INDEPENDENT NEWS

Meningococcal Data Highlights MeNZB(tm) Concerns

Published: Fri 22 Apr 2005 10:41 AM
Meningococcal Data Highlights MeNZB(tm) Concerns
Press Release
Ron Law & Barbara Sumner Burstyn
The release of the bacterial types that have caused five recent cases of meningococcal disease in the Wellington region in recent weeks highlights that none of them would have been prevented by the current MeNZB(tm) vaccination programme.
Only one case was caused by the so-called epidemic strain targeted by the MeNZB(tm) vaccine, and that was in the Chiron scientist working at ESR. It is widely believed within ESR circles that the scientist acquired the original infection overseas, making a lie of the claim that the epidemic strain is unique to New Zealand; it is not.
Medical Officer of Health Annette Nesdale is reported as saying, "though it was unusual that just one case was caused by the epidemic strain, it was important to look at the bigger picture of meningococcal disease and not just the small number of recent cases."
This argument has clearly been written by a PR spin doctor as it was only a week or two ago that these cases were being used to support the need for the MeNZB(tm) vaccine.
The fact is that none of these cases would have been prevented by the MeNZB(tm) vaccine, even if it works, and neither would any of the three deaths confirmed so far this year.
It is interesting to note that Dr Nesdale is claiming that in the past three years only 67 per cent of confirmed cases of meningococcal disease in the Wellington region had been of the B epidemic strain. This would suggest that perhaps as few as 50 per cent of confirmed cases in the past 12 months have been of the epidemic strain highlighting that the epidemic is well and truly declining naturally in the Wellington region--before the roll out of the MeNZB(tm) vaccine.
Dr Nesdale should disclose to the public how many cases due to all strains there have been in each of the past three years in the Wellington region. The public would then realise that the epidemic is waning naturally and that use of total case numbers to promote the need for a strain specific vaccine is a cruel hoax.
ENDS

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