Amidst the panic and confusion of Coronavirus, Boris’ ever-changing rules, as well as our personal fears about work or leaving our homes in general, a question we need to be asking ourselves is this; are we heading into a new pandemic? A pandemic of which the side effects are not yet possible to perceive, a pandemic we are constructing ourselves as it seems all medical historic events which should be guiding us seem to be forgotten.
We’ve all heard or read about the government’s desperate hunt to find a vaccine to prevent further spread of Coronavirus. Conclusive numbers are proving difficult to verify as figures and statistics change daily, but it is accepted there are between 11 and 25 pharmaceutical companies competing against each other to be the first company to successfully produce a vaccination. Articles are already running with the fact that UK regulators will be allowed to grant permission for the vaccine to be used before it is officially licensed by the EU, departing from the usual protocol in which the European Medicines Agency must approve any new drug first. Medical leaders suggest a speedy rollout of a new vaccine will ultimately save lives and is the key to bringing the pandemic to an end. However, hidden within the encouraging jargon is the fact that manufacturers will be immune from civil liability if it is later found to cause harm as a result of being rushed through. This, in layman terms means, as a result of desperation, panic, and excitement of gaining a vaccine, we allow ourselves and our children to be used as long term test subjects, injected with the unknown chemicals and strands of SARS and Covid which make up the vaccine, if we later have debilitating or crippling side effects, we have no legal right or power to do anything about it.
The world of science describes the hurried search and impending completion of a vaccine as a scientific feat with few parallels. Throughout recorded history, no vaccine has ever been developed so quickly, never mind a vaccine intended for global use. Clinical trials are usually governed by strict regulations which are periodically reviewed during its three or four stages over a period of several years. Without this prolonged timescale, details of effective dosing levels, medical indication or forthcoming antagonistic side effects remain unknown. Plans and expectations for a vaccine to be ready this year or early next have already been put on hold due to a possible adverse reaction in a trial participant, however the government and political officials are still promising a vaccine by Christmas.
Although history has never seen a vaccine developed so fast, it has recorded the devastating effects vaccines and medication can have, including those drugs which have been scrutinised by the strict regulations imposed on pharmaceutical companies and their testing regimes.
One essential but seemingly overlooked incident is the generation of Thalidomide babies. Ironically, a drug which was tested for five years, Thalidomide, not only changed people’s lives, but also pathed the way to tighter drug testing and the reporting of side-effects due to the manufacture of the generation of ‘Thalidomide babies’. Even though early testing on the German drug proved it virtually impossible to give test animals a lethal dose, therefore deemed harmless to humans, this sedative or tranquiliser was prescribed for a range of conditions, most notably for relieving the discomforting symptoms of early pregnancy, even though it was never actually tested on pregnant women. It was widely offered as an over the counter drug and traded under many different names in 49 different countries, a factor which resulted in connection of Thalidomide and the generation of effected babies to remain undiscovered for 5 years.
It was later discovered that in Germany alone an estimated 10.000 babies were affected by the drug, with around half dying within months of being born. The thalidomide babies who did survive are still living with the severe effects of the drug today. The, now adult, survivors have lived for decades with stunted, twisted or missing limbs, premature onset of arthritis and chronic pain which guarantees permanent dependency on family members or social services.
In 1968 the pharmaceutical company Chemie Grünenthal was brought to trial in Germany. The company settled the case out of court and arrangements were made to compensate German victims.
Adverts are currently live, broadcast all over the radio, calling for volunteers to take part in Coronavirus vaccination trials. They are offering up to £6000 to each patient who completes the trial. The NHS website claims no amount of the virus will be injected into the bodies of the participants. I personally, am wondering how they know the vaccine is going to successfully prevent or cure Coronavirus if they are not actually using any trial drug directly against coronavirus. I believe they are simply injecting whatever concoction of drugs they have chosen and are waiting to see the outcome. They are in a rush to inject the population without knowing what the long-term side effects will be.
In the case of Thalidomide, no one was found guilty of any crimes, just as it is accepted today that no manufactures will be held liable for the very possible side effects caused by the hasty production of a Coronavirus vaccine.
Living a life with the constant fear of catching Coronavirus is a devastating thought which, unfortunately, is fast becoming our approach to everyday life. Nevertheless, how comfortable should we be with the thought of a vaccine which hasn’t been thoroughly tested? A virus which is still mutating, and the fact that our bodies have not yet been given the chance to fight it off naturally.
Larna Bobby Lou
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