GWS Report: Funny How the Vaccine Message Changed (another blog post--go there for links)

[Guest guest]

GWS Report: Funny How the Vaccine Message Changed

http://anthraxvaccine.blogspot.com

Reading the entire chapter on vaccines, the RAC report does a fairly

good job of reviewing the evidence (with a few notable omissions) and

its recommendations are sound:

from page 125 of the report:

Recent studies have indicated that the current anthrax vaccine is

associated with high rates of acute adverse reactions, particularly in

women. No information is available on rates of persistent symptoms or

multisymptom illness following receipt of the anthrax vaccine. Studies

have not identified excess hospitalizations or outpatient visits for

diagnosed diseases in the weeks and months following receipt of the

vaccine. Limitations in the types of information provided by these

studies, however, indicate a continued need for long term follow up,

to determine whether excess rates of diagnosed or undiagnosed

conditions occur in anthrax vaccine recipients.

and from page 127:

Recommendations

Diverse concerns have been raised in relation to vaccines

received for the Gulf War, but relatively little reliable information

has implicated individual vaccines as prominent risk factors for Gulf

War illness. Several issues related to vaccines received by Gulf War

veterans have not been adequately addressed by existing research.

These include the need for more thorough evaluation of vaccines as

risk factors for chronic health problems in epidemiologic studies, a

definitive study to conclusively evaluate the previously observed

association between squalene antibodies and Gulf War illness, and the

need for longer term evaluation of symptoms and diagnosed diseases

following receipt of the anthrax vaccine.

The Committee therefore recommends the following research:

* In previously- conducted and future epidemiologic studies

of Gulf War veterans, analyze associations between Gulf War illness

and individual vaccines, combinations of vaccines, and total number of

vaccines received using methods that control for potential confounding

by other Gulf War -related exposures.

* Commission a case -control study to provide clear answers

concerning possible associations between Gulf War illness and squalene

antibodies. The study should, at minimum, analyze blinded samples from

well characterized symptomatic and healthy Gulf War veterans for the

presence of squalene antibodies using each of the assays developed for

this purpose. It should also assess whether there is an identifiable

link between levels of squalene antibodies in ill Gulf War veterans

and receipt of the anthrax vaccine or vaccines more generally. The

project should be organized and overseen by qualified investigators

not affiliated with the federal government or civilian scientists

whose initial work raised the squalene issue in relation to Gulf War

illness.

* Evaluate the association of anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA)

with chronic symptoms, Gulf War illness, and diagnosed diseases in

personnel known to have received the anthrax vaccine during the Gulf

War. These health outcomes should also be assessed at least five years

after vaccination in deployment and era subgroups of personnel in the

Millenium Cohort study as well as other groups vaccinated in

association with the military's anthrax vaccine immunization program

and federal anthrax vaccine trials.

But what message did the media get when it interviewed the RAC?

LA Times: " the panel... could find no evidence linking it [GWS] to

depleted uranium shells, anthrax vaccine and infectious diseases. "

US News and World Report: " There are other factors that, while not

likely causes of Gulf War illness, can't be ruled out, Steele said.

These include exposure to nerve agents, exposure to smoke from oil

well fires, and vaccines given to the troops. The panel ruled out

depleted uranium and anthrax vaccine as causes.

The Newshour with Jim Lehrer: " Binns: Many other exposures that

were also happening in the gulf at that time, depleted uranium

munitions, anthrax vaccines, special paints and solvents that were

used, we do say that the evidence does not show that they were

significantly connected. "

Either the evidence is adequate and reliable, in which case you can

" rule out " that exposure as a cause, or you need more evidence and can

say very little about whether that exposure may have caused GWS, and

in how many veterans. In the case of anthrax vaccine the RAC's

chairman and former scientific director are trying to have it both

ways. In so doing, they are mirroring behavior of earlier GW

scientists and administrators criticized in their report. The

Committee's work is critically important to help Gulf War veterans,

yet flaws of this kind diminish the report's (and committee's)

reliability and value to veterans. This is a pity.

Meryl

Meryl Nass, MD

Mount Desert Island Hospital

Bar Harbor, Maine 04609

W 207 288-5081 ext. 1220

C 207 522-5229

H 207 244-9165

pager 207 818-0708

http://anthraxvaccine.blogspot.com

http://www.anthraxvaccine.org

------------------------------------

Our Anthrax information web site: http://www.dallasnw.quik.com/cyberella/

/files/VAERS.pdf

DESTROY QUARANTINED VACCINE:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?robi2662 & amp;amp;amp;amp;1

PETITION TO OVERTURN/REPEAL FERES DOCTRINE

http://www.petitiononline.com/fd1950/petition.html

To visit Dr. Meryl Nass's web site, go to: http://www.anthraxvaccine.org

Also visit: Anthrax Vaccine Benefit vs Risk: http://www.avip2001.net

AND http://www.MajorBates.com/

Anthrax Vaccine Network http://www.ngwrc.org/anthrax/default.asp

Sgt. Larson's story:

http://www.ngwrc.org/anthrax/heroes/sandralarson.htm

http://www.avip2001.net/CongressionalTestimony.htm

Tom Heemstra's new book - http://www.anthraxadeadlyshotinthedark.com/index.html

Contact list owner: Gretchen at: anna_nim@...

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Sheri Nakken, former R.N., MA, Hahnemannian Homeopath

Vaccination Information & Choice Network, Nevada City CA & Wales UK

Vaccines - http://www.wellwithin1.com/vaccine.htm Vaccine Dangers &

Childhood Disease & Homeopathy Email classes start in December 2008