World Groups and Vaccination

Dear Friends,

It’s been quite a while since I last sent you an installment from my files. Previously, I wrote primarily about U.S. government agencies involved with vaccinations. However, as you could see (I hope), they are intertwined with academic institutions, religious groups, foundations, community organizations, etc.

This installment continues in that vein, but, this time, the focus is on international groups involved with vaccination. However, there is still a U.S. Connection. Here are some world-wide groups for you to know about:

INTERNATIONAL:

World Health Organization (WHO) part of the United Nations (www.who.int)
WHO is the public health arm of the United Nations. They coordinate international public health (such as the recent H1N1scare). They also spur the development of vaccines.

Also part of the United Nations Is UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund; the name was changed to omit “emergency,” but the acronym remained). It is subject to the authority of the Social & Economic Council of the U.N. UNICEF focuses on HIV/AIDS and children, immunization, child survival and development. It also provides technical and financial support for vaccination efforts, such as to Bangladesh in March, 2010, targeting 20 million children under age 5 for vaccination.

Global Children’s Vaccine Initiative (CVI) was founded in 1991 when the UNDP (United Nations Develoment Programme), UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Fund), the Rockefeller Foundation, WHO, and the World Bank agreed to launch the CVI as a focused effort to accelerate vaccine development and use.

The International Vaccine Institute, an umbrella of the Global Children’s Vaccine Initiative was established in 1996 at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme under the Vienna Convention of 1969 and in 2001 had 33 countries and WHO sign on to it. It is governed by an independent Board of Trustees (from around the world, esp. the US) and is located in Seoul, Korea. Korea serves as the Host Country and also a generous supporter of the IVI. It has strong links with the WHO and GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization).

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is a new international organization, dedicated to preventing infectious diseases through science. It “… is developing computerized, large-linked population databases for evaluation of putative vaccine side-effects … will contribute to the global effort to develop and introduce new vaccines.” (www.ivi.int).

The above groups have conferences, workshops and meetings quite frequently during the course of a year and an aim is international cooperation regarding vaccines.

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) was officially launched in January, 2000. It is a new alliance created to continue and build upon the work of the earlier Children’s Vaccine Initiative, which had been launched in 1990. “ In GAVI, the pharmaceutical industry’s participation as a full partner is an innovation. The Global Fund makes its funding decisions based on the recommendations of the GAVI Board… The Global Fund was created with an initial grant of $750 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation…The Global Fund serves as a new experiment in the field of international public health… The GAVI partners consider immunization to be a key element of public health… Among its objectives the Alliance has are: Expanding the use of all existing safe and cost-effective vaccines, accelerating the development and introduction of new vaccines; making immunization coverage an integral part of the design and assessment of international development efforts, including deep debt relief…

”… The Global Fund provides new and under-used vaccines with safe immunization equipment and provides funding to help governments strengthen their basic immunization service. WHO plays a big part in the Alliance, because it is the lead organization in global public health and develops global policies and strategies for immunization and vaccine development… If polio is eradicated by 2005, it has been calculated that US $1.5 billion per annum will be saved on immunization costs alone…Immunization reduces the social and financial costs of treating diseases, offering opportunities for poverty reduction and greater social and economic development. (from an April, 2002 fact sheet, No 169).

In February, 1993 The International Business Communications Council supported seminars presented by the International Pediatric Association, The Children’s Health Fund; Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine; and the Japan Pediatric Association -- “Meeting the Needs of the World’s Children: An American-Japanese Child Health Exchange.”

World Vaccine Congress— (www.terrapin.com). There have been at least 8 annual events, 2010 being held in Lyon, France. The 2008 one was held in Washington, D.C. Their 16-page brochure stated: “World Vaccine Congress Washington 2008 is the largest, most established and most dynamic vaccine conference in North America … this congress will put you face-to-face with over 100 of the World’s most compelling and influential scientific and business leaders in vaccines. It is the only programme in North America to successfully bring their renowned perspectives on vaccine market dynamics to the senior executive community…” The list included: vaccine manufacturers, biotechnology companies, governmental organizations and contract services organizations, law firms, drug delivery companies, investment arms and venture capital, management and technology consultants.

The brochure for their 2008 conference began: “The golden age of vaccines!

The global vaccine market continues to ride high on the wave of renewed interest and investment from government and industry stakeholders… Historically, vaccines have been far less attractive than other pharmaceutical markets. They have been seen as a mature product group that has not taken to driving new technologies to further advances, as a result the market has not generated strong revenues and hence the therapeutic area has remained in a period of languished growth for decades… But over the past decade, several trends has converged to revive the market, not least important, the non-profit sector. Led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the organization has fostered public-private partnerships that enable vaccines to penetrate markets in poorer nations. The result: a new wave of investment in vaccines. Among investors and the broader public, vaccines are suddenly hot.”

“The financial prospects for the vaccine business have never looked better. This improved economic outlook has not been lost on pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms and the broader investment community. The new wave of vaccine products represent enormous profit potential for companies and investors. Industry once again sees vaccines as money makers.”

Child Survival—World Development was a newsletter of The Task Force for Child Survival and Development, of the Carter Presidential Center, but administratively affiliated with Emory University. It had been published since 1985 but ended in January-March, 1996 because “Each of the sponsoring agencies of The Task Force for Child Survival and Development now publishes an annual report, and most have other periodic newsletters or magazines that report on many of the same stories or issues that we have historically covered.” UNICEF provided funds for the newsletter and it went worldwide.

“Health issues for Europe” was a January 29, 1994 editorial of The Lancet.

“The Maastricht Treaty, in force since Nov. 1, 1993, could have far-reaching effects on European public health policies. In particular, Article 129 covers public health activities at Community level and their relationship to work in member states and other international organizations, and gives a legal basis for a planned framework for action in the area of public health. This document is intended to govern the direction of Community policies for years to come.” The article went on to cover various health problems in Europe, including “falling immunization rates and other effects of social and political upheaval in Eastern Europe.” Apparently many health initiatives were sponsored by the European Union or the WHO. Such an EU initiative that is intended to facilitate rapid transfer across Europe of computerized information, includes a project on health in which WHO participates… Whether their interests are clinical, academic, or policy making, European medicine needs a rational approach to international collaboration in health, investing in it where this will be more cost-effective than national actions (or inaction).”

European Medicines Agency is the top drug regulatory body for the European Union.

Junior Leagues International (www.ajli.org): Founded in 1901, Junior Leagues are organizations of women volunteers developing community leadership. There are 292 Junior Leagues in Canada, Mexico, the U.K. and U.S. with 160,000 members. In the 1990’s, 230 Leagues across the four countries participated in the “Don’t Wait to Vaccinate Campaign.”

Kiwanis (www.kiwanis.org) is “a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.” They have been around since 1915. Since 1962 they are in more than 96 countries with 8,000 clubs. In 2000 many communities heard PSA announcements from Kiwanis regarding immunization. Although each Kiwanis club chooses its service objectives, many supported vaccination efforts because they relied on the Kiwanis International Priority One Advisory Council (composed of 43 national organizations). They consulted with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics and pro-vaccine researchers. The council consistently supported vaccinations and as long as there is strong consensus by the members of the Council on vaccination, Kiwanis will continue to do so. They currently have partnered with UNICEF for the global elimination of iodine deficiency disorders.

Rotary International (www.rotary.org): Founded in 1905, there are over 33,000 clubs in 200 countries with a membership of 1.2 million. Their motto is “service above self” and they have a “Four-way test:

1) Is it the TRUTH?
2) Is it FAIR to all concerned?
3) Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP?
4) Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

Since 1985 Rotary has cooperated with the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and UNICEF to immunize every child in the world against polio (PolioPlus program; End Polio Now). Rotarians actively work with traditional rulers, religious leaders and local celebrities to promote the importance of immunization, as well as helping implement “national immunization day” campaigns. They have received a challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that resulted in $555 million to support immunization campaigns in developing countries.

The April, 1997 issue of ALIVE magazine, out of Canada, had an article “Health Care—or Warfare? It’s a Thin Line” by Lynn McLean, BSc. She discussed the economic dependence of the medical doctors, province of Quebec and Canadian government on pharmaceutical transnational companies. She went on to discuss “Global Agendas”:

“Meanwhile, the federal government is considering signing dangerous agreements with the United Nations Security Council (UN). Some examples: The Declaration of Alma Ata (ensuring pharmaceutical health care is primary health care globally); the UN Codex proposal to set worldwide dietary supplement controls; a mandatory vaccination commitment; and the Child Rights Act, which allows governments to usurp parental rights in making health choices for children. All of these are designed to set a global health agenda.”

COMMENTARY:

First, let me state my admiration that so many initiatives from the U.S. have spread around the world. To me, it is a tribute to the spirit in our country that people would organize service groups to help others and that those groups spread internationally.

It also shows the influence of our business and social elites for good --or ill.

Another observation: the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the agencies of the United Nations are focused on spreading immunizations, no matter what.

I think too many people have worried about “one world government” in the wrong frame. If there is anything close to a One World government, it appears from what little I know from the above that the government is going to be from the framework of global public health, with the heavy involvement of the United Nations and the U.S. CDC. For people who thought they could move some place else to avoid vaccines, I hope the above makes you forget the idea, for it is, in my opinion, futile. What is needed is for people to take a stand where they live – and to support research into adverse vaccine effects, for the research done by any of the above groups will be flawed, intentionally or not, because there is too much invested in spreading the gospel of global vaccination.

Personally, I think the research needs to be geared to mimicking the Childhood Immunization Schedule and dosing in order to see the cumulative effect of all those chemicals in one body. Only then will we be able to see whether or not the infant’s body can withstand the chemical onslaught.

Bonnie P. Franz