Malibusunny, do you know WHICH type of meningitis caused these deaths?? Meningitis is viral and bacterial. N.meningitidis serogroup B causes meningitis, this strain is not included in any vaccine. So, vaccination would NOT have prevented these contagions, as a vaccine is not available for it.
These stories are popping-up right and left now with the onset of school. ((Just wait, flu season is around the corner, the push will be on again for that one!)) There is BIG money to be made with these vaccines (generally $85 - $125 per dose). Think of it, if there are, say, 100,000 college-bound students in the US that actually get this vaccine this year, the company/medicals get roughly $10,000,000 if the charge is $100 per dose! By the way, many insurance companies will NOT pay for this vaccine because it is such a rare disease, so that money comes out-of-pocket.
A recent study completed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demonstrated that the rate of meningococcal disease in college students was similar to the incidence in the general population.
Meningococcal disease and meningitis are rare in the USA. The overall incidence in U.S. college students is about one case per 100,000 persons per year. $10 million spent to prevent a disease that hits such a small part of the population?
Scare tactics about deaths and survivors' loss of limbs makes for good stories (and sells papers and air-time), and it seems that every doctor has had a patient that suffered an agonizing course of the disease before succumbing to it when they talk about this with Mom, Dad and/or student during routine consultations (mysteriously, these cases are not found in CDC listings for the state involved, but how many people actually look?). Makes for a good pro-vax argument when talking about vaccinations with a parent during those 20 minute well-baby or back-to-school physical check-ups. A freshman off to college has enough worries to begin with, add to it the risk of such a horrible disease? Possibility of death? Loss of a limb?? "Hey, here, roll up my sleeve and give me the jab!!"
People, so often, believe what they read in the papers or hear on the evening news without question, they do not investigate that which DOES affect them personally. If the doctor says it is a good thing, well, then, it must be a good thing, right?
Because the disease is so rare, there have been never been clinical trials showing that the vaccine actually works. The antibodies are measurable in the blood stream and efficacy is assumed and probable but has never been proven.
Menomune A/C/Y/W-135 has NOT been evaluated in animals for its carcinogenic, mutagenic potentials or impairment of fertility.
In other words, NO testing has been done to determine any cancer-causing possibilities or whether it may cause fertility problems. NO animal reproductive studies have been done either. It is not known whether Menomune A/C/Y/W-135 can cause fetal harm in pregnant women or affect current or future reproduction capacity.
Yet, they want women of college-age to receive this? Without knowing if it can harm their ability to become pregnant or maintain a healthy pregnancy?? It also means NO studies have been done on what its affects may be to the male reproductive system. Future fertility could be affected to men, as well. It is NOT suggested for use on pregnant women.
The currently available meningococcal vaccine (Menomune A/C/Y/W-135) protects against four of the most common strains of bacteria that can cause meningococcal disease (serogroups A, C, Y, W-135).
Subtype B causes nearly half of the meningococcus cases in the United
Subtype B causes nearly half of the meningococcus cases in the United States. That strain (serogroup B) is NOT included in any vaccine. N.meningitidis serogroup B causes meningitis.
For strains that are covered, the vaccine is about 85% effective. According to the manufacturer, the vaccine offers protection that lasts for 3 to 5 years. This vaccine does not provide any protection against other types of bacterial or viral meningitis, and does not prevent people from becoming carriers of the bacteria. Immunized students can still develop meningococcal disease, since getting the vaccine only reduces one's risk by about 60% overall.
Here's what is in Menomune, the recommended vaccine:
Menomune ® , Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine, Groups A, C, Y and W-135 Combined, is a freeze-dried preparation of the group-specific polysaccharide antigens from Neisseria meningitidis, Group A, Group C, Group Y and Group W-135 for subcutaneous use. The diluent is sterile pyrogen-free distilled water to which thimerosal (mercury derivative) 1:10,000 is added as a preservative. After reconstitution with diluent as indicated on the label, each 0.5 mL dose contains 50 mcg of “isolated product” from each of Groups A, C, Y and W-135 in isotonic sodium chloride solution preserved with thimerosal (mercury derivative). Each dose of vaccine also contains 2.5 mg to 5 mg of lactose added as a stabilizer. 1 The vaccine when reconstituted is a clear colorless liquid.
The stopper to the vial contains natural dry latex rubber. Something that is never mentioned. Sure hope none of the college students getting this are latex-allergic.
Individual-dose vials of this vaccine are thimerosal-free. However, multiple-dose vials DO contain this mercury derivative.
Single-dose vials should be used within 30 minutes after reconstitution. Multiple-dose vials are good for 5 days after reconstitution. ((Bet the multiple-dose vials are cheaper than the individual-dose vials and are used more often by institutions during mass vaccination campaigns, and they get more return on their money for using them!))
I'm going to contact the regional health district and ask them which they use, and what the charge is to the public. I'll post whatever I hear...
The lady that was talking (Dr I'm assuming) said people at a higher risk are those who smoke and those who have breathing problems and constant sinus issues and live in dorms. She was definitely not pushing for everyone to have it. Dorms today in a lot of places are so different than the dorms I lived in (though I had a private room for a semester). They're more like apts w/ max 4 people so you're not in the super crowded everyone shares a bathroom anymore situation like I was. I lived in the dorms for 3 years and the worst outbreak we had was lice (lots of education majors working w/ inner city kids) and it was only in 1 dorm. I think it's more hyped up now b/c of the vax. It's been around for a while now and people are starting to except it more so why not push it on college kids too?
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to what grahamsmom and ljpmom said.
