Even prime time television shows are addressing current event topics that many people once felt were too controversial to talk about. For instance, a recent episode of a popular show talked about thimerosal and preservative-free vaccines. In the hour long episode a couple’s teenage had never been vaccinated and sparked conversations between nurses and doctors, hospital administrators and patients, and even two parents.
Although there have been rumors about some vaccines causing problems, the reality is that this information has never been scientifically proven. The fact that some people have had an allergic reaction to the thimerosal preservative in previous vaccines means that there are now preservatice-free vaccines, including annual flu shots. In fact, flu vaccine distributors offer many vaccines for seniors and youngsters that have no kind of preservatives.
Have You Had Your Flu Shot Yet This Year?
When doctors order flu vaccines they have choices that they can make. Ordering a specific formulation for elders and the youngest children, for instance, can help provide a number of options for patients who might have had a previous reaction to a vaccine. With the use of preservative-free vaccines there is a possibility that fewer patients will refuse these important preventative measures.
Consider these facts and figures about the vaccine industry and the impact that it has not only on the health of the nation, but also the economic impact of the industry:
- 22 million school days are lost every year in the U.S. because of the common cold, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
- Because of vaccinations, global measles mortality has decreased by 84%.
- Infected adults can pass on the flu beginning one day before symptoms develop and as long as seven days after becoming noticeably sick.
- Due to complications caused by the flu, an average of 200,000 Americans are hospitalized every year.
- According to the World Health Organization, immunization prevents between two and three million deaths every year.
As pharmaceutical companies create more concentrated vaccine formulas they are also packaging prefilled flu vaccine syringes that can be distributed to many places that help make sure that more and more people get these important medications. As a topic that has made its way onto prime time television, an increasing number of people are willing to talk about the need for vaccinations that can keep everyone more safe and healthy.