No serious side effects were reported, though the trials are too small to detect rare conditions

That's the catch, isn't it?  I make my living doing SPC ("Statistical Process Control".)  In statistical jargon, this is called "Beta," the statistical power to detect an effect, assuming, of course, that it is present to begin with.  In other words, this vaccine could, in theory, cause some terrible illness a decade or two down the road, effect pregnancies, etc.  It won't kill you now, and probably won't kill you later on, but "we" (the scientists) are not sure.  Problem with vaccines is that they are not 100% effective to begin with.  You may get the shot and still get the disease and die from it.  This is the de facto example of government bureaucrats deciding, for you, who lives and who dies.

thanks, Jehanne

Your welcome!  To give another example, mammograms are recommended for women beyond ages 50 (or 45, not sure what the current recommendation is.)  This test may very well save your life, on the other hand (and, your doctor probably will not tell you this, unless you press him/her), it may kill you, by giving you cancer that you did not have to begin with.   However, the risk, unlike mandatory vaccines, is yours to take.

Quote from: Jehanne

This is the de facto example of government bureaucrats deciding, for you, who lives and who dies.

Quote from: Jehanne

However, the risk, unlike mandatory vaccines, is yours to take.

What mandatory vaccine ?

Your're joking, right?  I do not watch the news, ever, but even I have heard (mainly, from my wife) about the "swine flu" and how the government is going to mandate vacinations at school for our kids.

I am not joking, they are not mandatory.

Not yet, but they will be soon.