Study Questions Value of Flu Shots

But many health experts say the vaccine is the best protection against infection

By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

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THURSDAY, Oct. 26 (HealthDay News) -- The flu vaccine is much ado about nothing, according to a new study that contends the annual shots aren't as effective as billed.

"We've got an exaggerated expectation of what vaccines can actually do," said study author Dr. Tom Jefferson, coordinator of the Cochrane Vaccines Field in Rome, Italy. "I'm hoping American and European taxpayers will be alerted and will start asking questions."

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He published the findings in the Oct. 28 issue of the British Medical Journal.

Most developed nations and many rapidly developing countries have influenza vaccination programs in place. The programs are believed to reduce the number of cases of flu as well as related hospital admissions and deaths.

In the United States, health authorities recommend that the flu vaccine be given to children aged 6 to 23 months; anyone 50 or older; people with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or HIV; and health-care professionals, caregivers and people who have household contact with individuals at high risk. And for the first time, U.S. health authorities this year are recommending that children aged 23 months to 5 years old also be vaccinated against the flu.

"Recently there's been a real increase in recommendations to prevent what they call influenza with the use of inactivated [dead virus] vaccines," Jefferson said.

For Jefferson, the question is whether such policies are justified.

Previous papers published by Jefferson found that the flu vaccine is only mildly effective in the population for which it is supposedly most critical, the elderly. He also concluded that there is no good science to back new American and Canadian policies of vaccinating children under the age of 2.

For the latest study, Jefferson looked at all the systematic reviews in the world that he could find on the effects of inactivated vaccines. In other words, he looked at published papers that did not generate new data but analyzed existing studies.

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