If you would like an objective review of the current vaccines recommended in Florida for children, please visit the website: http://www.mercury-freedrugs.org and, in the "Documents" section read my 2-part review of the report by the Florida Department of Health, which is based on a review of the available peer-reviewed publsihed studies and the annual "Notifiable Disease" reports that the CDC published in the MMWR for the years 1999 through 2006.
Then, if you have any credible publsihed peer-reviewed stuides to rebut the findings publsihed there, please provide them in a response to the reviewer along with copies of the documents that rebut the problems found with some of the vaccines that are "recommended" for universal use by the CDC even though they are NOT effective or NOT cost-effective, or NOT sufficiently safe.
Bottomline: If a CURRENT vaccination propram is NOT cost-effective (e.g., the current "DTP" program for pertussis) or NOT effective (e.g., the current "herpes variccella zoster [chickenpox/shingles]" program) , then that program is a blatant WASTE of healthcare dollars that only benefits the healthcare establishment and the vaccine makers.
Hopefully, after reading the suggested reviews and the referenced published papers, you will understand that many of the current vaccination programs are not sound healthcare at all in the United States of America today.
JP - 15 years ago
First off Pat, I commend your efforts to educate yourself on a very controversial area. Though it sounds as though some of your information is a bit misguided, it sounds as though you've put fair effort into the issue. For starters, many are so skeptical of the governmet, that they fail to realize how extremely conservative the FDA is with its approval of drugs, vaccines and procedures. Many, many procedures, drugs and vaccines are commonplace in Europe and are struggling to be introduced over here, it has been that way for many years. Secondly, there are lots of quality studies regarding vaccine safety. Try using Pubmed for your research, as you will only get high quality, peer-reviewed articles. Tom, I'd like to address your post now, unfortunately you have been misled in the course of your information gathering. First off 9 injections are NOT administered to infants at once. Commonly 4-5 is max, but often shots are split due to parent guilt over subjecting their babies to so many shots. There are more than 4-5 vaccines administered at once, however most are in some form of a combination product. Efficacy and "side effects" (though I believe you mean reactions, as side effects are actually different) are actually pretty well documented. We know generally how long most vaccines are effective for (efficacy) and we know what reactions typically occur with administration. The "greater good" theory you speak of is indeed fact. Look at the decline in various causes of death since the start of vaccine administration. The numbers aren't lying!! Vaccination was the greatest public health achievement, EVER! Epiglottitis, rarely occuring in children due to the H. influenza vaccine; chicken pocks, just doesn't occur as it once did; pertussis (whooping cough), it's a rare event to see that. In fact most of those events occur in adults once immunity has decreased with time! Legitimate research has done a great job indicating that vaccines are not responsible for autism, in fact the new research implicating genetics is very fascinating, I recommend checking it out. If you can't trust the research, then why do you ever bother seeking health care? Where do you think we get our information and training from to treat you when you come in with any complaint?
Tom garrecht - 15 years ago
Many children have indeed been saved historically by vaccines, however, current vaccine regimens are overburdening infants immune systems and subjecting them to sever affects of adverse reactions. No there are no studies PROVING autism links to vaccines - however the only studies which claim to prove their safety - are sponsored by the drug manufacturers. Gee how convenient.
Each individual vaccine is tested but efficacy and direct side effects are almost impossible to verify, therefore FDA decisions are made on a "greater good" theory basis.
Right now an infant can be subjected to as many as 9 vaccines at one time!! It's ridiculous! The majority of a child's systems are barely developed and still developing when they are FORCED to battle this onslaught of mock diseases and toxic chemicals. How can you NOT believe this could be dangerous to a child... You tell ANY free-thinking adult they have to take 9 shots at one time or they might (slim chance) get sick and I guarantee they will run away from you so fast you will think you are at an Olympic event!
But you expect us to subject our children to this without ever asking questions.
Pat Schroeder - 15 years ago
In my research, as a concerned parent, I have yet to find any long or short term non-baised clinical studies/trials proving safety and efficacy for any of the vaccinations routinely given to children at this point in time (if you can find this research please let the public have access). If studies are not to be found re single shots, there certainly will not be research covering the effects of several shots given at one time. In my opinion the administration of multiple vaccines at one time is bad science as it would not allow for a parent to know which shot created a reaction in their child (the vaccine manufacturers do have data stating estimated injuries for each type of injection). The majority of parents who choose to educate themselves about medical practice & procedures that can affect their childrens' health and well being are generally not radical cultist, just responsible individuals who choose to be informed. An injurd child is theirs to care for-for life. To confuse the issue, some materials are grandfathered in without clear science, as is the case of thimerisol (mercury)which is highly allergenic & which becomes very toxic when bound to aluminum compounds (often vaccines contain aluminum). Often substances FDA approved do not have extensive trials and often are release for use, whereby the manufacturers after the fact will only react and pull if deaths & injuries mount in the public eye. As with the case of the new vaccine Guardisil for which teenage girls are experiencing injury and death and parents are voicing heartfelt concern. VAERS, the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System has been in place for many years now, however 10% or less of our nation's pediatritians are in compliance, meaning that compared to the statistics that manufacturers themselves produce, vaccine injuries to children in this country are severly under reported. If we want to end vaccination "myths" we must produce the science, not just claim that because there are no studies available there exists not proven link.
JP,
If you would like an objective review of the current vaccines recommended in Florida for children, please visit the website: http://www.mercury-freedrugs.org and, in the "Documents" section read my 2-part review of the report by the Florida Department of Health, which is based on a review of the available peer-reviewed publsihed studies and the annual "Notifiable Disease" reports that the CDC published in the MMWR for the years 1999 through 2006.
Then, if you have any credible publsihed peer-reviewed stuides to rebut the findings publsihed there, please provide them in a response to the reviewer along with copies of the documents that rebut the problems found with some of the vaccines that are "recommended" for universal use by the CDC even though they are NOT effective or NOT cost-effective, or NOT sufficiently safe.
Bottomline: If a CURRENT vaccination propram is NOT cost-effective (e.g., the current "DTP" program for pertussis) or NOT effective (e.g., the current "herpes variccella zoster [chickenpox/shingles]" program) , then that program is a blatant WASTE of healthcare dollars that only benefits the healthcare establishment and the vaccine makers.
Hopefully, after reading the suggested reviews and the referenced published papers, you will understand that many of the current vaccination programs are not sound healthcare at all in the United States of America today.
First off Pat, I commend your efforts to educate yourself on a very controversial area. Though it sounds as though some of your information is a bit misguided, it sounds as though you've put fair effort into the issue. For starters, many are so skeptical of the governmet, that they fail to realize how extremely conservative the FDA is with its approval of drugs, vaccines and procedures. Many, many procedures, drugs and vaccines are commonplace in Europe and are struggling to be introduced over here, it has been that way for many years. Secondly, there are lots of quality studies regarding vaccine safety. Try using Pubmed for your research, as you will only get high quality, peer-reviewed articles. Tom, I'd like to address your post now, unfortunately you have been misled in the course of your information gathering. First off 9 injections are NOT administered to infants at once. Commonly 4-5 is max, but often shots are split due to parent guilt over subjecting their babies to so many shots. There are more than 4-5 vaccines administered at once, however most are in some form of a combination product. Efficacy and "side effects" (though I believe you mean reactions, as side effects are actually different) are actually pretty well documented. We know generally how long most vaccines are effective for (efficacy) and we know what reactions typically occur with administration. The "greater good" theory you speak of is indeed fact. Look at the decline in various causes of death since the start of vaccine administration. The numbers aren't lying!! Vaccination was the greatest public health achievement, EVER! Epiglottitis, rarely occuring in children due to the H. influenza vaccine; chicken pocks, just doesn't occur as it once did; pertussis (whooping cough), it's a rare event to see that. In fact most of those events occur in adults once immunity has decreased with time! Legitimate research has done a great job indicating that vaccines are not responsible for autism, in fact the new research implicating genetics is very fascinating, I recommend checking it out. If you can't trust the research, then why do you ever bother seeking health care? Where do you think we get our information and training from to treat you when you come in with any complaint?
Many children have indeed been saved historically by vaccines, however, current vaccine regimens are overburdening infants immune systems and subjecting them to sever affects of adverse reactions. No there are no studies PROVING autism links to vaccines - however the only studies which claim to prove their safety - are sponsored by the drug manufacturers. Gee how convenient.
Each individual vaccine is tested but efficacy and direct side effects are almost impossible to verify, therefore FDA decisions are made on a "greater good" theory basis.
Right now an infant can be subjected to as many as 9 vaccines at one time!! It's ridiculous! The majority of a child's systems are barely developed and still developing when they are FORCED to battle this onslaught of mock diseases and toxic chemicals. How can you NOT believe this could be dangerous to a child... You tell ANY free-thinking adult they have to take 9 shots at one time or they might (slim chance) get sick and I guarantee they will run away from you so fast you will think you are at an Olympic event!
But you expect us to subject our children to this without ever asking questions.
In my research, as a concerned parent, I have yet to find any long or short term non-baised clinical studies/trials proving safety and efficacy for any of the vaccinations routinely given to children at this point in time (if you can find this research please let the public have access). If studies are not to be found re single shots, there certainly will not be research covering the effects of several shots given at one time. In my opinion the administration of multiple vaccines at one time is bad science as it would not allow for a parent to know which shot created a reaction in their child (the vaccine manufacturers do have data stating estimated injuries for each type of injection). The majority of parents who choose to educate themselves about medical practice & procedures that can affect their childrens' health and well being are generally not radical cultist, just responsible individuals who choose to be informed. An injurd child is theirs to care for-for life. To confuse the issue, some materials are grandfathered in without clear science, as is the case of thimerisol (mercury)which is highly allergenic & which becomes very toxic when bound to aluminum compounds (often vaccines contain aluminum). Often substances FDA approved do not have extensive trials and often are release for use, whereby the manufacturers after the fact will only react and pull if deaths & injuries mount in the public eye. As with the case of the new vaccine Guardisil for which teenage girls are experiencing injury and death and parents are voicing heartfelt concern. VAERS, the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System has been in place for many years now, however 10% or less of our nation's pediatritians are in compliance, meaning that compared to the statistics that manufacturers themselves produce, vaccine injuries to children in this country are severly under reported. If we want to end vaccination "myths" we must produce the science, not just claim that because there are no studies available there exists not proven link.