Why did the previous swine flu vaccine cause Guillain-Barre syndrome?
A. A complex question! First, it’s not clear how much of an increased risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome was associated with influenza vaccination, partly because it’s not really certain how many cases of GBS occur annually in the United States. Most rigorous studies have suggested there was either a low or no risk of developing GBS after immunization with the 1976 H1N1 vaccine when compared to the general population. GBS has not been convincingly or consistently linked to any other influenza vaccine before or since. So the link between GBS and influenza vaccines remains controversial, but it is a relatively low risk, if any. Q. The swine flu seems mild compared with seasonal flu. So why expose my family to a new vaccine? Wouldn’t it be better just to get the new flu? A. A couple of things. The disease caused by the 2009 H1N1 is very consistent with the disease caused by seasonal flu. We also know that most of the population under the age of 60 is susceptible to this virus, and in fact, t
