosting your immune system in order to be strong enough to fight off the assault of germs. He is quick to point out that the real danger has less to do with exposure than with the state of your health at the moment -- being exposed to a virus doesn’t mean you absolutely will get it. Organisms are able to cause disease only when they can get past the body’s defenses. A strong immune system will help limit the duration and intensity of symptoms.
Dr. Rubman’s favorite immune boosters to fight viral infections:
Selenium: A Powerful Antioxidant
This essential trace mineral is a valuable antioxidant that prevents cell damage from free radicals. Selenium helps the immune system recognize viruses and block them from entering cells, explains Dr. Rubman. He recommends a dose of 400 micrograms (mcg) to 500 mcg a day divided into three parts -- that is about four times the usual.
Lomatium
Another potent and powerful weapon against flu is a plant called Lomatium dissectum, a member of the parsley family that grows in the northwestern US. This herb was traditionally used by Native Americans to treat upper respiratory infections and is thought to possess antimicrobial properties as well.
Specialized formulations of Lomatium are available to physicians, but consumers can purchase Lomatium - Osha throat spray (Eclectic Institute). Lomatium is most effective if used as soon as possible after a known exposure (such as a person with whom you work or attend school).
Vitamins
Supplemental vitamin C and D are both very helpful -- C in improving mucous membrane resistance, which is how the virus is most commonly transmitted, and D in reducing risk of infection (and if you do get sick, severity).
Red-Hot Chili Peppers: A Spicy, Immune-Boosting Tea
Another of Dr. Rubman’s flu-fighting favorites is a spicy tea concocted from echinacea, goldenseal, slippery elm bark and just a touch of the red-hot pepper capsicum. Echinacea, goldenseal and capsicum team up to fight off germs, while slippery elm allows the tea to coat the back of the throat, where viruses are most likely to take hold.
Here’s how to make it: At your local health-food store, purchase one-half ounce of powdered goldenseal root... one-half ounce of powdered echinacea root (not the whole plant)... two ounces of slippery elm bark powder... and one teaspoon of capsicum.
At home, put ingredients in a brown paper bag or plastic baggie, close tightly and shake. Transfer the contents to a screw-top jar. Give this jar a shake each time you use it in order to remix the ingredients.
To make the tea, pour one cup of very hot water into a mug over one-half teaspoon of the powder.
Cover and steep for five minutes. Sip up to several cups daily throughout flu season.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
It is important enough to repeat -- wash your hands. It’s age-old advice that remains critical. Wash hands before eating... before leaving the bathroom... and indeed, anytime they are dirty.
Andrew L. Rubman, ND, medical director, Southbury Clinic for Traditional Medicines, Southbury, Connecticut.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
