Should I Vaccinate Against the H1N1 Flu?

There seems to be more questions than answers with the H1N1 swine flu pandemic amidst questions of the safety of the vaccine. A large majority of the general public are confused and afraid on its efficacy and safety while giving conspiracy theorists plenty to talk about. Well, in our attempt to quell your fears, we will help answer the following questions:

- Is the H1N1 swine flu vaccine really safe?
- Is the H1N1 swine flu vaccine too new to trust?
- Does the H1N1 swine flu vaccine contain mercury?
- Do we really know what drugmakers are putting in the swine flu vaccine?
- What can I do if I don't want to take the vaccine?

Is the H1N1 swine flu vaccine really safe?
No vaccine is 100% safe for everyone, especially if you have allergies to chicken eggs as they can be used in the production of the vaccine. About 33% of people experience a sore arm with the possibility of redness or swelling. Some lesser side effects may include fatigue or a low fever. Vaccines can trigger serious reactions, albeit rarely, but approved vaccines are considered to be much less risky than the actual diseases.

"There could be unknown side effects. Something could happen. But we think that is highly unlikely," says infectious disease and vaccine expert Mark Mulligan, MD, executive director of the Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center in Atlanta.

"The CDC, FDA, HHS [Health and Human Services Department], the Department of Defense, and several large HMOs with great medical records are all collaborating in enhanced surveillance for this national 2009 H1N1 vaccine campaign," Mulligan tells WebMD. "If there is a signal for a rare or late adverse event, we will identify it as early and as quickly as we can."

Is the H1N1 swine flu vaccine too new to trust?
The H1N1 swine flu vaccine is made in the exact same way as any seasonal flu vaccine. Though the H1N1 virus is fairly new, it is still closely related to other seasonal flu viruses. Over 100 million people received a flu vaccine in 2008 with no apparent safety issues. Though the chances of an unexpected maloccurrence are small, research suggests that the the H1N1 vaccine can greatly prevent serious illness or death.

Does the H1N1 swine flu vaccine contain mercury?
The H1N1 swine flu vaccine is available in the form of a nasal spray, single-syringe shots, and multi-shot vials.

A preservative, thimerosal, is found in the multi-shot vials and contains a form of mercury, specifically ethyl mercury (which is less toxic than other forms of mercury). Thimerosal is used as a preservative to prevent bacterial contamination of the vial. Studies show that there are no adverse affect in children or adults. If you want to avoid thimerosal-based vaccines then opt for the nasal spray or the single-syringe shot.

Do we really know what drugmakers are putting in the swine flu vaccine?
Drugmakers such as Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, and Baxter to name a few, manufacturer the H1N1 vaccine. Vaccine labels are made public by the FDA. If you'd like to know exactly what's in each kind of the H1N1 swine flu vaccine, you can find all the labels here: http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/package_inserts.htm.

What can I do if I don't want to take the vaccine?
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often and use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing.
- Avoid large crowds and stay home when you're sick.
- Use a flu remedy and anti-viral such as Cold-FX or echinacea to boost your immune system and treating infectious diseases.