Flu vaccine

WhitbyJet

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1,597
My lovely Italian nurse told me this morning that the flu vaccines by makers Novartis have been banned in Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Austria.
Google 'Novartis flu vaccine banned in Italy' although Novartis insist their vaccines are safe.
After GlaxoSmithKline performance with Avandia I have become rather cynical.
Thoughts of the NHS being offered cheap flu vaccine that the rest of Europe has refused enter my head, probably paranoia setting in I don't know.
But it's good to be aware??
Stay safe and healthy all of you out there x x
 

Superchip

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GP's, Diabetes Nurses.Crazy NHS guidelines on diet for Diabetics, they are seeing off millions.
Cheap Whisky !
Whitby, I was offered and took the flu jab in 1994 after transplant, it put me in bed for 2 weeks, I don't know what brand it was but that was enough for me. I have refused them every year since.
Maybe I've been lucky, but no sign of flu since.
I do drink a lot of alcohol, perhaps that just works for me, well that is my excuse !

Nothing wrong with being cynical my friend, especially with the state of the NHS these days.

Regards Superchip
 

insanity

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Typical. I've had mine and was ok but my poor mum's had a persistant cold ever since she got hers! Wouldn't mind but this is the first time ever we've both gone for the jab! Typical!
 

Sid Bonkers

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Had mine yesterday and I'm still here this morning :D

And with no ill effects either, no bruise or even an ache which I usually get for a day or so after having it.

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/10/2 ... alian-ban/

Is it Novartis who supply the NHS? Or do they get supplies from various sources?
 

phoenix

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When my daughter was a student she spent her placement year working (in a tiny capacity) on flu vaccines for Evans medical in Liverpool who used to supply the NHS.
Just looked it up and they are now owned by Novartis.
 

daisy1

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I had mine, and I live in Switzerland, with no ill effects. But now the vaccine has been withdrawn so no-one else can be protected from the flu. I wonder which is worse - the flu or the current vaccine ?
 

phoenix

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It seems that the vaccine in question was produced in Italy.
http://www.novartisvaccines.com/fluinfo/
The Novartis manufacturing unit in Liverpool is 'the UK’s only large-scale producer of influenza vaccines'
http://www.novartis.co.uk/about/facts_figures.shtml
I would assume (and it's not always safe to assume I know) that any Novartis flu vaccine used in the UK was more likely to come from the UK than Italy.

I suspect my flu vaccine will be made by Sanofi aventis; the French like to buy their own products.
 

Buuuda

Newbie
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Ahhhhh the dreaded 'flu jab' :lol: i haven't been to my gp to have one for the last 4 years and have been fine, this was because i used to have a flu jab annually and was fine but 4 years ago i went in for the routine jab and chat with the nurse and everything was fine until 2 days later when i was rushed to hospital because of a soaring fever and constant vomiting. Also my BSL were through the through and then dropping within minutes. There fore i swore i would never take one again, saying that my partner has asked me repeatedly to have one so i may look into them again, any advice on weather the jab has changed over the last few years?? thnakyou
 

Hellbunny

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Mine was Fluarix, had it done 3 weeks ago but caught the flu regardless, even though the nurse said if i have the jab its impossible for me to have the flu this year. (by the way it was the flu, not just a common cold)
 

Alan Eadie

Member
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Had mine but if you read up on it you will find it is no more effective than a placebo.

All the test results were made and manipulated by the producing companies.

Alan Eadie
 

Napolyon1

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55
Type of diabetes
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Had my flu jab few weeks back I'm still breathing! Surely all man made drugs carry some kind of health warning. My epilepsy drug can ruin the liver. Take care you all!
 

World Hereafter

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Doesn't surprise me about that vaccine being banned elsewhere... I've been offered it countless times and always refuse it. Every aurumn our GP's surgery is decked out like a Grotto, except with FLU JAB dedcorations and all the nurses and HCP wearing huge jab badges on their uniforms :lol:

Every time I see a Nurse or GP they instantly want to give me the jab, and insist on asking why I always refuse (apart from safety concerns, they use last year's flu virus each time they create it, so it seems pointless). In fact, my first Diabetes appt with Nurse last week, the Flu Jab was already out and ready on the desk and the very first thing she talked about, and the ONLY thing she offered in terms of any treatment or help for the Diabetes.

I've never met anyone who got the jab and then didn't get flu or a cold that same year.
 

Ruth3

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I would get into trouble if I told you, but I am a red. I support dogs donkeys birds Palestine and Rspca.
I am going for my flu jab tomorrow our surgery have just got a supply wonder if they sourced somewhere else, my partner a nurse had his ages ago. :|