Among a parents’ fears are the fear of autism, fear of children becoming paralyzed by novel reactions similar to the syndrome that occurred with a different type of swine flu vaccine in 1976. For example, the Nov. 24, 2004 Journal of the American Medical Association article, Guillain-Barré Syndrome Following Influenza Vaccination reports on this danger. According to the article’s abstract,
“An unexplained increase in the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) occurred among recipients of the swine influenza vaccine in 1976-1977. Guillain-Barré syndrome remains the most frequent neurological condition reported after influenza vaccination to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) since its inception in 1990.”
The problem is that the onset of serious side effects could take four weeks or longer to appear. The Journal of the American Medical Association article noted,
“From July 1990 through June 2003, VAERS received 501 reports of GBS following influenza vaccination in adults. The median onset interval (13 days) was longer than that of non-GBS reports of adverse events after influenza vaccine (1 day) (P<.001). The annual reporting rate decreased 4-fold from a high of 0.17 per 100 000 vaccinees in 1993-1994 to 0.04 in 2002-2003 (P<.001). A GBS diagnosis was confirmed in 82% of reports. Preceding illness within 4 weeks of vaccination was identified in 24% of reported cases.”
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