Influenza A/H1N1 Myth or reality?
Dear Friend, will address on this occasion to reflect, perhaps the most controversial issue that could cause, yet which requires more attention and which have the greatest need for truthful information, to try to take actions allow us as much as possible to protect our families, ourselves and our society: Influenza A/H1N1
In April 2009, Mexican health authorities informed the world and gave the alarm in the sense that a serious (possibly fatal) possibly viral disease transmitted from pigs to humans was among us.
Mexico's government , by executive decree, gave absolute powers to health authorities to take whatever steps which in his view were necessary to prevent the spread of the dreaded new INFLUENZA, and thus to Ministry of Health (SS) the most important unit, can make use of all resources of the Mexican state and even the civilian population, both medical personnel police, military, public facilities and private hospitals, may declare curfews, close vehicular traffic, in short, could draw on everything you need.
people were advised to take preventive measures, the use of masks, hand hygiene, use of antibacterial gel, which in this psychosis degenerated into shortage especially of face masks and gels; everyone fearful and looking for these articles that in some cases raised their price by 3000% (Three thousand percent) (A mask cost 50 cents to $ 15.00 cost fifteen dollars).
The Health Department determined prudent to avoid mass gatherings of people and as such assistance is closed shows mass (cinemas, stadiums, restaurants, schools were closed, cultural conferences were canceled, closed museums, libraries), finally, stopped the country's economic progress, the national tourism industry descended into figures of up to 15% of normal activity, we saw with horror and fear to anyone who sneezed, foreign governments recommending to its nationals not to visit Mexico ; The world's largest world city Mexico , looked deserted, just need people out of their homes.
The threat of the unknown, people, not the authorities, demonized the pig and its products, the pork industry collapsed, Mexicans abroad, we isolated, we were put in quarantine and not allowed to travel to almost any country; A Mexican travelers in transit, not allowed to leave the plane, we were the "ugly duckling" of the world for several months.
Above all this, the World Health Organization (WHO) , dependence UN Geneva-based , and has the membership of 193 countries responded to all members alerting and humanity, acting on the regulation International Health and declaring a pandemic on June 11, 2009, based on the criteria specified in that regulation.
The 2009 version of this regulation includes research work done since 2007 and modified by 135 scientists from 48 countries as of February 2009. The regulations were published in April 2009.
Fortunately, preventive measures must have worked, things gradually returned to normal and see if Mexico:
According to Ministry of Health, until February 2010, has 70.453 been confirmed cases of influenza, of which 1.035 have been fatal cases, is fatal. 1.035
Of the deaths, 800 were of people aged between 20 and 59 years, productive people in a word.
Globally, the WHO 15.174 deaths reported through February 2010, of which 3.605
have occurred in Europe and 7.261 in America.
seems to me that was handled properly the "pandemic" or "outbreak" or whatever you want to call, because I think it is better to err on hype that "failure."
In Mexico, even when they have had consequences of influenza pandemics in 1957 and 1968, which remains in the minds of Mexicans, is that of influenza "English" of 1918-1919 that caused thousands of deaths in our country (in the world is estimated that killed 50 million people) which is justifiable "exaggerating" a situation that seemed out of control.
But ...
the bosom of the Health Committee of the Council of Europe has emerged a voice, not the one, but perhaps the most authoritative, speaking through its president, the German physician, epidemiologist, Wolfgang Wodarg, who accuses the WHO and a cluster of laboratories of the pharmaceutical industry generating the false PANDEMIC INFLUENZA A/H1N1 , in other words, the WHO advises scientists, good yes, but with interests in the large pharmaceutical corporations, not necessarily economic, so easy to induce the WHO to declare the pandemic.
That happened to a pandemic? According to Dr. Wolfgang believes the Wodarg , who has begun an investigation into this matter and will last several months, the WHO (as it points out WHO) monitors outbreaks "potentially" serious emerging in the world gathers evidence and maintains close contact with private companies for the development of vaccines, this is understandable because if not done so, would not be enough vaccines or drugs to cope with situations of real contingency.
turns out that drug companies, highlighting Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis and Glaxo undertake to produce in record time millions of vaccines, but the WHO agrees (and its member states) to acquire it if declared pandemic. Same
Dr.Wolfgang Wodarg , wants to know why scientists are not totally independent advice with. (Which, in Personally, I seems impossible, as the most capable scientists are or have served or have been funded in their studies and research by large consortia of Medicine). And an example: The scientist Klaus Storhed WHO left in 2007 to a position of high responsibility in Novartis.
The WHO recommended treatment (Of course by prescription and under medical supervision) for cases of influenza A/H1N1 drugs like "oseltamivir" and "zanamivir" that in Mexico called commercially "Tamiflu" and "Relenza" respectively. One made by Swiss company Roche , and the other by the British company Glaxo-Smith Kline . The "Tamiflu" gets the bulk of sales in Mexico .
The results may be purely circumstantial, but according to media reports business, 2008 was a year of losses for both companies, and now his actions are through the roof. According
news story of Blanca Valadez , published in Milenio.com the January 27, 2010, states:
"• • • Novartis's pharmaceutical industry achieved in only three months a 54 percent increase in sales, representing gains of more than 2 thousand 300 million dollars from the sale of A/H1N1 vaccine.
gains occur even though the government of France canceled at Novartis 7 million doses, equivalent to almost half the total amount requested. In fact, it seeks to suspend 50 million of the total orders for 94 million doses made to Sanofi-Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Baxter International, due to excess supply.
also Britain, Spain, Netherlands and Belgium have decided to reduce the supply of vaccines requested from Glaxo and Sanofi , because the virus was so lethal. U.S.
90 million cut in half your order and in the case of Mexico can not because his contract forbids it. ( Mexico • Blanca Valadez) "
understand that it is completely valid, for example, that if a laboratory is at this time a cure for AIDS or cancer, have utilities that remuneration for her years of research and investments made to achieve this result.
But ....
For here's a fact that seems post-disaster story: The patent "oseltamivir (Tamiflu ) belongs to " Gilead Research " , U.S. biotechnology company which granted the license to produce and market it to course Roche from 1996 until 2016, why "Gilead" receive "royalties" from 14 to 22% depending on annual sales of "Tamiflu" .
Do you know who is the majority shareholder of "Gilead" ? If he is right, Donald Rumsfeld is !
Yes!, Is the same as U.S. defense secretary was in the government of Mr. George W. Bush.
Even before joining the Pentagon , was president of "Gilead" between 1997 and 2001, according to the magazine Fortune in 2005, following the recommendation of "Tamiflu" for bird flu augmented his personal account in more than ONE MILLION DOLLARS .
That same year, according to the magazine, the Pentagon placed an order for "Tamiflu" worth 58 million dollars being this same Mr. Rumsfeld holder.
regard says Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg "Avian flu was a fiasco, I am glad that more people did not die but is afraid to countries; any expert knows that a viral disease that kills when NO human spreads rapidly "Politicians are not experts in epidemiology, rely on their advisers" "No point in spending 20 billion dollars a year to throw"
Another grievance of Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg change is published in the International Health Regulations in month April 2009, where they modify the criteria for declaring a pandemic, and is that even before that date, taking into account the rate of mortality, ie deaths and statistical advance in the world, and since that date , took the approach of "spread" of the disease, ie regardless of whether it is fatal or clinically manageable.
I think in today's world is quite difficult, if not impossible to prevent the spread of disease, particularly human mobility today: Today we are here and tomorrow we will be in Australia.
also criticizes the statements of Dr. Margaret Chan , director of the WHO who said in mid-January 2010 she was lucky because the virus mutated, "to what says Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg " If they were lucky, we would not need to WHO . The need to assess the risks and has done the wrong way. We have been advised poorly, has mobilized U.S. $ 20 billion worldwide, money that now need in Haiti for example. When thus squandering resources, WHO must respond and take charge of the wrong decision. The same thing happened with avian flu, and increasingly benefit the pharmaceutical industry. It is so obvious ... "
Here are some statistics of global mortality: Death from cancer
: 6.3 million per year. Death
childhood malnutrition: 5.6 million a year. Death from pneumonia
: 2.9 million a year. Infant Death
dehydration: 2.2 million a year.
Malaria Deaths: 50 000 A million people a year.
deaths of mothers in childbirth: 637 000 per year.
Death due to seasonal, ie for the winter season: 500 000 per year. Death
A/H1N1, estimated 18 000 per year.
bird flu deaths: 262 Total .
Conclusions: 1 .-
A/H1N1 virus life-threatening, can not ignore their existence nor dangerous.
2 .- We should not "demonize" the laboratories that investigate new products, since their work is fundamental to the cure and treatment of diseases so far intractable.
3 .- No vaccine "safe", the idiosyncrasies of each person is different.
4 .- The life of a single human being is priceless, but perhaps it should examine and channel resources to where they are most important.
5 .- The discussed case, we may have served to improve regarding the prevention of diseases that are easily transmissible through improved hygiene.
6 .- At the end are the authorities who must continue to guide on what science discovers, but we must be very diligent with our sources of information.
7 .- All this does not mean we neglect our health and our families; Before the contrary, we must be alert to any health conditions that affect us and go to your provider to receive appropriate and timely care.
Dear friend, this reflection to share with you today, it arises only in my thoughts under the oaks Urícuaro worked in research from reliable sources both scientific, political and journalistic, we read the papers and explanations of WHO (World Health Organization) ; of UNICEF (Fund of the Organization of the United Nations Children) ; of the Ministry of Health Mexico, the Health Commission Council of Europe and various news sources, is thus a reflection of a server without foundation. I hope will serve to motivate us to continue to inform, not to neglect our health or that of our families, but mostly to demand from our authorities, our governments, truthful information, timely, clear and transparent to our right.
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