swine flu epidemic

Science Credibility Flu Away – At Least in Europe

by Michael Fumento on September 29, 2010

in Health and Illness

Throughout the phony flu pandemic I warned that health officials would lose credibility because basically everything they were telling us was false and, unlike with some phony predictions which are safely years away, these quickly be shown false.

Turns out I was right — depending on what part of the world you live in.

A combined Scientific American/Nature magazine poll shows that of the 15 issues people were asked about, they trusted scientists the least regarding flu pandemics. Ah, but there’s a big asterisk. It was a poll of both Europeans and Americans. And only 29 percent of the Americans expressed serious distrust, compared to 69 percent of the Europeans.

Why the difference? The very media I was constantly criticizing. While a number of journalists and publications in Europe were critical of the WHO and their own governments, the American media acted as a mouthpiece for anybody — official or otherwise — willing to say something scary about swine flu.

More to the point, they’ve continued to do so. Nobody in this country has issued a mea culpa and nobody ever will, anymore than they did with heterosexual AIDS, SARS, avian flu and so many other hysterias they either perpetuated or outright fomented. Most recently it’s been Toyota. The motto of the American media, originally uttered in a John Wayne movie, is: “Never apologize. It’s a sign of weakness.”

Pack journalism is so pervasive in America we’ve practically got the equivalent of a state run media. And because of that, eventually it will be a state run media.

My article: “Purveying Pig Flu Panic at the Post”

by Michael Fumento on June 14, 2010

in Health and Illness

“Panic is what we want,” Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum wrote last May of swine flu. “Panic is good,” she said, also labeling the disease a “pandemic” five weeks before the World Health Organization (WHO) did.

Yet flu season is now officially over and we’ve had about 12,500 total flu deaths, or a third the usual number according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates.

Still, say what you will about the Post Opinions page coverage of swine flu, it was consistent. It kept on promoting panic, notwithstanding they knew they were wrong, that indeed one of their contributors was outright lying. I know because I repeatedly kept them informed. Read my article about those estimates of 207,000 American dead and nine million worldwide that Opinions foisted on us–in the name of spreading panic.

“No More Crying ’Spanish Flu’,” my article in Forbes

by Michael Fumento on May 21, 2010

in Health and Illness

What’s that? Your throat feels sore? You’re sniffling and sneezing? Bit achy?

IT’S THE RETURN OF THE SPANISH FLU!

Okay, that’s satire–but not by much. Since 1990, every time some new viral pathogen comes along that grabs the media’s attention, we hear it may be the Second Coming of a pandemic that killed about 50 million worldwide and 675,000 Americans–to 175 million globally and 2 million Americans.”

First, it was SARS in 1993. It ended up killing 774 people worldwide and no Americans. Which didn’t stop the New York Times from writing 1,000 articles about it. NONE of which said, “We wuz wrong.”

Then it was avian flu. It was supposed to go pandemic and kill literally as much as half the world’s population. But nobody but me pointed out it’s been circulating since 1959, so why should it suddenly go pandemic? In any case, it didn’t and cases peaked a few years ago.

And then, of course, it was swine flu. And here’s where you see that my satire was barely off the mark. A year ago both the WHO and the UN said swine flu might become another Spanish flu because – ready? – they both started off mild. So if swine flu had started off severely then it would have been more reassuring? (The inset image, incidentally, of an overflow Spanish flu ward, was taken from an article on SWINE flu.)

But there will NEVER be another Spanish flu again, and I explain why. And you’ll be very interested. So read about it here.

The NEW reason for fomenting pig flu panic – “Use up those vaccines!”

by Michael Fumento on May 4, 2010

in Health and Illness, Regulation

According to Reuters, the U.S. has 71 million unused H1N1 swine flu vaccine doses. And damned if it isn’t determined to use up every last one, in order to reduce the embarrassment of throwing away so much of the expensive stuff.

States and other providers should hang on to the vaccine and continue to offer them, says HHS spokesman Bill Hall. After all, points out Reuters, “H1N1 swine flu is still technically causing a pandemic and health officials say anyone who has not been vaccinated should still try, in case it causes a third wave of serious disease.”

Yes, “technically,” because after what we’ve seen from the WHO, which changed the definition of “pandemic” in order to make the mildest flu strain in decades rank right up there with Spanish flu, technically they can do everything they want.

Here are some facts instead. The CDC reports that last week it had two positive infections of all strains of flu, down from 2,336 at height of the epidemic. Flu season officially ends May 15 and it takes about two weeks to build up immunity. So anybody getting the shot today . . . And yet, there’s a big red sign at my pharmacist admonishing people to get their swine flu vaccines and in several states that I know of health departments are running TV commercials to continue to scare people into using up those vaccines.

En autre mots, instead of dumping vaccine into landfills they’re trying to dump them into our arms!

Finally, there will be a third wave. It will start when cold season arrives. And it will be almost entirely piggy flu. You see, swine flu now is seasonal flu. Which is wonderful as long as it lasts because it’s so very mild.

Hate mail from an M.D. regarding my AOL News piece, “Did WHO Knowingly Hype Swine Flu?”

by Michael Fumento on April 19, 2010 · 3 comments

in Health and Illness

Dear Mr. Fumento:

Well, if you wish to destroy the credibility of the WHO, publishing a few more articles like the most recent one Did WHO Knowingly Hype Swine Flu?”] should be quite a help.

As an individual who happens to know quite a bit about medicine, influenza, public health and pandemic influenza planning and response, my opinion (which sadly won’t be published and broadcast to the world) is that you don’t know what you are talking about. Understandable since you have, apparently, absolutely no background in medicine or public health.

Quite clearly, if the WHO had underplayed the threat and lives had been lost that, in your opinion, could have been saved, you would now be savaging the WHO for underplaying the threat. Apparently, in the fantasy world you inhabit, complete accuracy in predicting the future is not only possible, but required. Next time, I will know better than to read an article with your byline.

David Buhner MD MS

Dear Dr. Buhner:

Let me try to understand this. The WHO changes the definition of “pandemic” so that it can label as such a strain that’s clearly vastly milder than seasonal flu. It then proceeds to lie repeatedly about having changed the definition, notwithstanding that both versions remain on its Web site. But in pointing this out, *I* am the bad guy; I’m the one destroying the WHO’s credibility. The WHO played no role in all this.
Ever hear the expression about shooting the messenger?

Actually, I’ve been publishing on medicine and public health for 23 years so the ad hominem doesn’t go too far. I also don’t accept another logical fallacy you’ve offered, that of “black and white.” It is not the case that the WHO must either grossly overstate the threat of a contagion in order to prevent understating it. A key paragraph in my article is this:

It’s not as if the WHO knew nothing about the mildness of H1N1 early on. I wrote about it on May 1, subsequently publishing 14 articles in major publications on what I immediately dubbed hysteria. If I knew better, there’s no reason the WHO shouldn’t have known better.

Why did a single journalist, albeit one with a very strong medicine and public health background, with no budget, know so much so early that the WHO apparently did not? You have the choice of ignorance or intent. Insofar as my piece also contained strong evidence of intent, that would be the logical choice.

Sincerely,
Michael Fumento

Flu Report Feb. 12 – What Swine Flu ISN’T Doing

by Michael Fumento on February 12, 2010 · 2 comments

in Health and Illness

As the CDC’s FluView Web site puts it, “During the week of January 31 – February 6, 2010, most key flu indicators remained about the same as during the previous week.”

Tellingly, Dr. Anne Schuchat, who heads the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in warning against complacency, declared “Individual cases of H1N1 continue to occur.” Hello? At the height of flu season you’re talking about “individual cases” occurring?

Again, the only area of interest is to what extent has swine flu swept aside the vastly more severe seasonal flu. Again, at the height of flu season, CDC labs have only received two flu samples that might not be swine flu.

Also in the news, CNN reports Schuchat “sounded pleased” that a CDC survey estimates 23.4 percent of the population have received the swine flu vaccine, including slightly over a third of children under age 18.

That’s pleasing? Lady, that’s a failure. Part of it is the government’s fault and part is that despite government-fomented hysteria most Americans just aren’t taking this thing too seriously, and rightly so.

Yes, WHO faked a pandemic and is now lying about it, my Forbes article

by Michael Fumento on February 6, 2010

in Health and Illness

The World Health Organization has suddenly gone from crying “The sky is falling!” like a cackling Chicken Little to squealing like a stuck pig. The reason: charges that the agency deliberately fomented swine flu hysteria. “The world is going through a real pandemic. The description of it as a fake is wrong and irresponsible,” the agency claims on its Web site.

But I’ve been documenting the hoax since before a pandemic was declared, back when the WHO was just posturing about a proclamation.

I first showed that swine flu was exceptionally mild, when by definition flu pandemics had to be severe. I later showed that the WHO changed the definition to match swine flu, which required it to eliminate severity as a factor. That in turn makes the definition of “flu pandemic” absolutely worthless.

I also explained why the WHO did it. That it wasn’t mere bureaucratic turf-enlarging, but rather first an effort to cover up yet another WHO hysteria, over avian flu, and then an attempt to bring “social justice” to the world and redistribute wealth between nations. That from the very mouth of its secretary general!

Now with a European watchdog group calling hearings on what it’s labeled a “false pandemic,” the WHO is claiming 1) that it didn’t change the definition, and 2) that there was never a definition that required severity.

These are incredibly bold lies, given that you can find the old definition on the Web and people like me tell you right where to go to find it. Like here.

My Forbes piece, “Why The WHO Faked A Pandemic,” has a video clip of WHO swine flu “czar” Keiji Fukuda (see picture) lying through his teeth, along with another link to written testimony in which he lies about a different aspect.

The European group calls the WHO’s actions “one of the greatest medicine scandals of the century.” Just so, and the more the WHO does it’s CYA routine, the worse it gets. Pinocchio’s nose is already poking out the window.

Flu Report Feb. 5 – What Swine Flu ISN’T Doing

by Michael Fumento on February 5, 2010 · 1 comment

in Health and Illness

Here’s an amazing fact. Traditionally flu season peaks in mid-February. Essentially now. Yet in mid-October CDC labs reported 11,908 positive flu samples. This past week they reported only 119, in turn fewer than the week before! NO states are reporting widespread flu activity.

There in a nutshell is your awful swine flu epidemic everybody warned of.

As I’ve repeatedly written, as was the case in Australia and New Zealand, the milder swine flu has simply brushed aside the far deadlier seasonal flu. In essence, swine flu has become our seasonal flu. And whether the health authorities end up admitting it or not, as was the case in Australia and New Zealand where they had NO swine flu vaccine, a lot fewer of us are going to die this year as a result.

Flu Update Jan. 29: What Swine Flu ISN’t Doing

by Michael Fumento on January 29, 2010

in Health and Illness

Deaths down, hospitalizations down, infections reported to CDC-surveillance labs down. Again the usual disclaimer that this probably represents a time lag in reporting and this are probably all actually the same as the week before. The only aspect of interest again is that of 164 positive samples those labs have received, only two clearly were not swine flu. So here we are, approaching what is the peak of the annual flu season (mid-February) and it does appear that, as was the case in Australia and New Zealand, the milder swine flu has simply brushed aside the far deadlier seasonal flu. In essence, swine flu has become our seasonal flu. And a lot fewer of us are going to die this year as a result.

WHO squealing like a pig over charges it fabricated the flu “pandemic”

by Michael Fumento on January 25, 2010 · 1 comment

in Health and Illness

The WHO has suddenly gone from a cackling Chicken Little crying “The Sky is Falling!” to squealing like a stuck pig, in response to charges (such as I’ve been making since day one) that it fabricated a pandemic. “The world is going through a real pandemic. The description of it as a fake is wrong and irresponsible,” the agency claims on its website.

A WHO spokesman declined to spell out whom the World Health Organization was responding to in its statement, saying merely that “this applies to anyone who believes it is not a real pandemic.”

But as I’ve previously noted, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, described as a “human rights watchdog” recently recommended that the European Union investigate WHO’s swine flu pandemic declaration to see if the health agency acted under undue influence. Indeed, the chairman of its influential health committee, who is an epidemiologist, has referred to what he calls the “false pandemic” as “one of the greatest medicine scandals of the century.”

To be sure, swine flu has proved to be vastly milder than ordinary seasonal flu. And in fact we knew that (and I wrote about it) before the WHO ever made its pandemic declaration. But spokesman Gregory Hartl told the AP this was irrelevant, because “A pandemic has nothing to do with severity or number of deaths,” rather it just means a global spread of a disease.”

But as I’ve written, that’s only because the WHO changed the definition of “flu pandemic.” “A previous official definition (and widely used unofficial one),” I noted, “required ‘simultaneous epidemics worldwide with enormous numbers of deaths and illness.’ Severity – that is, the number – is crucial, because seasonal flu always causes worldwide simultaneous epidemics.

But [the definition] promulgated in April just days before the announcement of the swine flu outbreak, simply eliminated severity as a factor. They’re saying “We weren’t caught with our hands in the cookie jar because we labeled those Oreos ‘rocks.’”

Why? The initial reason is that this is the same WHO that for five years screamed that the sky was falling over avian flu – again even as people like me said it was nonsense. So when swine flu came along, they seized the opportunity to scratch out “avian” and insert “swine.” Add to that the obvious incentives for budget-enhancing and power grabbing. But bizarrely enough, the WHO even saw the chance for economic and social engineering.

In a September speech, WHO Director-General Chan said “ministers of health” should take advantage of the “devastating impact” swine flu will have on poorer nations to tell “heads of state and ministers of finance, tourism and trade” that:

  • The belief that “living conditions and health status of the poor would somehow automatically improve as countries modernized, liberalized their trade and improved their economies” is false. Wealth doesn’t equal health.
  • “Changes in the functioning of the global economy” are needed to “distribute wealth on the basis of” values “like community, solidarity, equity and social justice.”
  • “The international policies and systems that govern financial markets, economies, commerce, trade and foreign affairs have not operated with fairness as an explicit policy objective.”

This is no longer a health agency, it views its function as agit-prop. It’s time to start over with people who see disease as something to combat, not to exploit.

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