The 6 things you need to know before you take the swine flu vaccine

Although the Swine flu virus has been identified in over 70 countries, it has not been as deadly as expected

• The world wide number of swine flu cases currently is 209,500 with 2,185 deaths

The common flu is more deadly

• In the US there have been 40,000 cases identified with 1,876 deaths. This is quite low when you compare the death rate to the typical flu virus which kills over 30,000 people per year.

Most cases of Swine flu have been mild

• Most people have had mild self-limited symptoms that resolve without any medical intervention.

Vaccines often contain additives that can be dangerous

• Vaccines contain ingredients that boost the immune response. They can be made from toxins like anti-freeze (ethylene glycol), formaldehyde, or chemicals like mercury (thimerasol) and squalene, a type of fat found in olive oil that is also present throughout the nervous system and the brain. These ingredients can be harmful to the body.

• Studies have shown that Mercury (thimerasol) may lead to autism. Specifically, a study in autistic children found elevated levels of mercury in their urine compared to children without autism.

• Soldiers who served in the gulf war were given anthrax vaccine which contained squalene. When squalene is injected it stimulates an aggressive immune response that causes an auto-immune reaction that can attack all cells that contain squalene. e.g., the nervous system. Studies found that soldiers who were diagnosed with gulf war syndrome received anthrax vaccinations that contained Squalene

There has been less time to test the H1N1 Vaccine

• Because of the fear of a pandemic, the vaccine manufacturers have fast tracked the current vaccines coming to market next month. That means very little testing has been done. This leads to huge unknowns about the side effects

The vaccine manufactures have the potential to make windfall profits with little risk

• Vaccine manufacturers stand to gain by the fear ginned up by the "pandemic". The US government has already awarded 2 billion dollars to the 5 companies that make the H1N1 vaccine.

• The Congress has passed a law that protects vaccine manufacturers from being sued. If they had 'no willful knowledge' then they cannot be sued for damages.

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All in all people should be very cautious about taking these vaccines. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. If the risk of getting the disease and having a severe complication is not very high, then it may not be in the interest of the individual to take the vaccine. At the very least, these vaccines should not be mandated.

Dr Elaina George is a prominent Board certified Otolaryngologist who practices in Atlanta. She started her practice Peachtree ENT Center with a mission to practice state of the art medicine that is available to everyone, and has come to be known as, the patients’ advocate. Dr. George graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Biology. She received her Masters degree in Medical Microbiology at Long Island University, and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. She completed her residency at Manhattan, Eye Ear & Throat Hospital. Her training included general surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, pediatric ENT at The NY-Presbyterian Hospital, and head and neck oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She has published in several scientific journals and presented her research at national meetings. She has appeared as a guest on The Michael Baisden Show. You can listen to her radio show Medicine on Call, and read her blogs as a medical correspondent for Your Black World .