Friday, August 23, 2013

This Pharmaceutical Company Used NSA-Like Tactics to Monitor Parents’ Concerns About Vaccines

Imagine you are about to be a new mother in three months and you want to learn more about vaccines. You read information on a website discussing the different toxic chemicals and dangerous biological agents contained in vaccines. (Get the list here.)
Reading about viruses cultured on monkey kidneys, mouse brains, and aborted fetal tissue makes you sick to your stomach. You decide to post the following question, “How do I tell my doctor I don’t want this stuff injected into my new baby? I’m scared and don’t know what to do. Please help!”
Fast forward three months after having your child.
You take your newborn into the pediatrician’s office, armed with your research and facts. You expect confrontation from a nurse or doctor, as so many other parents have reported. What you hear next surprises you and sounds very familiar.
Your doctor repeats back to you, in parrot-like fashion, all of your concerns about vaccines. He has all of the exact studies and counter-arguments that ultimately convince you to vaccinate your child. How can this be?
Is your doctor some sort of mind reader?
No.
He has been given your online posting profile. We’re actually closer to George Orwell’s novel 1984 than you think. If you want to know more, read on.

Pharma Collects Data on Your Vaccine Concerns

All of the recent news of the National Security Administration (NSA) illegally monitoring your communications and personal life may bring this information into a different perspective for you.
According to a recent news article, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) hired a text analytic software company, called Luminoso, to find out what parents were most concerned about with vaccines. [1]
The news article stated information on two websites were collected, BabyCenter.com and WhattoExpect.com. One of the main purposes was to learn what factors motivate parents to delay vaccinating their children.
In similar NSA-like-fashion, neither the website owners nor parents were aware of their information being anonymously collected. Additionally, the rationale given in the article for doing such an act is because current laws restrict how Big Pharma can interact with consumers (parents) of their products (vaccines).
However, unlike the NSA, GlaxoSmithKline and others are probably not doing anything illegal – even though their behavior is still very chilling. But, private companies have been known to share information with governments in the past and I think we shouldn’t forget that.
Let’s take a look at how Big Pharma will likely use this information …

A Slip of the Tongue

Every year, pharmaceutical companies spend billions of dollars more on their marketing campaigns than actual research and development of new products. [2]
Looking a bit closer into the original article, marketing is indeed how GSK will most likely be using the data collected.
As mentioned above, Pharma can’t interface directly with patients. Regarding this law, one spokeswoman for GSK stated, “That’s why it’s important for us to have this research directly from patients, so we can hear what they’re saying and address it through doctors.”
Still, another GSK representative communicated, “It has led us to question whether we are doing enough to help pediatricians having this discussion.”
If you can read between the lines here, GSK recognizes the “authority” and “shame” cards doctors learned in medical school to play on parents aren’t working so well anymore. If doctors were equipped to address the concerns from parents, GSK and others wouldn’t be doing this research, in my opinion.
Also understand – doctors are the main targets for pharma marketing dollars. A good book I recommend on understanding the topic in detail is called Our Daily Meds, by Melody Peterson.

What Can You Do About it?

If pharmaceutical companies are eavesdropping and collecting data on your concerns, you might feel intimidated and helpless. However, this feeling should be a signal to you!
The message is quite clear: You have the power and they want to influence your decision!
Next, I’ll give you some very specific actions to radically increase your personal power.
1. Remove fear. In this day, many people think their problems can be fixed with a pill or a magical injection. This is a fear-based mindset. Take personal responsibility for your own health by educating yourself at websites like NaturalNews.com.
2. Ask doctors to cite their source(s) of information. There are volumes of books written on how pharma uses ghost writers or “consultants” to write published papers to support a new drug. Make sure to check the references and who paid for the study.
3. Take time to make an informed decision based on evidence. Don’t make a decision on the spot because you’re being pressured. Making an intelligent decision takes time and research to consider the data.
4. Understand the power and influence the Pharmaceutical Industry has. Understanding their methods and marketing tactics negates their effect. A fantastic source of information can be reviewed in the following report entitled The Influence of the Pharmaceutical Industry. [3] In it, you will discover gems like these:
“The pharmaceutical industry’s promotional efforts are relentless and pervasive. The evidence presented showed the lengths to which the industry goes to ensure that promotional messages reach their targets, and that these targets include not only prescribing groups, but patients and the general public.” (page 76)
“It is clear that PR activity is vital and part of a coherent strategy, both reactive and proactive, for many pharmaceutical companies. Specifically, this activity is consistently designed to tap into and exploit the target audience’s emotions and deliberate efforts are made to build emotional elements into campaigns.” (page 79)
The documents highlighted the tactics employed by pharmaceutical companies to create a need among the medical profession before the launch of specific brands. For example, one company devised a five-stage mail-out to doctors for the launch of a new brand. The first two stages were used to create a need for new treatments and did not include any information about, or branding of, the new product. The remaining three stages were used to introduce the new brand and outline its safety and efficacy and the impression that it was being widely prescribed.” (page 60)
“[Public Relation] activities may include placing articles in the lay press, TV documentaries, soap operas etc. (page 61)
5. Pharma companies spend many millions of dollars targeting doctors. [4] There is good reason for this. They know your doctors will prescribe their preferred brand to you. Next time you are in your doctor’s office, look to see if they have pens, posters, or any other pharma-branded items lying around. This may be evidence pharmaceutical representatives are frequently visiting the office.
6. Investigate vaccine adverse reactions. Remember, vaccines are the exception – by law, no vaccine manufacturer or doctor can be sued if your child is killed or maimed by a vaccine. Just so you know, according to the FDA, there are over 2 million Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) per year. [4] This is currently the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. Vaccines are also drugs. Think about it.
Look at what has happened to other children by reviewing the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) database. [5]
7. Know what is being injected into your child. Get a list of vaccine ingredients here.
8. Be aware of psychological triggers. [6] If your doctor is insecure, he or she may use psychological triggers to get you to vaccinate your child. Don’t fall for them. Learn how they operate ahead of time and you will be able to withstand any attack.

Conclusion

In today’s digital age, it is difficult to be one hundred percent anonymous. Data is literally everywhere on the web. This article is a good reminder to you to be careful with what information you have made available on the web.
GlaxoSmithKline hired a third party to anonymously collect data regarding parents’ concerns on vaccines. Expect this type of activity to become more ubiquitous and accepted practice. Another expectation you can anticipate is doctors, especially pediatricians, will become better “Vaccine Salesmen.”
Lastly, remember regardless of how polished a message from your doctor sounds, it doesn’t take away the fact vaccines can injure and maim your child.

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