Germans Unhappy with Alternative Swine Flu Vaccine for Politicians

SPIEGEL ONLINE ^ | 10/19/2009

[Mount Athos]

Damage control is the name of the game in Berlin on Monday as politicians rush to deny that they are receiving a better, safer swine flu vaccine than ordinary Germans. The first of 50 million doses arrived in Germany on Monday.

But with news breaking over the weekend that top government officials in Berlin will be injected with an alternative vaccine -- one widely seen as safer -- a debate about an alleged two-class medical system has erupted.

The controversy centers on an additive included in the vaccine manufactured by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. The additive includes an inactive strain of the entire flu virus as opposed to virus fragments. Critics say the additive can increase the risk of side effects from the flu vaccine such as fevers and headaches.

An Interior Ministry spokesman told SPIEGEL that the Baxter vaccine had been ordered for all ministries and other agencies as well as for the employees of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, the authority responsible for approving vaccines.

The Green Party's health expert Biggi Bender said that the separate vaccines amount to "big risk for the people, little risk for the government. This type of second-class medicine cannot be allowed to exist in a democracy."

Leading physicians also complained about the planned vaccination. The head of the Institute for Hygiene and Public Health at the University of Bonn, Martin Exner, said: "The fact that politicians and top civil servants in ministries will be vaccinated with a vaccine other than the people is a terrible sign. Today politicians must take what they recommend."

Virologist Alexander Kekulé Hall of the University Hospital said the fact "that the members of the Federal Government and the authorities have any other vaccine is a scandal."

[Mount Athos]

edited for brevity

[albie]

“This type of second-class medicine cannot be allowed to exist in a democracy.”

...and certainly not in a republic like ours used to be!

[MrB]

Under the amorphous term “democracy”, all manner of collectivist depravity is allowed to fester and grow,

into what they’re seeing now.

[TheThirdRuffian]

That’s the nature of socialized medicine.

I am not sure why they are surprised.

[Marty62]

Oh yes, that nasty Elitist health care system. Little people get the C***, while the Overlords get the Cadillac.

[Oldpuppymax]

And you can bet THIS story will get bigtime play on CNN!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Former Proud Canadian]

Well, in a democracy, some people are more equal than others, aren't they?

Apologies to G. Orwell.

[Hans]

Would anyone be suprised if the same were true in the US.

[theDentist]

"Some of us are more equal than others...
especially if we're in Government Service."

[dawn53]

The politicians are taking the vaccine w/out thimerosol, but we all know thimerosal causes no problems. /sarc

The flu vaccines in this country pretty much all contain thimerosal. You can ask for a thimerosal free vaccine, but the hypocrisy is that they claim to have eliminated thimerosal in vaccines for children, yet they give millions of children a vaccine each year (the flu vaccine) with thimerosal in it.

[PGR88]

These idiots are so in love with State dictates and elitist-control of their lives (including health-care), they should overlook such minor things as this.

Here in NY State, the SEIU is protesting NY State’s ordering of mandatory vaccinations for SEIU health-care workers. How hypocritical they are - they promote Gov’t take over everyone’s health-care, but don’t want to live with the consequences!

[Happyinmygarden]

But, but, but Euopean socialized medicine is so much better than anything we have! They know how to do everything so much better than we do.

And, yes, this is sarcasm, in case you don’t catch that.

[the invisib1e hand]

i’m sure hini is an attempted manufactured crisis. leftists have to have a crisis, or they can’t consolidate power.

[Jewbacca]

It’s not the thimersol; there is an additive to “boost” effectiness in the the socialized-medicine-made vaccine.

The American (pre-Obama control) vaccine is free of this junk.

[mysterio]

I'm unhappy with it, too. If this story turns out to be true, it means that the idiot politicians actually believe the unscientific BS being spread by the anti-vaccine crowd. And this gives them fuel to spread their BS even further.

It's amazing how many people would rather potentially die of the flu than get a shot that they believe has imaginary evil powers.

[Frogtacos]

It's amazing how many people would rather potentially die of the flu than get a shot that they believe has imaginary evil powers.

I guess Im one of those morons. Although, I dont 'believe it has evil powers'. I dont get the flu shots simply because I dont want to. Never have, never will.

[Leftism is Mentally Deranged]

Politicians taking the best for themselves! Wow! What a surprise!
< / sarkazm>

[KarinG1]

That’s not the worst part. Old people, the infirm and Jews are likely having trouble getting even the second-class vaccine. Socialized medicine at its finest. Eat your heart out Michael Moore, you’ve already eaten everything else.

[KarinG1]

Sometimes I have imaginary evil powers, but I only use them for good. With great imaginary power comes great imaginary responsibility.

[mysterio]

If the risk of the flu is something that doesn't worry you, don't get the shot, by all means.

Of course I have no problem with that. Where I take issue is with those who spread the BS about the shot and convince others to put themselves at risk.

[Frogtacos]

Where I take issue is with those who spread the BS about the shot and convince others to put themselves at risk.

With an issue this large (the swine flu shot) and so much information being put out for and against it, I feel it is everyones responsibility to do their own research, decide for themselves the best course of action, then of course do or dont. People that blindly accept or deny anything this controversial without looking into it themselves are nothing more than sheeple.

[mysterio]

I feel it is everyones responsibility to do their own research, decide for themselves the best course of action, then of course do or dont.

I agree completely.

[the long march]

And the type of vaccine they are taking also does not have the various adjuvunts ——things like squalene. Improves your changes of NOT getting something like Guillian- Barre

[Ditto]

An Interior Ministry spokesman told SPIEGEL that the Baxter vaccine had been ordered for all ministries and other agencies as well as for the employees of the Paul Ehrlich Institute, the authority responsible for approving vaccines.

Wow. I had a chill go down my spine when I saw 'Paul Erlich' but I did a check... it's a different Paul Erlich than the leftist enviro-nut job at Stanford who thinks we have way too many people on the planet. The German 'Erlich' was a 19th century doctor ... not the current anti-human junk scientist.

[TheThirdRuffian]

I would agree with you if there are no manufacturing issues.

Me, I suspect quality-control issues.

[Tennessee Nana]

PING

[fanfan]

Hmmm.

[fanfan]

The American (pre-Obama control) vaccine is free of this junk.

The H1N1 Vaccine was made after zero took control, and it does have a booster from what I understand. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[fanfan]

.....than get a shot that they believe has imaginary evil powers

CBS 60 Min - 1976 Swine Flu Vaccination Fraud- Aired Nov 1979

The fear is based on facts.

[neverdem]

The controversy centers on an additive included in the vaccine manufactured by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline. The additive includes an inactive strain of the entire flu virus as opposed to virus fragments. Critics say the additive can increase the risk of side effects from the flu vaccine such as fevers and headaches.

It sounds like a political blunder, but it may be for the wrong reason, i.e. the extra inactive strain of the entire flu virus may be more effective in generating a better an immune response, at least as measured by the antibody response.

Effect of prophylactic paracetamol administration at time of vaccination on febrile reactions and antibody responses in children: two open-label, randomised controlled trials

Paracetamol is what the Brits call Tylenol.

[mysterio]

You do realize that GBS can be a complication of having the actual flu itself, correct?

Why does the anti-vaccine crowd always forget to mention that?

[fanfan]

Since I am trying to inform myself, I googled “ GBS and flu complications”, and found this...

http://www.google.ca/search?q=+GBS+and+flu+complications&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

So then I googled “GBS caused by flu”, and found this....

http://www.google.ca/search?q=GBS+caused+by+flu&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a

I appreciate your help here, so could you put up a link?
Thanks.

[mysterio]

Guillain-Barre syndrome is not hereditary or contagious. What causes GBS is not known; however, in about half of all cases the onset of the syndrome follows a viral or bacterial infection

In about 60 percent of cases, an infection of the lungs or the digestive tract (such as a throat infection, flu or sometimes a bacterial infection such as salmonella) precedes the disorder.

The occurrence of GBS after the flu vaccine is one case per million doses.

Avoiding the flu shot doesn't protect you from GBS.

[fanfan]

Thank you.

[Jewbacca]

To clarify: the American-made, but sold to Germans, vaccine is free from this junk.

English is not my primary language; I am sorry to be confusing.

[fanfan]

The one the politicians are getting?

Your English seems pretty good to me. :-)

[Jewbacca]

Yes, the special vaccine being given to German politicians in manufactured by an American company -— I think Baxter.