Pandemrix: Time to say Goodbye to Dr. Holohan

The 80 vaccine injured from the 2009 pandemic

Hmmmmm. Where to begin. Where to begin.

Let’s try October 15th 2021 for size and an Irish Times article about a 16 year old girl. Yeah, maybe let’s start there and see how we go. The Irish Times, reported on that day, that this particular 16 year old teenager and her family settled a legal action, taken in the High Court, for 1.2 million euro. The settlement was for vaccine injuries. Ever so slightly topical.

Details published from the case in the Irish Times indicate that this 16 year old’s problems began as a four year old within months of receiving a swine flu vaccination, Pandemrix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in Europe and specifically produced for pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza.

Back in 2009, I was the proud owner of a 1 year old boy, 6 year old boy and a 9 year old Volkswagen Passat. Fortunately, my 9 year old was the only one of the trio with significant health issues in 2009. As a result of the boys and not the car, I remember some household discussion on this vaccine topic at that particular moment. H1N1 did make a brief appearance into public consciousness at the time, though, I must admit, vague are my recollections of it other than my kids didn’t get vaccinated.

Anyway, turns out this particular vaccine, showed up in the High Court last October and found itself with a very influential ruling against it. It seems that this 1.2 million settlement paves the way for another 80 cases to be settled. Yes, eight zero. Let’s quote from the Irish Times article so I get this right.

“That ground breaking settlement paved the way for the resolution of 80 cases over the Pandemrix vaccine. It was agreed under the terms of that settlement that 50 per cent of the settlement figure would be paid out “

Okay, so now would be a good time to start talking about the injuries that resulted in such a sizeable settlement. The girl in question, has had to deal with the following for 75% of her life according to her Senior Counsel in that case. Again, the following extract is taken from the same Irish Times article.

Her counsel, Jonathan Kilfeather SC, said the child developed symptoms within months and started to fall asleep during the day.

A diagnosis of narcolepsy along with cataplexy, which involves loss of muscle control, was made in early 2013.

Counsel said the girl suffered two falls as a result of her debilitating condition and on one occasion had broken her arm. If she laughs, she suffers loss of muscle control, he added.

Irish Times October 15th 2021.

Full Irish Times article here

Let’s repeat the last line of that article extract. If the girl laughs, she loses muscle control. Hmmmm. That is quite a vaccine side effect wouldn’t you say. In addition, Narcolepsy, is quite the vaccine injury too. Not exactly the life you’d envisage for a son or daughter is it ?

Now, let’s tread lightly for a moment because we need to hop around a little bit at this juncture. But bear something in mind and carry it with you for the remainder of this piece. It took 4 years for this child to get a diagnosis and 12 years to get a settlement. 75% of her life.

My first thought when I read this article was to ask a question. What exactly did Irish health regulatory bodies say about this vaccine in 2009. It also would be interesting to know, for example, what a body like say, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), in the US, says about this wonder vaccine Pandemrix today. I mean they are the lead authority on all things disease and pandemic related in the world right?

So let’s take a look at what they say about Pandemrix today.

An increased risk of narcolepsy was found following vaccination with Pandemrix, a monovalent 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine that was used in several European countries during the H1N1 influenza pandemic. This risk was initially found in Finland, and then other European countries also detected an association.

Background

Narcolepsy is a central nervous system disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and abnormal manifestations of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This disorder is caused by the brain’s inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally, but it can be treated with medication and behavior modification. About narcolepsy and other sleep disorders.

Pandemrix is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline in Europe and was specifically produced for pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza. It was not used before 2009, and has not been used since the influenza pandemic season (2009-2010). It contains an oil-in-water emulsion adjuvant called ASO3. Adjuvants are substances added to a vaccine to increase the body’s immune response to that vaccine. More about adjuvants.

Pandemrix was not licensed for use in the United States.

Link to CDC website extract here

The key point I take from that vaccine extract is the fact that Pandemrix was never licensed for use in the USA according to the CDC. Interesting. The agency that did authorize it’s use was The European Medicines Evaluations Agency.

So let’s do a little recap at this point. We have a 16 year old girl and possibly another 80 known Pandemrix injured Irish people. We have a vaccine that was never licensed for use in the United States. Got that. Great. Let’s keep moving.

Next question. How did we formulate a response to this H1N1 pandemic in 2009?

Well, you’re not going to quite believe this but we had a brand new Chief Medical Officer in 2009. You might have heard of the guy. Dr. Tony Holohan.

Now, it would be interesting to know what his thoughts were in 2009 on Pandemrix wouldn’t it. As a test of his thought processes today. Unfortunately, the social media era had not quite kicked off in 2009 and of course we didn’t allow our Chief Medical Officer daily State of the Union addresses 12 years ago either. Not sure how we survived. However, fear not dear reader, Dr Holohan did manage to rouse enough interest in the H1N1 pandemic and an Irish vaccination program to get himself a slot on Morning Ireland and a feature in the Irish Times in 2009.

Now, it’s important you read all of this October 20th 2009 Irish Times article when you get a chance. Under the title of an article called: “ Authorities Insist on Safety of Vaccine “

Dr Tony Holohan became Chief Medical Officer in 2008 and had quite a bit to say about our wonder vaccine and vaccines in general in 2009.

The Department of Health's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan insisted today he is satisfied about the safety of the new swine flu vaccines.

His comments came in response to a report in today's Irish Times of concerns in Germany about the safety of the vaccines.

There one vaccine - Pandemrix from GlaxoSmithKline - which is also to be used in Ireland is being given to the general public while another from Baxter which does not contain an adjuvant to boost the immune systems response is being given to the German government and armed forces.

Dr Holohan said Pandemrix had been licenced by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency.

"Our Irish Medicines Board and the National Immunisation Advisory committee who provide us with the national level advice are also satisfied about the safety profiles of these vaccines," he said.

He added that the elements of the vaccine over which concerns were raised in Germany - namely adjuvants - were elements which are used in many other vaccines and there are a number of safety trials on them.

There were in excess of 70 clinical trials that had established the safety of the adjuvant, he said.

"We are quite happy that this vaccine, as with all other influenza vaccines, have actually got a very good safety profile," he told RTE's Morning Ireland.

He added that it was very important young people in at risk groups get vaccinated as quickly as possible. Vaccinations for this group are now being delivered to GPs.

"Its very important that as quickly as we can get it to people that people get immunized," Dr Holohan said.

"We have no hesitation in recommending it," he added.

Link to the full 2009 Irish Times article is here

Let’s repeat the last line for the slow people. “We have no hesitation in recommending it”

Sounds very much like how he talks about vaccines in 2021 and 2022. It’s quite chilling to read now when you put the 2009 words in their proper context, which is, alongside a 1.2 million euro settlement and 80 pending Pandemrix vaccine injury cases, in addition to the fact, that as the CDC helpfully point out above - Pandemrix was never licensed for use in the United States. I wonder what he thinks of his 2009 vaccine stance in 2022?

Let’s also put this in it’s contemporary proper place. In my opinion, this is evidence of Dr. Holohan having set a precedent of getting a big vaccine call wrong. Even when risks had been raised in other jurisdictions about the safety profile as they had been in 2009 in Germany just before his public response above.

Interesting, wouldn’t you say?

Interesting, how anyone could be so gung-ho about any vaccine ever again given this piece of recent history. It only makes sense through a certain prism as far as I can ascertain. And that is if you’re a medical agency that outsources the responsibility of vaccine science to other agencies lock, stock and barrel. Whether they be European or US agencies.

In 2009, Ireland pointed to the “very good” safety profile of Pandemrix based on EMEA approval. Did we do anything else?

I ask because the EMEA and by extension Dr. Holohan were wrong about Pandemrix in 2009. And the Irish taxpayer is footing the bill for the error in 2022 due to the fact GlaxoSmithKline had received indemnity from the State against any adverse reactions to the vaccine. Sound familiar?

Now, that would be bad enough, except the Irish medical brains trust are using exactly the same playbook for COVID vaccines. Blind trust in outside and external regulatory agencies who, if anything, are even cosier with Big Pharma today than they were in 2009. Need I remind anyone, that our current situation, where we are not vaccinating tens of thousands as we were in 2009, but millions, has far greater and more far reaching long-term consequences.

Has any Irish medical authority critically and scientifically examined the potential side effects of this vaccine. Has an Irish agency undertaken large Irish studies on this experimental vaccine?

Surely, the Chief Medical Officer should be giving us weekly updates on not just the known vaccine side effects presenting but also emerging and potential anomalies that are cropping up in the Irish scientific data. For example, altered menstrual cycles. Anyone, Anyone……..

Now, let’s park those thoughts for a moment, we’ll circle back later. Meanwhile, buckle up, because we’re on the move again. This time it’s a short hop back to November 2021 and the HSE’s “Layer Up “ advertising campaign. I bring this up, at this point not just because it is one of the most audacious, brazen and completely bizarre pieces of public health literature I have witnessed but that this, after two years, is our current COVID scientific strategy to beat the disease.

Now, I’m not a scientist or even a marketeer but what I do think I possess is a good eye for the mis-use of words and language especially in relation to the current government public health messaging. Exhibit A.

“ Get your vaccine “

First off, the PDF document above, which I downloaded from GOV.IE doesn’t say:

“ Get a vaccine “ but get “ your” vaccine - Why is this important?

Beside the fact, that the first “layer” is vaguely threatening, the use of “ your” signifies some weird type of ownership claim. As if you have made some implicit agreement to accept this vaccine and, of course, you need to take it - NOW. The HSE even manage to get across a sense of growing impatience with you. Pretty good going for three words. However it’s an odd sentiment considering 95% of the adult population are vaccinated. The tone is very close to a rather more sinister subliminal message of :

“ Take your medicine - Doctor knows best “

The rest of the Layer Up campaign is basically a list of the old reliables we produced panic-stricken back in March 2020 with the addition of one new addiction. Open Windows. Now, amazingly the Layer Up campaign doesn’t have an attachment with 22 months of scientific data proving the scientific claims of say a thing like masks. You would think somebody in the 110,000 strong HSE could have maybe tested the veracity of some of these guidelines over the past two years. Alas, that would be a pipe-dream and a stretch too far I guess.

God bless our health leaders, for now it seems, they’ve never seen an open window they didn’t want the general public to jump out off. It’s almost, as if, they’re testing the limits of how far they can push the boundaries of the ludicrous.

Isn’t it curious how the Layer Up campaign has no mention of Vitamin supplements or increasing your exercise output as a protective measure against COVID. Heaven forbid any therapeutic recommendations either. Curious that.

So has the slick, HSE “ Layer up “ campaign worked?

Hmmmmm….Now, that depends on what the objective of the campaign actually is. If reducing COVID was the objective, well, at a count of approximately between 400,000 and 500,000 positive COVID cases in the first 10 days of January 2022 it’s an abject failure. Indeed, if that is the objective, it’s time to close the door on our Layer Up campaign and with it our open windows.

So what was the point or what was the objective?

It’s here we must return to the language for perhaps a clue. The language of the campaign succeeds in one element. It engenders fear. Masks, distance, hand-washing, windows. Visible signs or insignia of a looming threat.

Now ask yourself, who is left to frighten? - And here is where the penny might eventually drop for some of you. The clue is in the hastily added final bullet point of the campaign.

Whose windows are open?

Children’s windows are open.

Now, last stop before Heuston station folks. We’re nearly there.

Timeline - 5 days ago

It’s something of a new activity, and to my mind, a highly dangerous one, that Doctor Holohan and NPHET have started to engage in over recent days. Dr. Holohan has decided that he can insert himself into a conversation between a parent and a child.

I am going to reference his statement from earlier in the week regarding child vaccinations. Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ll be aware the vaccine programme is now targeting all children between 5-11 years of age and the CMO said the benefits of vaccinating children “far outweigh the risks” - I wonder what the safety profile is in 2022?

Let me guess “ very good “

According to the Irish Independent, Dr Holohan, said it is essential for everyone to protect themselves and others from infection.

“Most children will experience a very mild form of this disease, for a small few, they may become severely ill. The Covid-19 vaccines are doing an excellent job of preventing severe illness and disease in those who are fully vaccinated,” Dr Tony Holohan

Dr. Holohan provides ZERO evidence to back up his claims that the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks to children. Repeat ZERO. It’s just something he likes to say. Similiar, maybe, to how he was satisfied with the safety profile of Pandemrix in 2009. He doesn’t come armed with scientific manuals on the subject of vaccination benefits for the 5-11 age cohort. That’s not really his thing. There is NO scientific research to back up his claim.

I want to make one thing very clear, it’s not his fault he lives and works in a country where a Chief Medical Officer receives no significant peer led push back from his own profession allied to the fact his utterances are copy and pasted by many straight into our newspapers by the press corps. Not his fault. Our fault for allowing our professionals classes to coast along pretending they are providing a world class response.

Now, for Dr. Holohan to highlight the very FEW children that develop severe illness from COVID is so disingenuous that even NPHET require the additional lumping on of some non-existent moral obligation on our children to try and sell it to the public. This is like pointing to some kind of insidious, invisible and imaginary boogie man living under your child’s bed and telling them…ah sure…. it’s no harm to believe in it. It also very much is no harm not to believe in it either. Actually, the latter is much more preferable for their well-being. This is all toxic enough but even that isn’t the worst part of this Grimm’s brothers fairytale from NPHET…..oh no…..that comes next.

“Getting your child vaccinated is a decision between you and your child. I would encourage all parents and guardians to discuss this update to our vaccination programme with your child and ensure that they are aware that vaccination is available to them. I would also encourage you to engage with the trusted health advice available on the HSE website, and with your own family clinician if you have any concerns about bringing your child for this vaccine.”

Irish Independent January 10th 2022 - full article here

This idea that parents should be introducing vaccination conversations to their children to “ensure they are aware that vaccination is available to them “ is one of the most heinous oversteps by any Irish public health official that I can ever recall.

Note to Dr. Tony : It is parents job to inform themselves of vaccination information and make informed decisions for their child. It is not NPHET’s job to insert themselves into that decision-making process by telling parents what they MUST inform their child. It is none of NPHET’s business what a parent tells to the their child about vaccinations and quite frankly NPHET needs to be told where the hell to go on this topic.

What was the purpose of this interjection?

My opinion is that the whole idea of this little soliquoy is to ensure that by informing the child, the child becomes afraid of COVID. If the child is afraid maybe they’ll talk to their friends and maybe they’ll talk to their parents and maybe they’ll start asking to be vaccinated. NPHET’s advice oversteps all known interference boundaries in our family life and in fact prescribes the introduction of mental anguish to a child’s life just so our medical community gets what they so hungrily desire - vaccination at all costs. Children of this age have no business talking or worrying about COVID. Dr. Holohan has no business trying to get them worried about COVID.

What is it, other than an attempt at coercive control of a child and our government needs to take it’s finger out of it’s ass and stop pussy-footing around these paint by numbers, colour-blind medical Picassos. And point out Pinocchio is a far better photofit for most of them.

Now, you remember when I quoted the CDC earlier, whose literature indicates that no further roll-outs of Pandemrix occurring after 2010. I should clarify that a little for them. I do like to help out the CDC when and where I can. No further roll-outs of Pandemrix occurred anywhere in the world after 2010 except in Ireland is how that should probably read in order to be 100% accurate.

Due to a flu vaccine shortage in 2011 the HSE attempted to “Layer up” a shortage of flu vaccines in early 2011. So they allowed the roll-out of their stockpiles of Pandemrix to recommence for approximately 11 weeks in 2011. Don’t believe me?

Well, let’s dive into an Irish Independent story on the subject from August 7th 2018. Sums it up nicely.

In a January 2011 letter, the HSE National Cold Chain Service confirmed it was re-issuing Pandemrix supplies given concerns over a winter flu vaccine shortfall. The HSE letter added the winter flu vaccine should be prioritised for pregnant women, and children aged from six months to 18 years in medically at-risk groups.

In late February 2011, Finland's NIHW announced a spike in narcolepsy cases and a suspected link between Pandemrix and the sleep disorder.

On March 28, just 11 weeks after its Pandemrix re-issue letter, the HSE ordered a halt to all use of the vaccine on foot of the NIHW report.

Full Irish Independent article here

So, not only has Ireland a history of doing the wrong thing but we’ll keep doing the wrong thing long after everyone else. Now, I ask you would you trust these people to talk to your children honestly?

Is it not time for some of them to go gently into the night?

Post Script

It’s 5:30am. Another night lost or gained. Fighting with the pen and the words. As I sit here, I am not quite sure when sleep will come. I’m fortunate though, as I know it’s unlikely to occur crossing the road or going for a run or making a 5th cup of coffee. When I do yield to it’s clutches I am not likely to wake from my slumber with a broken arm or something worse. Unlike, 80 or so of the vaccine injured. A vaccine that’s safety profile was so assured it has left them with an altered safety profile for the rest of their lives. Worth pondering for a moment in the dead of a night.

I sit and type these last few words on my glass coffee table as I often do. As I look through the glass I can see my now 18 year old son’s copy of Catcher in the Rye on a shelf close to my feet. I am reminded that I too first read it as an 18 year old. I am also reminded that he needs to get back to reading it. I think, I may well have sat in this spot, at this exact time before and glimpsed it as a previous binge writing session drew to a close. Deja Vu all over again as they say.

I have a sneaking suspicion I may have even referenced it before in a piece of writing but I’m not quite sure. If I have, it is because of my enduring fondness for that first discovery of an authentic literary voice. Holden Caulfield. Of course, Holden, is also of a similiar age to my son, and on my first reading of Catcher in the Rye, was to me. It’s a novel I have re-read in the different seasons of my life and in doing so found different treasures, armed as you are, with the different perspectives that age and living a life can sometimes help reveal.

However, one aspect or theme of that book never altered much for me - his perception of phonies. And maybe it’s best to allow Holden Caulfield to elaborate.

One of the biggest reasons I left Elkton Hills was because I was surrounded by phonies. That’s all. They were coming in the goddam window.

Indeed. Holden.

Right in through the goddam open windows.

I try to put a lot of effort to bring you engaging content both written & interview podcasts - there is a monthly $5 subscription or $39 annual subscription option for anyone that can afford that option below. It helps keep the show on the road!

Most of my content is and always will be free so you can sign up for that also and you can unsubscribe from any subscription (Paid or Free) at the click of a button.

If you enjoyed the column please share this post