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June 10-11, 2019 | Edinburgh, Scotland
Alternative Medicine and Traditional Medicine
International Conference on
Allied Journal of Medical Research | Volume 3
Annual influenza vaccine: Review of current attitudes, effectiveness and natural
evidence based alternatives in the likelihood of Influenza Pandemic
Carina Harkin
Carahealth, Ireland
I
nfluenza Pandemic remains a global threat (WHO), yet
from a pharmaceutical perspective, we remain woefully
ill-equipped. Health Care Workers (HCW) themselves are
statistically the most influenza vaccine hesitant group in
the population. With calls being made to make influenza
vaccine programmes compulsory, evidence needs to be taken
seriously and a critical assessment made. The speaker will
discuss what is the growing consensus of the ineffectiveness
of the influenza vaccine and the reasons. According to
Professor of Virology at Warwick University, Andrew Easton,
“A judgement should bemade about replacing this [influenza]
vaccine in the current climate of limited NHS budget. A re-
think is also needed as other therapeutic aids are showing
promise.” The speaker will discuss alternative evidence based
herbal medicine and supplements that specifically match the
pharmacological action of drugs to reduce influenza incidence
and mortality, and boost natural immunity to provide long
standing protection. Topics include increasing interferon and
how this works not only as a prophylactic and treatment
for influenza but, by addressing Major Histocompatibility
Complex (MHC) dysfunction, simultaneously has the capacity
to reduce the incidence of autoimmune disease (caused by
molecular mimicry). Other topics include viral replication
inhibition using natural neuraminidase and polymerase
inhibitors and compounds in herbal medicine that specifically
reduce the inflammatory cascade known as the cytokine
storm, associated with high mortality in influenza pandemics.
Speaker Biography
Carina Harkin holds 3 internationally recognised level 8 (EQF/AQF/NFQ/
Level 6 Ofqual) Bachelor of Health Science degrees in Complementary
and Alternative Medicine (CAM), being the world’s first triple degree CAM
graduate and she is completing a Master in Public Health MPH. Receiving
substantial training in pharmacology and having worked in pharmacies.
She is adept in drug/nutrient and drug/herb safety and specialises in
matching the pharmacological action of drugs with active constituents
found in herbs. Carina has an online herbal dispensary and supplies
organic pharmacy grade herbal extracts worldwide. Carina has experience
treating antimicrobial resistant disease including MRSA, MDR-TB, MDR
Streptococcus pneumonia and Haemophilus influenza, MDR Candida,
Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) and the rising tide of Non Communicable
Disease. She holds a teaching qualification and is an experienced lecturer
with 20 years clinical experience. She has worked in Public Health, as an
acupuncturist at the Northern Hospital Melbourne, where she conducted a
world first trial A Prospective, Randomised Control Trial of Acupuncture for
Select Common Conditions within the Emergency Department and in Box
Hill Hospital’s Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Unit. Her goal is to see the
integration of CAM into mainstream healthcare hence she is completing a
master’s in public health. She wants help shape future Public Health Policy
to improve Global Health Outcomes using Traditional Medicines and she
is writing her dissertation on The Use of Herbal Medicine to Address the
Greatest Global Threat; Antimicrobial Resistance.
e:
carahealth@gmail.com