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WHO downgrades oseltamivir on drugs list after reviewing evidence

BMJ 2017; 357 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j2841 (Published 12 June 2017) Cite this as: BMJ 2017;357:j2841

Rapid Response:

apart from pharmacovigilance, vaccinevigilance is needed to save money and harm

Similarly, there should be scrutiny of vaccine side-effects.

All the usual research that is done in relation to pharmacovigilance, is non-existent for vaccines. http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i867/rr-7

Apart from the fact that proper academic vaccinevigilance doesn't exist, the industry can not be held accountable either.

The global omission of critically appraising vaccine-side-effects might well be the result that there is now a greater burden of disease due to chronic (life long) non-communicable diseases (NCD), as compared to vaccine prevented acute (short episode) infectious diseases. http://www.bmj.com/content/355/bmj.i5170/rr-2

Dr Adhanom Ghebreyesus should collect data on current NCD, as the developing world might also start to see endemics of NCD as those now affecting the developed, highly vaccinated, world.

The following are only 3 examples of morbidity (life long!) and mortality due to NCD:

1) "Food allergies are a growing public health issue—about 15 million Americans have food allergies. And food allergic reactions are responsible for about 30,000 emergency room visits and 150-200 deaths a year." https://blogs.cdc.gov/yourhealthyourenvironment/2017/05/17/going-out-to-...
2) In the UK there are 1500 asthma deaths a year and this trend is increasing http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/clinical/cardiovascular/asthma-advice-in-tur... 5.4 million people in the UK are currently receiving treatment for asthma https://www.asthma.org.uk/about/media/facts-and-statistics
3) Chronic allergic diseases in Europe - "the current prediction is that by 2025 half of the entire EU population will be affected (EAACI, 2016)" https://www.allergyuk.org/information-and-advice/statistics

National schemes like VAERS are not good enough. Active research is needed. http://www.bmj.com/content/352/bmj.i867/rr-7

The WHO is hopefully resistant to lobbyists who are influencing national governments, as took place in the UK parliament last year. http://www.abpi.org.uk/media-centre/newsreleases/2016/Pages/World-Immuni...

With rhetoric like "patient-centered", new laws have been made, like in Italy, that "recognises patient safety as a fundamental right".
http://www.bmj.com/content/357/bmj.j2277

In Italy this "patient-centered" law was swiftly followed by a loss of individual freedom, loss of shared decision making (SDM) and the introduction of mandatory, compulsory vaccination.

Vaccinevigilance is essential and needs to benefit from an even greater scrutiny than pharmacovigilance, as vaccines (in contract to medicines) are potentially administered to every person on the planet.

@wouterhavinga
wouter.havinga@gmail.com

Competing interests: No competing interests

13 June 2017
Wouter Havinga
locum GP
NHS
GL6 6JL