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Flu vaccinations are a waste of taxpayer money
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Flu vaccination is a "waste of taxpayers' money" and its benefits are overstated, scientists say.
Around £120 million is spent on flu vaccinations each year, but the protective benefits of the vaccines are overstated, particularly for older people, say scientists at the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
The propaganda about the benefits and effectiveness of vaccinations misleads the public. Experts fear that false information about the effectiveness of the products will lead to people simply losing faith in the need for vaccination and stopping getting vaccinated.
The huge annual financial losses suffered by the state are the reason for the ineffectiveness of the vaccines already developed. No new developments are being carried out, and the WHO forecasts, which determine which strains of influenza viruses should be included in the seasonal vaccination program, do not correspond to reality.
Tom Jefferson, a British epidemiologist at the non-profit The Cochrane Collaboration, says the government should be accountable for where taxpayers' money goes.
A report from the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy found that the UK's population-based vaccination could provide 59% protection against flu in people aged 18 to 64, but there was little research to prove the vaccine's effectiveness in people over 65.
Government officials estimate that vaccinating young people could save 2,000 lives a year.
"There is no doubt that the flu vaccination programme saves lives. We urge scientists and vaccine manufacturers to work hard to develop new, more effective flu vaccines and we do not accept the idea that there is no need to vaccinate against flu at present. Thousands of people die from the disease every year and we urge those at risk to get vaccinated and protect themselves," a Department of Health spokesman said.