Flu vaccine doesn’t reduce hospital demand.
NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF. — September 22, 2020, Physicians for Informed Consent (PIC), an educational nonprofit organization focused on delivering data on infectious diseases and vaccines, today sent a letter to the University of California Board of Regents urging university leadership to reconsider the recent flu vaccine mandate on behalf of hundreds of doctors and scientists and in the interest of preserving the health of UC students, faculty and staff. This letter presents a robust body of data indicating that this mandate will not only fail to address concerns about hospital capacity as related to COVID-19 but also may increase the risk of respiratory illnesses.
“There’s data showing that the flu shot increases one’s chances of non-flu illness by 65%—meaning that not only does this mandate lack scientific justification, but it puts UC students, faculty and staff at a greater risk of other respiratory illnesses,” said Dr. Shira Miller, founder and president of PIC. “The studies referenced in the UC Regents’ flu vaccine mandate suggest positive effects of the flu vaccine on the incidence of illness caused by flu viruses; however, that benefit may be outweighed by an increase in non-flu respiratory illnesses. And, although the possibility has been studied, there is no evidence that the vaccine prevents the spread of influenza.”
On July 31, 2020, the University of California issued an executive order, mandating that all members of the UC community including students, faculty, and staff receive the influenza vaccine prior to Nov. 1, 2020. This mandate was issued under the premise that the vaccine will decrease flu hospitalizations, thereby freeing hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. However, Physicians for Informed Consent points out the lack of scientific justification for this requirement.
On Sept. 17, 2020, attorneys Rick Jaffe and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in order to stop the enforcement of the UC Regents’ new flu vaccine mandate. Their plaintiffs are Cindy Kiel, J.D., Executive Associate Vice Chancellor, UC Davis; Mckenna Hendricks, UC Santa Barbara Student; Edgar de Gracia, UCLA Student; Leland Vanderpoel, Employee, UCSF Medical Education Program; and Frances Olsen, Professor of Law, UCLA. Expert witnesses include Dr. Peter Gotzsche, M.D., Co-founder, Cochrane Collaboration; Dr. Thomas Jefferson, M.D., Fellow, Faculty of Public Health, United Kingdom; Peter Doshi, Ph.D., Associate Editor BMJ; Andrew Noymer, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Population Health and Disease Prevention, UC Irvine; and Professor Laszlo Boros, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics, UCLA.
“In this lawsuit against the UC Board of Regents over their new flu vaccine mandate, some of the world’s top experts have provided declarations opposing the flu shot mandate,” said Greg Glaser, Esq., general counsel at PIC. “Their declarations will have a significant impact on decisions made regarding public health.”
PIC’s letter points the UC Board of Regents to the following seven facts:
- People who receive the flu vaccine are 65% more likely to contract non-flu viruses and bacteria than people who do not receive the flu vaccine.
- There is evidence that the flu vaccine doesn’t reduce demand on hospitals.
- There is no evidence that the flu vaccine prevents the spread of influenza viruses.
- The flu vaccine has not reduced pneumonia and influenza mortality.
- The flu vaccine fails to prevent the flu about 65% of the time.
- Repeat flu vaccination has been shown to increase the likelihood of flu vaccine failure.
- The overall benefits of flu vaccination and flu vaccine policies are not clear.
To read the entire PIC letter to the UC Board of Regents, click here.
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About Physicians for Informed Consent
Physicians for Informed Consent is a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization focused on science and statistics. PIC delivers data on infectious diseases and vaccines, and unites doctors, scientists, healthcare professionals, attorneys, and families who support voluntary vaccination. In addition, its Coalition for Informed Consent consists of more than 200 U.S. and international organizations. To learn more or to become a member, please visit physiciansforinformedconsent.org.