Ep. 77 - "26% More Effective"? What the mRNA Flu Vaccine Data Actually Means

The new mRNA flu vaccine is here. But what does the research actually tell us about its safety and effectiveness?

In this episode of Holistic Health with Melissa, Melissa is joined once again by certified Physician Assistant Katie Collins to dig into the research behind the new mRNA influenza vaccine and explore what true informed consent should look like.

Together, Melissa and Katie break down the difference between traditional and mRNA vaccines, what researchers actually measured in the clinical trials, and why understanding the way statistics are presented matters when making medical decisions.

In this episode, they discuss:

• How mRNA vaccines differ from traditional flu vaccines

• Relative risk vs. absolute risk and why the difference matters

• What the clinical trials reported about effectiveness, hospitalizations, side effects, and deaths

• What it means when a vaccine is compared with another vaccine rather than a placebo

• Questions surrounding research funding and conflicts of interest

• The difference between regulatory approval and the questions patients may still want answered

• Why reading beyond the abstract and conclusion of a study matters

• How to ask better questions when making healthcare decisions for yourself and your family