H1N1: To Vaccinate or Not Vaccinate?

Many of you have asked my opinion as to if you should receive (or give to your children) the H1N1 vaccine.  There is such controversy over this particular vaccine, it has almost come to disruption of jobs and friendships over it. 

So, Here's my stand as a physician:  You need to do what you believe is best for you and your family in good conscious based on facts. 

If I were to tell you to get the vaccine and you had an adverse reaction, then you'd be very upset or angry.  On the other hand, if I told you that it wasn't safe and you didn't get it and had a bad outcome from the H1N1 flu, you'd be just as angry.  I DON'T know the right decision for you and your family, but I really believe that NO ONE has the right to tell you to do one way or the other.  (I have spoken to Paul Gauvreau of the Maine Attorney General's office today and he indicated that the Maine CDC and Public Health Officials cannot force vaccinate anyone in this state.  They would have to get a court order in an extreme situation to do this for an individual.) 

I posted "Second Opinion" two weeks ago giving the current arguments for receiving the vaccine.  I've posted Osteopathic techniques for you to use in the case that you get the flu.  Now I will post links and summaries of articles to help explain the opposing view as to why many experts feel that the vaccine is not safe or has not been adequately tested (thus the public has become a lab of test rats) as well as links to ways to help keep yourself healthy and to protect yourself.

Two of the most informative sites arguing the dangers of the H1N1 vaccine are with Dr. Russell Blaylock and Dr. Joseph Mercola.  You will have a wealth of information to read on this subject.  These two links and others will also be posted under "Educational Materials/Informational Links/General Health", as well as some documents under the "Files to Download" pages at the left, for more information.

Many of our health issues in life are inherited, but most are as a direct result of decisions made in life.  In medicine, you agree to a procedure after you receive adequate information.  We call this "Informed Consent."  You need to read all of the available information and then make your decision.

Update on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 1:33PM by Eva Shay, DO

Here's another interesting perspective about all the hype from Common Ground journal from Canada.

Second Opinion - H1N1 - a town hall meeting

I just had the chance to watch/listen to Second Opinion, a program out of Rochester, NY, NPR television.  The panel of experts discussed many aspects of H1N1 influenza.  We all agree that there are many view points about this coming flu season and the vaccines.  This program has key experts discussing very important issues.  This is the taping of an hour long NPR program, so pull up a chair and get a cup of hot tea and be prepared to listen and take notes. 

I hope to post more information in the coming days from varying perspectives, so that you may make your own informed decisions about the H1N1 vaccine. 

No matter what your decision on this hot topic, if you THINK that you might have the flu:  STAY HOME and avoid contact with other people!!!  DON'T go to work or school and risk spreading the disease.  What may be a mild case of influenza in you, may become a serious case, or even fatal in someone else.

Osteopathy and a Flu Pandemic

A couple of years ago I attended an Osteopathic Manipulation Conference in which David Teitelbaum, DO, was lecturing about the history of the Spanish Flu of 1917-1918.  Did you know that 6% of all people who contracted the Spanish Flu died, but only 1/4 of 1% (0.25%) of those treated with Osteopathic Manipulation died?  During the lecture Dr. Teitelbaum refreshed our memories of the Osteopathic Manipulative techniques utilized almost 100 years ago. 

Many of you will recognize these techniques as ones I've used on you and your loved ones. I often use them with respiratory infections, it works for all of them.  Some of you will recognize that I have taught you these techniques to use if necessary. For you, this is a refresher!  I decided that adding Dr. Teitelbaum's introduction and a link to his teaching videos are now important and timely.

Below is Dr. Teitelbaum's introduction page.  Click on the title to the introduction for the link to his teaching videos.  I strongly recommend that you become very familiar with these techniques NOW as his website may become overloaded when the next influenza pandemic comes.  (Please note, the videos were created as the Bird Flu Pandemic was of utmost concern, but the information is very timely with the current concern for the H1N1 flu.)

If your family or friends are hit with the flu during a pandemic, you may be the ONLY person available to help them.  By learning these Osteopathic Manipulation techniques, you may be the reason they survive.

- Eva Shay, DO

“Survive the Bird Flu Pandemic With Osteopathy”

Medical experts agree that the world is due for a Flu Pandemic. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1917 killed 500,000 people in the United States and over 50 million worldwide. Yet, during that pandemic, those treated with Osteopathic manipulation were 25 times more likely to survive than those treated by conventional means alone.

The reason for the difference concerns mechanical ventilation. Patients with Flu often have their lungs fill up with fluid. When this occurs, mechanical breathing support may be necessary. Current medical practice provides this mechanical support by employing ventilating machines (“ventilators”). In the event of a Bird Flu Pandemic, there would not be enough of these ventilators available.

Before the invention of ventilators, Osteopathic manipulation successfully provided similar breathing support. Faced with a shortage of ventilators, these treatments could be employed just as they were in 1917. In this video, Dr. Teitelbaum demonstrates the treatment methods used successfully by Osteopathic Physicians during that pandemic.

Warning: Although these treatment methods are generally safe and easy to use, they are normally employed only by physicians with years of special training. The treatments should be employed by non-physicians only in emergency conditions, such as in the event of a pandemic when such specialized care is simply not available.