[Influenza vaccination--socially beneficial prevention or a prick without effect?]

Every winter we are assailed by influenza epidemics. International collaboration would enable us to be forearmed with the appropriate virus-specific vaccines, for influenza viruses and strains are characterised by constant variation. In most cases influenza is an innocuous disease, but in certain risk groups-e.g., people with heart disease or the elderly with diminished immune defence, influenza may have serious consequences. The Nordic countries differ from each other in the free provision of their recommendations as to influenza vaccination.