The Working Week 118

Amid all the hype and hysteria around swine flu, it's not surprising that companies are worried about the winter ahead and may be encouraging their staff to have a flu vaccine. But is that such a good idea?

On this week's Working Week, Wayne talks to Dr Sherri Tenpenny, who is an outspoken critic on the swine flu vaccine.

She explains that the evidence for regular flu vaccines doesn't stack up. One review of 48 international studies which together examined the effects of flu vaccines on more than 66,000 adults, found that vaccination of healthy adults only reduced risk of influenza by six per cent and reduced the number of missed work days by less than one day (0.16) days. It did not change the number of people needing to go to hospital or take time off work.

Bearing in mind the growing concern over the potential side effects of the swine flu vaccines and their adjuvents, employers may want to think again before they take a view one way or the other.

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• Thanks Sherri I was doubting the vaccine anyway but now I know I won't.

  Mike, california

• How refreshing to hear something about the flu that isn't rehashed from a government press release. "Hype and hysteria " - you're not wrong. Thanks.

  Carry