Flu Vaccines Now Use GMOs For Faster Production

AlterNews

If you’ve been following the GMO crop controversy, then you probably won’t be too surprised to learn that new flu vaccines containing genetically modified (GM) proteins have been approved by the FDA. So far, three vaccines are underway with two of them already approved for marketing.

Protein Sciences Corporation (PSC) is producing a FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved flu vaccine that contains genetically modified insect protein cells. The vaccine, Flublok, contains GMO proteins from three different flu strains.  

The GMO vaccine is said to be easier to replicate and has the potential to mass produce more rapidly than egg culture vaccines.

A typical vaccine is made by using the complete flu virus. PSC uses only one flu gene. This gene was selected because it stimulates a strong immune response when it enters the body.

Scientists took the protein cells from a caterpillar (fall armyworm) that’s also a virus, baculovirus. While this sounds dangerous, using baculovirus cells for vaccines is nothing new. It makes an excellent choice for vaccines since the virus cells can enter human or animal cells in cultures without the danger of replicating itself. This makes the virus protein an excellent candidate to serve as the transportation mode of the vaccine.

PSC harvests a single flu gene and then insert it into the insect virus protein cell. The flu virus incubates inside the insect virus cell and grows. Once the virus reaches the extraction point, the cells are purified. Once the process is completed, the cells then become the basis for the human flu vaccine, Flublok.

This genetic modifying technique allows the manufacturer to forego the traditional and time-consumingegg culture method. Egg culture vaccines are a slower process while the GMO technique is much faster.

The success of the GMO method means that a vaccine can be produced not only faster but also in larger batches. This is welcomed news to those researching faster ways to create massive amounts of vaccinations in response to potential pandemics.

The health risks of vaccines isn’t diminished with the new GMO method. In fact, these vaccines have the same possible side effects as all vaccinations. What makes the vaccine more advantageous as a flu inoculation is its effectiveness against multiple flu strains, not just one or two.

In the constant search for faster response time to produce vaccines in the case of a future pandemic, scientists believe GMO vaccines offer the best hope. Since the Flublok genetic modification of cells has a faster turnaround time than traditional egg culture vaccines, it’s considered the great hope in vaccine medicine with other possible applications.

The insect virus, baculovirus helps to stimulate and thereby facilitate this faster rate of vaccine production. Just as there are with traditional egg culture vaccines, the Flublock vaccine has some known health risks.

The vaccine literature warns of possible side effects, including the deadly nerve disease, GBS (Guillain-Barre Syndrome). Most vaccines are also susceptible to a GBS reaction. Some of the known side-effects of Flublok include respiratory infections, altered immunocompetence, allergic reactions, headaches, myalgia and rhinorrhea.

The rate of effectiveness is 45% and considered an excellent percentage when compared to other flu vaccines.

According to the package insert, Flublok is approved only for adults ages 18-49, the most common adverse reactions were:

– >15% headache
– >15% fatigue
– >11% myalgia (muscle pain)
– 4% joint pain
– 6% nausea
– 3% chills

The two clinical randomized placebo-control trials consisted of 2,497 adults between the ages of 18 and 49. Adverse reactions were collected at 7 days, 28 days and 6 months post-vaccination.

Two deaths were reported 6 months post-vaccination. One person was in the Flublok group while the other was in the placebo group. Both people died more than 28 days after inoculation.

However, like most flu vaccines, Flublok had SAEs (Serious Adverse Events) were reported in 32 Flublok recipients and 35 placebo recipients. The FDA insert info states:

“The most frequent unsolicited adverse events occurring in 1%-2% of subjects, were nasophyarngitis, upper respiratory infection, headache, cough, nasal congestion, pharyngolaryngeal pain, and rhinorrhea.”

Flublok is not the only GMO flu vaccine on the market. Last year Novavax was the first company approved by the FDA for a GE (Genetically Engineered) flu vaccine (Flucelvax). Novavax also uses the caterpillar cells with virus-like particles since the cells mimic flu virus cells.

If you believe in flu vaccines, then GMO vaccines will be of significant importance to you in the coming years. Currently, a universal GMO flu vaccine is being developed that would revolutionize the flu vaccine industry. The goal of the universal flu vaccine is to require inoculation only every five to ten years instead of annually.

Whether or not to take a flu vaccination is purely an individual choice, but should be based on all the facts available.

Medical professionals are divided on the legitimacy and effectiveness of flu shots. Each year heated controversies flare over hospital and clinic policies that force employees to be vaccinated. Nurses and other healthcare professionals throughout the US have refused employer enforced flu vaccinations and many have lost their jobs as a result of their refusal.

Many people don’t believe that a 45% success rate warrants faith in any flu shot. Until the general public can trust that flu vaccines aren’t more harmful to their health than the flu virus, the flu vaccine controversy will continue to shadow the industry.

http://www.alternews.co.uk/2014/01/flu-vaccines-now-use-gmos-for-faster.html#.UtM9JvRDvAl