2011 seasonal flu vaccine

Every Autumn I get the seasonal flu vaccine and every year I worry about having it. It can be difficult making the decision, particularly since you can experience mild symptoms for a few days and in very rare cases,  extreme reactions such as Anaphylaxis (you have to wait for 15 minutes after the shot so that  medical staff know that you are OK) and Guillain-Barré Syndrome. 

However, if you weigh up the benefits and decide to have it administered,  the vaccine is available free of charge to individuals who fall into particular groups. Everyone else will have to pay around $25.00 to have the vaccine administered (plus the cost of the consultation). However, some pharmacies provide a nurse who will administer the vaccine without prescription. (Cost around $30.00).

The recommended composition of the influenza virus vaccines for use in the 2011 southern hemisphere winter influenza season is:

A/California/7/2009 (H1N1)-like virus (Swine Flu)

A/Perth/16/2009 (H3N2)-like virus (Bird Flu)*

B/Brisbane/60/2008-like virus.

*A/Wisconsin/15/2009 and A/Victoria/210/2009 are A/Perth/16/2009-like viruses.

The government seasonal influenza vaccine brands in 2011 are:

Fluvax® (CSL Biotherapies)

Influvac® (Abbott) and

Vaxigrip® (Sanofi-aventis).

(Source: Victorian Health Department)

CSL ~ vaccine concern

nicola.roxon.mp@aph.gov.au
Dear Ms Roxon,

As Minister for Health and Ageing are you able to advise whether CSL has addressed the issue outlined to them in a letter from Mary A. Malarkey, Director, Office of Compliance and Biologics Quality, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, United States in June this year, regarding CSL non-compliance with good practice in the production of the 2009/2010 seasonal flu vaccine?
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ComplianceActivities/Enforcement/UntitledLetters/ucm217293.htm
Given that CSL is seeking to expand its biotechnology business in Australia over the next five years and will no doubt be involved in providing vaccines, other therapies and medicines in the future, it is vital that consumers of these products be assured of the veracity of reporting and safety surrounding such production.

http://www.csl.com.au/s1/cs/auhq/1187378853299/news/1255924559119/prdetail.htm
Are you able to alleviate my (and others) concerns about possible contamination of the seasonal flu vaccine and whether this contamination affects public health in any way?

I look forward to hearing from you,

Kind regards,
Julie

Western medicine?

I've just received the results of blood tests taken last week at the height of my recent illness and am more than a little annoyed with western medicine, not because results show I have a Vitamin D deficiency ~ apparently that's quite common, but because on 1 April 2010 I dutifully had my seasonal flu vaccine, but I've just tested positive to the Influenza Type A virus - no wonder I've been bloody sick for the past week! Any faith that I had in western medicine is quickly dwindling. The results of my chest x-ray show that I am indeed suffering from a virus, but it's still not confirmed whether I have viral or bacterial pneumonia or something else. I suppose that I shouldn't complain ~ I've been well enough to continue doing the things that I planned on doing during the week, but am annoyed that, because I was unaware of what I had, I probably helped spread the disease throughout the community! Should I feel guilty? The jury is still out on that one ~ after all, I caught it from someone.

Saturday morning thoughts...

I've been awake for hours, surfing from one thing to the other on the Internet. The last thing I looked at before it began raining a couple of minutes ago was information about the Swine flu vaccine. Every year I get vaccinated and every year I still get afflicted with something. Although last Winter I was quite well, but that was probably due to the fact that it wasn't as cold as previous years. I find rain comforting, not that I necessarily need to be comforted, here on a Saturday morning in North Melbourne, but the soft, regular sound of the rain has a pleasing affect. The sky is white and there's an occasional sound from a train leaving the nearby station. From my lounge-room window I can see cars and trucks moving along Macauley Road towards Bolte Bridge - the road is rarely empty - even at 3am there's always someone driving West. My apartment on the first level has a view of my neighbours roofs. Every time I see all the aerials poking upwards towards the sky I think of the film Fahrenheit 451 (Francois Truffaut, 1966) - book burning, lack of critical thought, the importance of the televised image, the power of narrative and memory. It's easy to sit here with soft rain-drops gliding on the window, the tree outside in a slight quiver of anticipation, the illusion that all is well and I'm sure it is. This all reminds me of last July, or was it August - a name I wrote with my finger gently on the foggy glass, the romantic exchange, distant, but still alluring. Enough! That's gone. Soon I'll be domestic and then go out in the rain. I hope it lasts long enough. I hope I'm not too slow.