An e-mail my mom wrote re: the bird flu--good points--URGENT!

[jackelope72]

She composed this herself and sent it out to all of the people in our contact list; please pass the message along--we URGENTLY need to spread the word about this!

**********

I don't usually write my own emails of this type, but wait for some well-known person to write it for me and I pass it along. HOWEVER, it does not appear as if that is going to happen this time, so I feel compelled to write to you all and give you a heads-up. You may think what you will, call me what you will, or write what you will; but this is important and you should at least be made aware of it.

This concerns the bird flu once it jumps to humans and is transmitted from human to human. The US government has been putting out some very strong propaganda, and purchasing the vaccine and passing bills regarding this flu. A lot of what they are doing is NOT in the best interest of the American people!

During the 1975 Swine flu scare, then President Ford ordered a large amount of swine flu vaccine. It was later found that the ones that TOOK THE VACCINE were the ones getting the worst cases of the swine flu. People started to refuse to take the vaccine and the US government was left with a huge surplus of unusable vaccine at a cost of billions. The Swine flu killed a few thousand, but certainly not the thousands upon thousands predicted! The 1975 Swine flu was compared to the 1918 Spanish flu, with estimates of 2 or 3 times as many dying from the Swine flu. Obviously this didn't happen.

In 2003 the government was concerned with SARS. WORLDWIDE, SARS killed only between 8,000 and 9,000 people. The "regular" flu killed many, many more. Some reports say twice as many.

The government is comparing the Bird flu to the 1918 Spanish flu with predictions that it will kill 2 to 3 times as many people as the 1918 epidemic. To date, there have only be a very few people die of the Bird flu. The case in Japan where about 80 birds were discovered to have the bird flu showed that all those birds that GOT the bird flu had been vaccinated with an illegal (in Japan) bird vaccine.

President Bush has ordered about $2 BILLION worth of Tamaflu. If you read the reports of some of the specialist you will see that they say Tamaflu is useless. It cannot innoculate against the common everyday flu. Why would the government think that it could innoculate against something they fear will cause a pandemic?

The company the US ordered the vaccine from is Roche. Now, Roche has contracted with another company, Gilead. This is a company that few have heard of, but if you look down its list of stock holders, one of the major holders' name jumps out: Donald Rumsfeld. Yes, that would be Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of Defense. What was it that "Deep Throat" told the 2 reporters in Watergate? "Follow the money and you'll know who is behind this."

The Senate has passed a bill and that bill is now heading into the House of Representatives. It is called Senate Bill 1873, the "Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2005" It was passed without dissent!

This bill sets up BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency)

What would this Agency do?

a.) Set up a new agency -- the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency, or BARDA, to be the single point of authority within the federal government for the advanced research and development of medical countermeasures, including drugs and vaccines, in response to bioterrorism and natural disease outbreaks.

b.) Encourage potential researchers, manufacturers, and health care delivery partners to commit substantial resources to bring new drugs and vaccines to market more quickly.

c.) Provide incentive for the domestic manufacturing of medical countermeasures for pandemic and epidemic diseases.

That doesn't sound so bad, does it? Look at what section 6 of this Bill does:

"...amends the Public Health Service Act by inserting a provision that manufacturers, distributors, and administrators of “a security countermeasure, or a qualified pandemic or epidemic product,” and health care providers using the product “shall be immune from suit or liability caused by or arising out of the design, development, clinical testing and investigation, manufacturing,” and so on, of the product. “…No cause of action shall exist against a person described in subsection (a) for claims for loss of property, personal injury, or death arising out of, reasonably relating to, or resulting from the design, development, sale… use” … of a product “that is a designated security countermeasure or a qualified pandemic or epidemic product by the Secretary in a declaration …”

That's right. They can develop this in a hurry, put it out for the public to use and never test it...never insure its effectiveness...never insure that it is not going to harm anyone.... and never be held accountable! NEVER. by any means....

ALSO... Barda, its working groups AND its advisory boards will be allowed to work in complete and total secrecy. They will be totally exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Oh, you say. I just won't take the vaccine. WRONG!~! Did you know that because of the Homeland Security Act the Secretary of Health and Human Services can mandate that you take the vaccine? That's right. You could be FORCED, against your will, to take a vaccine that hasn't been tested, that could be dangerous..possibly even fatal. But you have no recourse.

If this bill passes the House of Representatives, as it has every indication of doing, we are stepping into an age and area that we have never known in the United States.

Isn't it enough that the President has already spent over $2billion of our taxes on the Tamaflu vaccine that most experts believe to be useless? That the President has lined the pockets of his crony, The Secretary of Defense? Must we now be forced to enter into a time of mandated innoculations, enforced quarantines, restricted travel, and denial of our Constitutional rights?

PLEASE... PLEASE!!!!! Contact your Representative today!! Email them, call them, flood them with your requests that Senate Bill 1873 NOT make it through the House!!!

PLEASE!!! Let's stop this insanity now!!!!

God bless you all.

***EDITED TO REMOVE NAME & E-MAIL ADDRESS***

[Kagemusha]

1. For the last freaking time, Tamiflu is not a vaccine.

That's the first thing I ever heard about it and it doesn't seem to have sunk in out there in world at large...

[WePurrsevere]

5. Information about Tamiflu... Orally Treats & Reduces...

[kestrel91316]

6. What Kagemusha said. Sheesh, when are they going to start

teaching some basic preventive health care in high school? This level of ignorance is getting annoying.

[CoffeeCat]

10. I know...I stopped reading this post because there were so many...

medical and factual errors in it--that I couldn't take it seriously.

President Bush is not "buying up vaccine". There is no vaccine against bird flu.

Also, everyone in the medical community (and many that don't have medical training!) understand that Tamiflu does NOT PREVENT BIRD FLU! The person who wrote this email is making the case that "some scientists" say that Tamiflu won't prevent bird flu.

No one says it will. No one makes that claim.

Tamiflu, in many studies on mice, was shown to impede (or slow down) the spread of the flu--once you all ready have it. Tamiflu is widely understood and known in the medical community as a drug that helps to shorten the time a person has the flu--and it may lessen symptoms. My own doctor told me this also--when I got my Tamiflu Rx last month.

I do not take seriously the email from this person.

I've been reading for 18 months about bird flu--lots of scientific and medical articles/journals. I know more than this person--and I am certainly not a professional.

I urge EVERYONE to PLEASE do your own research. Everyone here is an independent thinker. So please--read the research. Dig in.

I have to say---this email is not something I would take seriously and it greatly concerns me that anyone would.

[JJackFlash]

11. Agreed

It's short on medical accuracy and long on conspiracy theory.

[CoffeeCat]

20. True....and hey--I have no problem with a conspiracy theory...

However, it should be rooted in facts.

This email was riddled with medical misnomers that even me--a stay-at-home-mom--can spot.

If you want a conspiracy theory, here's one for ya---

How come so many people seem bound and determined to convince Democrats that bird flu is just Republican fear mongering?

I'm seriously wondering if Junior didn't make those outrageous "I'll bring in the military and quarantine ya!" statements just to make the Dems erroneously believe that bird flu is no more valid than the terror alert color chart.

[JJackFlash]

21. DUrs are highly skeptical of the bird flu

but there's no point in worrying about it unless it really does mutate and take off.

I know the Pentagon is Chimpy's favorite branch of govt, but a quarantine wouldn't be effective against a pandemic flu.

[CoffeeCat]

22. I think many DUers are skeptical...

...because Junior has placed himself front and center---using bird flu to fear monger. Just like he does with terrorism.

However, this is a gravely serious issue. Bird flu has been a serious issue that the World Health Organization has been discussing for many months.

DUers need to do their own research about bird flu. Read the journal articles. Read "Scientific American" and "Nature". Listen to what the scientists and independent researchers say.

Junior will capitalize on any subject--if it helps him frighten US citizens. However, that doesn't mean that bird flu is a hoax.

It's a very serious situation.

Also--if I may say--you are right, there really is nothing to worry about unless it mutates into a form that allows human-->human transmission. However, when that happens, it will spread like wildfire across the world, and by that time--Tamiflu will be inaccessible. Does anyone want to be totally defenseless and unprepared when all hell breaks loose?

That's like saying that there's no need to worry about a tidal wave--until you can see that it's coming. By the time you see it--chances are, you're sunk.

Just be prepared DUers. Read on your own. Do you research. And for God's sakes--don't allow Bush's crapola allow you to form ANY opinion of bird flu. Many respected scientists, doctors and researchers have been discussing bird flu for a long time.

Listen to them.

[JJackFlash]

23. I'm well informed about bird flu

and my understanding is that you should not count on Tamiflu to help.

Tamiflu has not prevented those sickened by bird flu from dying. It's been speculated that if you gave victims double the usual dose of Tamiflu over the course of a month it might prevent death.

As far as accessibility, Tamiflu is already inaccessible, I believe.
Just forget about Tamiflu.

Myself, I won't take be taking anything, thank you.

[donco6]

12. If I may say, Amen.

We don't need more misinformation like this spreading around. There may be real issues with the govt's response to the Avian Flu threat, but stuff like this only confuses and terrifies people needlessly.

[mzmolly]

24. 911 wasn't connected to Iraq either but the Government has a way

of confusing people. Especially given the fact that Rumsfeld will profit directly from TAMAFLU sales.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

30. But Rummie owns lots of stock in it! Shouldn't we support him?

that lying torturing piece of filth?

[havocmom]

2. better edit out her email address

not good to put that on the web, and I believe it may be a violation of DU rules, for good reason ;)

Like her letter. Sounds like an interesting and thoughtful lady!

[bonito]

3. Can any one say ... FEAR

recommended,I know their game.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. Don't we all?

[MuseRider]

4. Tamiflu

will help if you get the flu but it is not a vaccine nor will it prevent you from getting the flu. Neither will Relenza or Amantidine, they are for treatment of the symptoms and could very easily make the difference between living or dying but that still depends on a lot and can't ever be said for certain.

The Swine Flu vaccine was a terrible mess. I had to take it as a city employee. None of us got sick. I do not recall that people died from getting Swine Flu from the vaccine but there were a good number of people who got Guillaine Barre syndrom from it and many of those died.

Is your mother a physician? She should not be sending out letters with medical information in them if she is not and if she has not gotten it from a medical source and it does not sound like she has.

[Ladyhawk]

7. From what little I know, I spot some misinformation in this e-mail.

Tamiflu, for example, is spelled T-A-M-I-F-L-U (not "Tamaflu") and is NOT a vaccine. Just knowing that much makes me suspect the rest of the letter. Is it written by a doctor? If not, I wouldn't quote it at ALL. I would have to look into some of the other claims regarding legislation before the House to find out if there is a danger in that regard.

[WePurrsevere]

8. She has some excellent points & info.. Tamiflu...

"Tamiflu is for treating adults, adolescents, and pediatric patients 1year of age and older with the flu whose flu symptoms started within the last day or two. Tamiflu is also used to reduce the chance of getting the flu in people age 13 and older who have a higher chance of getting the flu because they spend time with someone who has the flu. Tamiflu can also reduce the chance of getting the flu if there is a flu outbreak in the community."

[donco6]

9. Yes, we get it: vaccines bad, . . .

. . . Vaccines bad, crystal ball says flu won't spread to humans, keep the govt from coming into your house and inoculating you against your will. . . .

Oh brother.

And like the others said, Tamiflu is not a vaccine. Even a BASIC understanding of it would have brought that out.

[progressivebydesign]

14. While there were inaccuracies, no reason to attack the Mom!

Geez. Some manners here would be nice. Yes, there are some fallacies in that email she wrote. Tamiflu is not a vaccine, I think we can all agree with that, tho a poster mentioned it had some value in preventing flu in some people. Other than that, she's right on in her information about BARDA and about Rumsfeld. She's absolutely right about forcing vaccines on us without any consequences for deathly side effects, if they exist.

While the email was a bit emotional, she had some good info. Perhaps a more productive use of response here, would be to provide some links for jackalope's Mom to correct her email, rather than repeatedly attacking her.

[MuseRider]

16. Only because

incorrect medical advice or information can harm large numbers of people or kill them or at the very least cause them to make panic decisions or not listen to correct advice. Those are a few reasons why.

[progressivebydesign]

38. Well I GET that, but attacking a DUers Mom is not the way to fix it.

I thought we were all friends around here. The point is that people here could have easily pointed out her mistakes, in a kind fashion.. instead it was attack mode because the person posting her email had less than 1,000 posts. I get a kick out of DU sometimes, watching people attack those under 1,000 posts, when some of us predate the attackers by years and remember when they were new. It's just plain manners and common sense to correct the mistakes with links and facts, and leave the attacks out of it. That was my point.

[mainer]

15. Swine flu did not kill kill a few thousand people

From what I recall, the flu itself killed only a few people. People did not get swine flu from the vaccine; some people got Guillain-Barre syndrome, which temporarily paralyzed their respiratory muscles, and they required ventilatory support, but most recovered.

[fooj]

17. I remember hearing that a few deaths recently can be

attributed to Tamaflu. Sorry- can't remember where I read or heard it. I'll do a little googling.

Peace.

[NMDemDist2]

18. sent it on, thanks to your mom n/t

[preciousdove]

19. Patriot Act true;Runsfield true;BARDA true...this is not about flu ..

If this person has some errors help them out.

This person is not saying they are a bird flu expert just trying to get the word out that our government is at it again throwing our money away on secret irresponsible lucrative deals and the Congress acting like bobbleheads and again giving our rights and protections away. Hillary was a sponsor for krips sake.

Republicans cannot DO anything right and too many DUers attack before they think.

[Mojorabbit]

25. There is no need to worry about a vaccine

After a pademic starts it will take at least six months to develop one, that is just to develop it. We only have one company in the US that makes vaccine. Every country that has a vaccine company will nationalize the vaccines they make and will not be sharing it.
By the time they get enough made the pandemic will have done it's damage.
I have been asking people to watch a briefing by Dr Osterholm which was given at the Wilson center. He discusses the vaccination issue along with a lot of other problems.The question and answer session after the briefing was an eye opener. It is about 45 min long but will be the best thing you can watch to inform yourself.

http://www.wilsoncenter.org/common/dsp_popup.cfm?media_link=mms://66.100.89.134/ECSP/ECSP_20050919.wmv&title=Video of Event (Windows Media Player)

Plus I am dying to discuss the ramifications of what he is talking about.

[purji]

26. I'm not worried about Avian flu

when the regular flu kills about 36,000 people a year.

http://drkoop.com/newsdetail/93/529071.html

:snip:

But it's important for Americans to realize the danger of ordinary influenza, as well, which causes 36,000 deaths a year in the United States, Gerberding said. "As a society, we underestimate how important influenza is to our health," she said.

[The Backlash Cometh]

27. The only criticism; Tamiflu is not a vaccine, nor is it sold as

one as indicated in the e-mail. It is more like a treatment which may reduce the severity of the flu once it appears. It may not work on the bird flu, but it at least is helpful with some flus, so it will not be a total waste of money.

Donald Rumsfeld is a disgrace. It's no mystery that the two men who hijacked the presidency, Cheney and Rumsfeld, are profitting the most. They should live their days out in Gitmo.

[jackelope72]

28. A brief word from my Mom.

She apologizes for any medical misinformation she may have received and passed on. She is, however, still extremely concerned about the rest of her e-mail, concerning the administration's hijacking of the flue scare for their own greedy ends and attempts to push through yet another piece of freedom-eroding legislation. She hopes that people will at least pass that information on. Thanks.

[mike_c]

29. your mother shows some serious lack of understanding...

...about viruses in general, influenza in particular, vaccines, and public health. Sheesh-- a general biology course might do her a world of good.

[jackelope72]

31. She never claimed to be a biology whiz.

The worst you can accuse her of here is getting hold of some faulty research.

Her primary concern, anyway, wasn't the virus or pandemic itself, but the way the current administration is using the scare over the pandemic to push through legislation that could seriously derail many liberties and civil rights.

She has already begun re-researching, and if necessary will issue a correction when she sends the e-mail around again.

At least she tried to do some research and find out what other people had to say on the subject before she took one person's word as gospel.

Funny thing is, I'd almost had her convinced to join our ranks. She's been searching for some direction in which to focus her energies, and to find a supportive community, since her family really offers us none. And since I'd told her about some of the great people on this site, she was going to look into it. But after reading some of the snarkiness (not only in this post, but in others as well) she's decided to search elsewhere.

I've managed to tough it out because I have a somewhat thicker skin than she does. But if anybody starts to wonder why the Democratic Party can't seem to drum up support, I really don't think I need to do much more than point in this direction.

Thanks, guys.

[mike_c]

34. well, step back for a moment and consider....

She's making a series of erronious pronouncements that contradict much of what public health officials have been saying about avian flu for the last several years, and she's emailing it to lots of people. She rather obviously doesn't know what she's talking about in terms of the virology she's condemning, and if she's basing her criticism of public policy on her misunderstanding of the underlying biology-- well, I'm sure you catch my drift. Before people go off half-cocked and send emails like that, it really improves their credility, not to mention their accuracy, if they know what they're talking about. Please direct your mom to the flu wiki, the WHO avian flu site, or the CDC avian flu site for some basic info. If she still thinks that Bush made up the threat of pandemic avian flu, or that it's not to be taken seriously, then at least she'll be consiously deciding to ignore that information, rather than proceeding blindly.

[Vinca]

32. Why isn't there a bird flu vaccine?

Humans have been stricken with it already so they should be able to isolate the strain. We haven't been able to get a regular flu shot this year . . . I don't know how they expect to stop the bird flu if they can't provide timely regular flu vaccines.

[mike_c]

35. the current strain is not pandemic in humans...

...and the mutation-- or more likely recombination-- that gives rise to a pandemic strain will change the molecular surface presentation of the virus, which will require a new vaccine. The short answer is that an effective vaccine CANNOT be created until the actual pandemic strain exists.

[earth mom]

33. Please thank your mom for her efforts!

I don't believe any of the Bird Flu HYPE and find it interesting that some on this thread try and turn it around and say that anyone that doesn't believe it is a disinfo agent. Give me a break! :eyes:

Jackelope, your moms points were spot on! We must examine who profits and who does not by this Bird Flu terror meme. While we all cower in terror, Bush Co and the Pharma Giants walk away scot free! Oh yeah, it's WIN WIN for Bush Co and the Pharma Giants. :puke:

Sorry, but anyone who believes the Bush administration about ANYTHING or who thinks it's okay for the Pharma Giants to walk away without any accountability to the people who use their products seriously needs their head examined. :crazy:

[GodHelpUsAll2]

37. I agree

And correct me if I am wrong (which I am positive I am not). But hasn't the bird flu been around for several years now? So why all the panic now? I rank this right up there with last years public panic about how we were all going to get the flu and die because there wasn't enough flu shots. News flash, there are NEVER enough flu shots produced to cover the entire population. In fact, last year after the panic there were still shots left over that were thrown away. And hey, we are all still alive. Except those that are in the unfortunate percentage that the flu kills every other year. Swine flu, mad cow disease, west nile, sars and now the bird flu. None of which have caused a pandemic that wiped out half the country. I wonder what will be next.

[redacted]

36. Everyone needs to watch these BBC documentaries

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/4382868.stm

Part II aired last night in Britain.

[RazzleDazzle]

39. I avoided this thread for days because

it's not accurately titled. I thought it was more well-intentioned scare-mongering about the hoped-for pandemic. i was wrong. I'm glad I finally gave in and opened it.

It's excellent. Congrats to your mom.

[Mojorabbit]

40. The authorities in Hong Kong

think it will go pandemic in Feb or April. There are more new cases everyday. It is steadily mutating in Vietnam. I posted earlier in this thread a link to Dr Osterhom's briefing. It outlines everything. I am amazed at the lack of scientific understanding on this board.At least look at the information! It might make the difference in whether you or your family are prepared enough to weather it if it happens early next year.

Other news
http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-11-14T113926Z_01_RID434598_RTRUKOC_0_US-BIRDFLU.xml