Tami-foolery: Misled panic for placebo as H1N1 Tamiflu drug 'useless'

From the first case of Swine flu there has been massive fear mongering throughout the media perpetuated by comments from the WHO. The flu was renamed H1N1 after the misaligned concerns that people could get this flu from eating pork but not before it had a dramatic effect on pig farmers world wide. Egypt ordered all pigs in the country destroyed. Some pig herds in North America were destroyed as well but the biggest effect this flu outbreak had was people refusing to eat pork which saw the price of pork drop dramatically forcing some pig farmers to sell off their pigs and get out of pig farming. Currently it is quite easy to find pork loins and pork shoulders for as low as $1/lb in Ontario. This price is indicative to the plight of pig farmers who can't raise pigs at $1/lb! In addition to the pig farmers problems, millions of taxpayers dollars have been spent on the H1N1 vaccine and that has not been without problems.

Extremely long lines of duped people lined up for the H1N1 vaccine, standing in line for 5 or more hours to get their shots at poorly planned flu shot clinics. If anything the stress of standing in the cold and damp with little more than a few snacks meant a better chance of them getting sick than the vaccine preventing them from getting sick. There have been reports of the H1N1 vaccine being contaminated and some centres in Toronto had to destroy vaccine because it could not be used quick enough. Then the reports started surfacing not only about the ingredients in the H1N1 vaccine but also the serious side effects of the vaccine being experienced by some. In the midst of all this the fear mongering continued.

People who could not take the H1N1 vaccine were assured if they contracted the flu they could be given Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug that would lessen the effects of the flu. Now it is coming out that Tamiflu is not effective against H1N1. Here's a great video that explains more.

Despite the dire predictions of the WHO the H1N1 flu has become the pandemic that never was. In it's aftermath it has cost millions in vaccine and vaccination programs. Side effects from the vaccine have left some with problems they will continue to experience for the rest of their lives. The fear mongering created a panic but at the same time it created a lack of faith in Health Canada as to the advice they were giving out and how they handled the whole H1N1 issue. I'm curious how Health Canada is going to address the issues regarding Tamiflu.

Garden Gnome
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