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troutman · 10-23-2009, 03:52 PM

Bill Maher (normally rational) gets schooled on vaccines/swine flu:

http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=1069

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michae..._b_323834.html

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=2040

In my mind that is the true benefit of the influenza vaccines: decreasing the morbidity and mortality of populations. The benefit for populations is derived through vaccinating individuals. That requires a bit of altruism on the part of those receiving the vaccine, as they may be getting vaccinated more for the benefit of others than for themselves. However, at least in the US, a premium is currently placed on being a self centered narcissist; indirectly helping others, even for MD’s and RN’s, is apparently not on the to do list.

Do flu vaccines work? It depends on what the meaning of is is. If you are simplistic and like binary answers, yes or no, then you can pick yes or pick no, and find studies to support your contention that the vaccine doesn’t work.

If you realize that medicine is subtle and nuanced, and often the answers are filled with qualifiers and uncertainty, that the practice of medicine is messy, I think the answer is that the flu vaccine is of benefit. And that the more people who get the vaccine, the greater the benefit for everyone.

10-23-2009, 03:52 PM	#104
troutman Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Crowsnest Pass Exp:	Bill Maher (normally rational) gets schooled on vaccines/swine flu: http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=1069 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michae..._b_323834.html http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=2040 In my mind that is the true benefit of the influenza vaccines: decreasing the morbidity and mortality of populations. The benefit for populations is derived through vaccinating individuals. That requires a bit of altruism on the part of those receiving the vaccine, as they may be getting vaccinated more for the benefit of others than for themselves. However, at least in the US, a premium is currently placed on being a self centered narcissist; indirectly helping others, even for MD’s and RN’s, is apparently not on the to do list. Do flu vaccines work? It depends on what the meaning of is is. If you are simplistic and like binary answers, yes or no, then you can pick yes or pick no, and find studies to support your contention that the vaccine doesn’t work. If you realize that medicine is subtle and nuanced, and often the answers are filled with qualifiers and uncertainty, that the practice of medicine is messy, I think the answer is that the flu vaccine is of benefit. And that the more people who get the vaccine, the greater the benefit for everyone. Last edited by troutman; 10-23-2009 at 04:01 PM.