People snubbing untested swine flu vaccine

The swine flu (H1N1) vaccine isn’t proving to be the money-spinner that the drugs industry expected.  More than half the UK’s ‘vulnerable’ people – including key workers and pregnant women – are refusing to have the jab.

Only 46 per cent of people being offered the vaccine are having it, a new poll among doctors has discovered.  The biggest refusal rate is among pregnant women, who are especially concerned about potential side effects of the vaccine.

Overall, people do not believe that swine flu is as dangerous as health authorities have claimed, and they are worried that the vaccine has not been properly tested.  The biggest concern is about the use of thiosermal in the vaccine, and already patients who have had the jab are suffering from headaches, sleeplessness and stomach cramps.

An earlier poll revealed that doctors had the same concerns, and that more than half would refuse the vaccine.

(Source: Pulse, November 18, 2009.  http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=35&storycode=4124349&c=2).