October 2005: A new study published online in the British medical journal, The Lancet (9-05), found that flu shots are far less effective than previously thought. International researchers analyzed studies on the flu vaccine performed worldwide in the past 37 years and discovered that vaccines were just 28% effective in preventing influenza or its complications in elderly people. A previous study done by U.S. National Institutes of Health also that found flu shots for the elderly in the United States had not saved lives.
"The runaway 100 percent effectiveness that's touted by proponents was nowhere to be seen," said Tom Jefferson, a researcher with the Cochrane Vaccine Fields project, a group of scientists who perform reviews of research data. "What you see is that marketing rules the response to influenza, and scientific evidence comes fourth or fifth. Vaccines may have a role, but they appear to have a modest effect. The best strategy to prevent the illness is to wash your hands."
