Considering the Flu Shot? Here Are Five Reasons to Think Twice

By Carolanne Wright
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

“Emelie Olsson is plagued by hallucinations and nightmares. When she wakes up, she’s often paralyzed, unable to breathe properly or call for help. During the day she can barely stay awake, and often misses school or having fun with friends. She is only 14, but at times she has wondered if her life is worth living.

“Emelie is one of around 800 children in Sweden and elsewhere in Europe who developed narcolepsy, an incurable sleep disorder, after being immunized with the made by British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline in 2009.” ~ Reuters

An uptick in narcolepsy after the flu shot is not unusual — Finland, Norway, Ireland and France have seen dramatic increases since the Pandemrix H1N1 swine flu vaccine was introduced. In total, more than 30 million people in 47 countries were given the GSK shot during the 2009-2010 flu season. Independent researchers subsequently published peer-reviewed studies from Finland, Ireland and Sweden, showing the 2009-2010 influenza vaccination campaign increased the rate of narcolepsy by seven to thirteen times in children given the GSK shot, compared to their unvaccinated peers. Unfortunately, narcolepsy isn’t the only risk associated with the vaccine.