GSK's Swine Flu Shot Linked to Sleep Disorder

Ring-a-ring o' roses,

A pocket full of posies,

Pandemrix! Pandemrix!

We all fall down

Narcolepsy:

Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. The main features of narcolepsy are excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. The disease is also often associated with sudden sleep attacks, insomnia, dream-like hallucinations, and a condition called sleep paralysis - National Sleep Foundation

Glaxo are in the news again... this time it's their vaccine Pandemrix that's making all the wrong sort of headlines for the British based drug giant.

Latest figures have shown that almost 800 children in Sweden who received the Pandemrix H1N1 swine flu vaccine have been left with the incurable sleep disorder, narcolepsy.

According to Fox News similar findings have been found in Finland, Norway, Ireland and France.

Faced with these alarming figures GSK's chief medical officer, Norman Begg, states, GSK views the issue extremely seriously and is "absolutely committed to getting to the bottom of this", adding, "there is not yet enough data or evidence to suggest a causal link."

Of course not, Norm.

I remember when Swine Flu made the news. There was a huge push, in the UK at least, for people to rush out and get vaccinated. I never really bought into it.

Back in 2009 Switzerland restricted the use of Glaxo's swine flu vaccine, they did so by excluding pregnant women, minors and people over the age of 60. Swissmedic, the Swiss medicines regulator, did not allow it to be used in children because they had "received very little information on it."

Also, in 2009, the German Professional Association of Environmental Medicine (Deutscher Berufsverband der Umweltmediziner – DBU) issued a press release regarding Glaxo's Pandemrix, part of which read:

"Pandemrix poses substantial health risk with respect to mass immunization programs due to the lack of proof of safety."

Back in 2010 I wrote about how Glaxo were under investigation for bribery in Finland. In short, the Chancellor of Justice was investigating if bribery was used in narcolepsy-suspect Pandemrix vaccine trade. The investigation was carried out because two individuals had reported their suspicions to the Chancellor. Investigation targeted the Ministry of Health and THL, National Instute for Health and Welfare. THL has received more than six million euros in 2009 from GlaxoSmithKline. THL has also had a key role in the decision to order Pandemrix to every Finnish inhabitant.

Meantime, the narcolepsy link continues to rear its ugly head in Sweden. Goran Stiernstedt, director for health and social care at the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, has added much fuel to the fire. Speaking with Fox he told them, "This is a medical tragedy, hundreds of young people have had their lives almost destroyed."

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

Fox News article HERE

GSK - Absolutely Jabulous

I wasn't going to write about this but with various emails and messages on social networks telling me about it I thought I'd better, at least, offer a small snapbyte for cyberspace.

Once again it would appear that GlaxoSmithKline are swimming that great river of Egypt [Denial ~ The Nile] with regard to their Pandemrix vaccine [flu-jab] and its link to narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness and frequent daytime sleep attacks.

Today's Mail Online is reporting that 6 year old Josh Hadfield is still suffering from the after effects of the controversial jab.

"I’m up with him around four times each night to feed him snacks and also comfort him because he has horrendous nightmares," she said. "He used to be sent home from school every time he fell asleep but now they have set aside an area in his classroom where he can take a nap."

Worringly, the Mail Online is reporting that young Josh is now taking the antipsychotic Ritalin and other antidepressants.

So, let's get this straight. A 6 year old is given a flu jab, he has an adverse reaction to it, a reaction that is so horrendous that he sleeps for most of the day, his school even allow him to take a nap. To combat this, young Josh is given a powerful antipsychotic and, according to the Mail Online, antidepressants, medication that has not been recommended for use in children.

Amazing isn't it. I don't know why they just don't stick young Josh in a glass box with a hamster wheel and some straw.

The story of Josh appeared in the Mail Online back in April this year, it's unknown if he was taking Ritalin and antidepressants back then.

GlaxoSmithKline's Dr Pim Kon, said: "There is currently no evidence at all to suggest there is a causal link between Pandemrix and narcolepsy." She added that GSK are working hard with the regulatory authorities to try to understand what is happening.

Dr Pim Kon is no stranger to controversy. Last year she told the InPharma magazine that European regulators [EMA] were wrong to withdraw its diabetes drug Avandia from the market. Avandia was suspended by the EMA last year because of high levels of heart attack, heart failure and strokes in patients.

I've briefly touched on Glaxo's Pandemrix Vaccine in the past on this blog.

Back in 2009 Switzerland medicine regulators, Swissmedic, restricted the use of Pandemrix because they had not recieved enough data about it. In a statement they announced, that they had received data on the vaccine for adults, but not for pregnant women and very little data for children. "For this reason, Swissmedic has not yet authorised the administration of Pandemrix to pregnant women, children under the age of 18 and adults over 60."


It's unclear whether or not Swissmedic later authorised the use of Pandemrix in children.

Also in 2009 The Environmental Illness Resource announced that Glaxo's Pandemrix vaccine was unsafe to use in those that had environmental illnesses. The full statement can be read HERE.

In 2010 I highlighted a story that had made the Finnish press. According to Nelonen (Channel 4) news, the Chancellor of Justice was investigating if bribery was used in the Pandemrix vaccine trade.

The Nelonen (Channel 4) news reported that the the investigation had begun because two individuals had reported their suspicions to the Chancellor. The investigation targeted the Ministry of Health and THL, National Instute for Health and Welfare. THL had received more than six million euros last year from GlaxoSmithKline, which manufactures Pandemrix. THL has also had a key role in the decision to order Pandemrix to every Finnish inhabitant.

Ironically, the study that now has Glaxo and the medicine health regulators in a tizz stems from Finland. In what seems to be a massive U-Turn, the Finnish government said it accepted a link between Pandemrix and narcolepsy and has promised compensation and support for affected families.

So, nothing to do with the 2010 expose then? I wonder whatever did come of that investigation?

A cynic, Moi?


Watch a special investigation into the Pandemrix/Narcoplepsy link on BBC IPlayer HERE

Fid


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**Correction: Ritalin is, of course an amphetamine and not an antipsychotic. [Thanks Judy for noticing the error]

Glaxo's Pandemrix Vaccine Restricted Use Review

The European Medicines Agency [EMA] today issued a press release regarding GlaxoSmithKline's Pandemrix vaccine. It's more bad news for Glaxo as the EMA have decided to restrict its use in children and teenagers because of a link to narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, or dyssomnia, characterized by an excessive urge to sleep at inappropriate times and in Finnish and Swedish studies there was a 6- to 13-fold increase risk of narcolepsy in young people who had received the Pandemrix vaccine.

The EMA have recommended a labeling change that limits the vaccine's use in children and teens to when protection is needed and seasonal trivalent vaccine isn't available. In other words, it won't be used as a first line treatment.


GSK have issue a press release on their webpage, the end paragraph is classic:

GlaxoSmithKline – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com.

Pardon the pun but...Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Fid

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Glaxo's Swine Flu Jab Under Investigation

Within weeks of having the Pandemrix jab, Joshua Hadfield began sleeping 18 hours a day and his mother says his personality completely changed.
Image: Daily Mail

The Daily Mail reported online yesterday that GlaxoSmithKline's vaccine Pandemrix, given to thousands of children across the UK, may cause the sleep disorder narcolepsy.

The European Medicines Agency [EMA] have ruled that ALL packets of Glaxo's vaccine must now carry a warning about the risk.

Not one's for sticking their necks out, the EMA have put the onus on doctors to weigh up the "risk v benefits" when administering the vaccine.

Now there's a surprise - a medicines watchdog passing the buck!

The Daily Mail article highlights the story of five year old Joshua Hadfield who, within weeks of having the Pandemrix jab, began sleeping 18 hours a day and had a personality change.

Glaxo's medicine causing personality change? Surely not.

Joshua's mum, Caroline, said:

"I believe this link will eventually be confirmed. I’m very angry about it.

"I researched the vaccine carefully before agreeing to let Joshua have it and thought I was protecting him. Now he’s saddled with this for life.

"There should have been more testing before it was rolled out and it should have been destroyed at the first suggestion of any problems."

In the words of Canadian rock star Meatloaf, 'you took the words right out of my mouth.'

Full article HERE

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'THE EVIDENCE, HOWEVER, IS CLEAR...THE SEROXAT SCANDAL' By Bob Fiddaman
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