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| Down Under |
| RSV is two days in bed with the sniffles. Big pharma firm GSK wants its RSV vaccine on Australia's national immunisation program for millions in ongoing taxpayer revenue. How Australia is faking a need for RSV vaccines |
| 2024-02-17 |
| [LettersFromAustralia] Australians are more likely to be attacked by a shark than they are to die of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). But last month the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved a new RSV vaccine for Australians aged over 60 - and British corporation GSK wants it put on the National Immunisation Program so your taxes can pay for it, the ABC reports. This one product has so far earnt £1.2 billion ($2.3 billion) in global sales for GSK, contributing to total 2023 sales of £30.3 billion ($58.45 billion), but they want more. RSV is a mild and common respiratory virus which the Health Department said is best treated by rest and plenty of fluids. It’s not like rabies or tetanus where you’ll die without a vaccine. There were only 82 recorded hospital deaths in adults aged over 65 from RSV in the decade from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2015 across Australia, according to the Medical Journal of Australia. That is 8.2 per year. That is less than the number of shark attacks in 2022 (nine), or in 2021 (24) or in 2020 (23). If you are under 65 the rate of RSV death is even lower, at 56 in the decade. That is 5.6 per year. No matter what age you are, you are more likely to be attacked by a shark in Australia than you are to die of RSV. RSV wasn’t even a nationally notifiable illness until then-Health Minister Greg Hunt made it one in 2021. Now it’s on the notification list there are thousands of cases counted every year. Shazaam! A new and unmet medical need. Look how many there are. From 0 to thousands overnight. |
| Posted by:anon1 |