Swine flu

News is just “news”… Not the absolute truth. Let’s put swine flu (H1N1) into perspective

What are the symptoms of Influenza A (H1N1)? Fever Headache Cough Sore throat Runny & stuffy nose Extreme fatigue Muscle aches Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (these symptoms may also occur, but are more common in children) Fever Headache Cough Sore throat Runny & stuffy nose Extreme fatigue Muscle aches Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea (these symptoms may also occur, but are more common in children)

So…. Just about anyone could have Swine Flu

Deaths  816 deaths worldwide in 160 countries  Europe – 16,556 cases with 34 deaths  ‘Given that countries are no longer required to test and report individual cases, the number of cases reported actually understates the real number of cases.’

Odds of … # death by assault in your lifetime: 331/1 # death by falling: 250/1 # death by firearm: 325/1 # death by poison: 1,400/1 # death in a car crash: 5,000/1 # death by choking on food or something else: 5,000/1 # death by drowning: 9,000/1 # death by murder: 20,000/1 # death by lightning: 71,000/1 # death by dog attack: 137,000/1 # death in the bathtub: 807,000/1 # death by a flood: 713,000/1 # death by falling out of bed: 2,000,000/1 # being killed in a terrorist WMD attack: 6,000,000/1

1154 people died (worldwide) Odds 8,000,000/1

Yup, that’s right You at a greater risk from drowning in a bathtub

 The regular run-of-the-mill strains of influenza kill more than 35,000 Americans every year  Bird flu – WHO reports (1 June 09) 436 cases and 262 deaths (was supposed to wipe us out)  More than 25m people have died from AIDS since 1981 (up to July 07)  1.6m died from TB in 2005  SARS (Severe Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome)– 167 deaths up to 2003 (was also supposed to kill millions)

Some beneficiaries  Drug companies – more medications sold  Doctors – patients with mild cold will not ‘take any chances’  Medical institutions  Media – more interest = more sales  Some politicians

Only treatment Tamiflu (also only treatment for bird flu)

Gilead Sciences Inc Roche – manufacturers it under licence Patent protection till 2016 Only licence for Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is to:

Tamiflu  USA ordered 25m doses  Total cost $2bn ($80 per course)  65 governments have ordered  Orders to 2008 – 200m doses  Price $70= R500 per course

Chairman of Gilead Since Held major stocks

Donald Rumsfeld Former USA Secretary of defence

 Bush authorised $1.7Bn to fight bird flu – 14% went to Gilead inc  Gilead shares rose 700% since 2005 (when stock markets fell 40%)  Total revenue for 2 nd quarter 09 up 29% over 2008  Net income for 2 nd quarter 09 = $571.4m ($434m 2008)  Royalties from Roche ($78.8m)  10% of every vaccine to Rumsfeld

So lets understand..  Every month 50,000 people die from AIDS in South Africa  Every day nearly 1,600 people die from AIDS  Every year 18,000 people die on our roads  25,000 people are murdered  Every year 80,000 die of TB

But we are forced to focus on Influenza A (H1N1) Swine flu

Because the Powers Don’t make money from treating AIDS, TB, measles, malnutrition….