Study: Flu shots may not save lives

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/02/15/flu.vaccine.reut/index.html

Tuesday, February 15, 2005 Posted: 10:50 AM EST
(1550 GMT)

CHICAGO, Illinois (Reuters) -- The flu
vaccinations that doctors hoped would save the lives of elderly people have
apparently failed to lower death rates, according to a study by the National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

More people whose health could be put at risk by influenza have heeded the
call to get vaccinated before flu season, but the death rate during the winter
flu season remained the same rather than declining, researchers said.

Based on U.S. mortality rates from 1968 to 2001, the study found no
correlation between increasing vaccination rates after 1980 and declining death
rates in any age group.

"We conclude, therefore, that there are not enough influenza-related deaths
to support the conclusion that vaccination can reduce total winter mortality
among the U.S. elderly population by as much as half," study author Lone
Simonsen wrote in The Archives of Internal Medicine.

Previous studies have estimated that vaccine programs have cut mortality
rates among the elderly by about half.

While the vaccination rate in 2001 rose to 65 percent among elderly Americans
from around 20 percent before 1980, the rate of excess winter deaths has
remained flat instead of declining by an expected 40 percent.

Because deaths spiked in some years when a virulent form of flu was epidemic,
the findings may not be conclusive, the researchers said.

The report suggested earlier observational studies may have had skewed data.

For one thing, influenza sufferers may have died from secondary complications
brought on by flu after their symptoms had passed, it said. In addition,
vaccines often fail to activate antibodies in the elderly.

Further evidence may come after this flu season since an initial U.S.
shortage of flu vaccine should have an effect on mortality rates, one way or the
other, the report said.

"Either way, this vast disconnect between conclusions from different studies
must be sorted out," it said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/HEALTH/02/15/flu.vaccine.reut/index.htm

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/

Bob's flu shot editorial

http://BobMantz.com

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