December 6, 2003*                   

Flu virus attacks child despite vaccination - Health of twins declined rapidly after weekly - Rocky Mountain News - "On Monday, Dezmond got sick. Diego followed the next day...But the parents weren't worried - both boys had had their flu shots, and a doctor's visit ended with a prescription."

Comment:  Regardless the cause, this is a terrible tragedy.  But did this child die in spite of having been vaccinated or because of it?  While it sometimes is impossible to determine what happened in a particular child's case, only by doing population studies, comparing vaccinated to never vaccinated, can an understanding of the overall effects of vaccination be ascertained.

With Flu Cases Spreading, Demand for Vaccine Grows - The New York Times (registration and/or subscription required) - "With influenza cases surging in at least 10 states, vaccine makers said yesterday that they had shipped out their entire supplies, and health officials said they were trying to determine whether there was enough vaccine left to immunize people who still want flu shots. More vaccine cannot be made in time for this year's flu season."

An about-face on flu shots - Because of shortages, healthy people asked to forgo getting them - Rocky Mountain News

Comment:  Might there also be a connection between this "about-face" and the death of a flu vaccinated child?

The Clinical Impact of Adverse Event Reporting - Postmarketing Reporting of Adverse Events - FDA - "Another major concern with any spontaneous reporting system is underreporting of adverse events (16, 30-32). It has been estimated that rarely more than 10% of serious ADRs, and 2-4% of non-serious reactions, are reported to the British spontaneous reporting program (30). A similar estimate is that the FDA receives by direct report less than 1% of suspected serious ADRs(32)."

For other estimates of "passive" under-reporting rates, click here.

Ad Campaign Aims to Boost Immunizations - Houston Chronicle via www.immunizationinfo.org

Health Officials Join Effort Seeking Funds for Vaccines - Brockville Recorder & Times via www.immunizationinfo.org - "Ontario public health officials are lobbying to get the provincial government to add the chickenpox, meningitis, and pneumonia vaccines to the government-funded immunization program for children five years of age and under. The province already covers the vaccinations for "high-risk" children under age three, but there is no agreement on who should pay for the wider immunizations."

WHO Announces 2004 to Start Countdown on Polio Eradication in Africa - Xinhua News Agency via www.immunizationinfo.org

Shock as incidence of autism soars in city - The Inverness Courier - "Autism levels among Inverness children are almost double the national average, an audit into city schools has revealed...The study by Highland Council education department has found as many as one primary age child in 49 has been diagnosed with, or awaiting diagnosis of, Autistic Spectrum Disorder in the Inverness area."

Judge rules in favor of WUSD in autism case - Wickenburg Sun - "A Maricopa County Superior Court judge recently ruled against the parent of a 9-year-old autistic boy in his attempt to have the Wickenburg Unified School District pay for his son's tuition at a private learning facility in the Valley."

Mother Drowns Daughter: Cops - B'klyn mom upset over autism diagnosis - www.newsday.com

Speakout: Flu epidemic exposes gaps, weaknesses in Colorado's health-care system for kids - Rocky Mountain News

Redflagsdaily.com - www.redflagsweekly.com

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