title: Flu Vaccination: The Gap Between Evidence and Public Policy.
abstract: The research presented in this article exposes a wide gap between evidence and public policy with regard to influenza vaccination in the context of the 2009 pandemic and with regard to yearly seasonal epidemics. It shows that the World Health Organization and health authorities worldwide failed to protect the interests of the most vulnerable during the 2009 flu pandemic and demonstrates a lack of scientific base for seasonal flu vaccination campaigns. Narrowing the gap between scientific evidence and public health policies with regard to influenza is a serious and urgent matter, one that implies confronting the interests of big pharmaceutical corporations and their allies at academic and government levels. The credibility of science and the well-being of many are at stake.
authors.affiliation: Monestir de Sant Benet de Montserrat, Montserrat, Spain teresa@monestirsantbenetmontserrat.com.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Forcades i Vila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004345:Drug Industry; D005060:Europe; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D032541:Mass Vaccination; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000276:immunology; D058873:Pandemics / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D017594:Publication Bias; D014481:United States; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines
keywords: flu vaccination; pandemic flu; pharmaceutical companies; public policy; vaccination campaign