10 Reasons that might not be good enough for parents to stop vaccinating

[RockinSAHD]

I have started this thread in response to the AVN article "10 Reasons parents choose not to vaccinate". I don't intend to be inflammatory or even for this to be a 'pro-vaccination' document. If you have any issues with it please PM me.



10 Reasons that might not be good enough for parents to stop vaccinating:

Unfortunately vaccination is a topic which suffers heavily from "If its on the internet it must be true". There is a huge amount of dangerously deceptive information both against and for vaccinations on the internet and despite the claim that most vaccine conciencous objectors are highly educated, poor research and information continue to dominate. While hysteria, deceptive information and rumours dominate the anti-vaccination debate "parents continue to be accused of being ignorant, uncaring and stupid for refusing vaccines"* instead of having a few important and possibly valid concerns about vaccines addressed by the health community.


1) Vaccines have never been tested:

The effectiveness of our current HPV vaccine underwent atleast four double-blind randomised placebo control studies that were reviewed in several of the worlds most respected medical journals, these studies involved tens of thousands of women. There have been literally hundreds of studies establishing the effectiveness of vaccines. ALL of the vaccines used in Australia are properly tested for saftey and effectiveness, all of this testing is subject to international criticism via medical journals. Most of these studies are available on the internet for free and can be found easily with a quick google.


2) Vaccines contain toxic additives and heavy metals

Vaccines do contain toxic addtives and heavy metals. This is not shied away from by the medical community and information about them and saftey testing is available on the internet also. Additives are essential to the safe and effective operation of vaccines though there is a lot of effort by the medical community to reduce these additives. Mercury for example has been either entirely or greatly reduced in all Australian vaccines due to pressure and expressions of concern from the community. Toxic additives and heavy metals are in our foods (even natural and unproccessed), hygiene products, water we drink and air we breathe. Poisoning and disease have been caused by these additives but with much much larger amounts, in the same way that many of the medicines we use every day can be deadly when used incorrectly.


3) Vaccines are contaminated with human and animal viruses and bacteria

Unfortunately in the past and even recently vaccines have been contaminated with virus and bacteria. In the past this has led to illness and death due to inadequate use of preservatives and old testing techniques. Techniques for finding contaminants and maufacturing techniques are becoming better all the time and contamination less likely or found quicker. One of the reasons the viruses and bacteria weren't discovered in recent times are that they're usually common in humans and don't cause any illness.


4) Vaccines can cause serious immediate side effects

Vaccines can cause immediate side effects, these should be explained by the doctor or nurse giving the injection, it is expected that you're aware of the risks to yourself or child, if they're not forthcoming then you should walk. Immediate side effects include swelling and redness at the site of injection, rashes, sniffles and flu-like aches. Rarely vaccinations may cause a life threatening anaphylactic reaction. All providers of vaccines have the life saving treatment on site and this is why they should ask you to stay for 5-10 minutes after. Anaphylaxis is a serious condition which can be caused by a variety of things inclucing medications, foods and animals.

5) Vaccines can cause serious long-term side effects

We live in a rapidly changing world, we live in vastly changed homes, communities and environment. Expectations, living standards, life expectency, technologies, medicine and even the way that our bodies work are remarkably different than even a hundred years ago and are still changing faster than they ever have. Unfortunately this has caused new disease and vastly different ways to think about old health issues. These health issues are closely monitored and researched to find possible causes, one example is the MMR vaccine. Several studies have compared rates of autism in groups of children who have had the MMR vaccine with similar groups who haven't had the vaccine, these groups of children were all found to have the same rates autism.


6) Vaccines do not necessarily protect against infectious diseases

If enough of a virus or bacteria get into a body no immune system, vaccinated or natural, will prevent it from taking hold. Vaccines have been shown to greatly reduce a persons chance of getting sick, because people only infect other people when they are sick (or infected with the disease) and most diseases need to live and grow in people the disease has nowhere to go and dies out. This is what is called herd immunity.


7) Doctors, as paid salesmen for vaccine products, are no longer considered to be trustworthy arbiters of their safety and effectiveness

Doctors (GP's) are paid by the government to provide health care to Australians, there are many ways that this happens. GP clinics are mostly private businesses, they have to pay rent, salaries to staff, buy medicines (including vaccines), stationary, computers, furniture etc, etc. The money that doctors are paid by the government means we pay less when we visit but alone it's barely enough for them to make a profit with the money provided by the government alone (bulk billing practice). No doctor is getting rich from giving vaccines which take time to give and cost them in resources and administration.

There have been practice incentive payments given to GP practices to maintain their vaccination schedules. This is a small payment from the government to the practice, not to the individual doctor, to allow better recall and reminder systems which remind people when their vaccinations are due and therefore maintain vaccination rates in the interest of herd immunity and greater public health.

As part of the recent change in focus of healthcare all over the world we are all expected to be vigilant about care provided to us, much of the information used by doctors to make decisions about the saftey and effectiveness of vaccines is available publicly and on the internet.



8) Pharmaceutical companies have paid for almost all vaccine research to date

For better or worse our medicines (including vaccines) are mostly developed and produced as a product by private business. Businesses are responsible for evaluating the saftey and effectiveness of their products and vaccines are no exception though in the case of medicines the TGA (Theraputic Goods Administration) closely monitors this process. All studies done are closely monitored in planning, during and after by governments, private citizens and the media all over the world. This process is constantly evolving and learning from mistakes made in the past to prevent misleading information being released to trusted sources.


9) Doctors and health professionals rarely if ever report vaccine reactions

Reporting of adverse reactions to medicines is a complicated business. Reactions to medicines can happen within minutes, days or even years and can be obvious or incredibly subtle but GP's often don't get to see these reactions in their brief appointments. Our TGA claims our reporting process is one of the best in the world and action has been taken to remove medicines deemed dangerous on the quality information provided by Australians. It is important to know that anyone can report a problem they've encountered with a medicine to the TGA on the website at TGA - Therapeutic Goods Administration


10) Some childhood illnesses have beneficial aspects and therefore, prevention may not necessarily be in the best interests of the child

All illnesses are beneficial in some way to people who survive a disease and even to humanity with natural selection. Ensuring that only the healthiest and best protected of us survive, natural selection 'improves' our genes making future generations stronger. Some people including our world leaders and governments believe that we can control this part of human evolution and that we should use medicines and vaccines to maintain economies, save lives, to prevent human suffering and to make all of our lives better and happier.

*Taken from the AVN document "10 reasons parents choose not to vaccinate" at Pregnancy, Birth & Baby At BellyBelly. The Best Pregnancy, Birth & Baby Articles Online!

[Trillian]

What qualifies you to write an article?

[RockinSAHD]

What qualifies you to write an article?

This article? I'm a parent, I have an internet connection and I've done a fair bit of my own research. I'm not claiming to have used any of my professional qualifications, nor is this article connected with the government in any way.

[PollyA]

What qualifies you to write an article?

What qualifies any of us to post a thread?
What qualified Meryl Dorey to write the initial article?

[PumpkinZulu]

But most people who post a thread or a personal opinion don't call it an 'article'.

I will read it though RSAHD...just not now. TL;DR and all that

[mel_cur]

Well researched. I have given you rep points! It is nice to see something like this on BB imo

[misty]

Well researched. I have given you rep points! It is nice to see something like this on BB imo

:yeahthat:

[Catastrophic]

Well researched. I have given you rep points! It is nice to see something like this on BB imo

:yeahthat:

My one suggestion, is that it needs a reference list As all good articles need :P

[Little Chicken]

Well researched. I have given you rep points! It is nice to see something like this on BB imo

Thankyou for doing this

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk

[briggsy's girl]

What qualifies you to write an article?

i don't see it as an article - i see it as a well researched argumentative piece to an article on the main site. i know BB is about gentle parenting and natural alternatives, but it's nice to see a balanced response as well.

well written RSAHD

[FluffNStuff]

Great Article/ Thread/ Opionion ........ whatever you want to call it its great!

[PumpkinZulu]

i don't see it as an article - i see it as a well researched argumentative piece to an article on the main site. i know BB is about gentle parenting and natural alternatives, but it's nice to see a balanced response as well.

well written RSAHD

Yeah I just read it through and I agree with that. Nicely written. Not aggressive or anything like that. Can't give rep points on my phone but props to you.

(p.s. You are a sahd yes? It'd be cool to see you post all around BB, not just the vax threads. We could use more Daddy's around the place...maybe my DF would agree to post every now and then if there were more fathers contributing )

[~mamaspice~]

Well researched. I have given you rep points! It is nice to see something like this on BB imo

I agree. Written well and very objectively. Balance is good

[RockinSAHD]

My one suggestion, is that it needs a reference list As all good articles need :P

Thanks for your kinds words everyone! As this isn't a pro-vaccination or argumentative post I have purposefully not included references, they can be complicated and different camps trust different sources. Instead I encourage people to look for themselves but I'm happy to supply any information at request.

[Kazzo]

Have to agree, well written and an interesting read. Really has me thinking.

[Trillian]

I was just wondering that's all - no harm in that is there? However I noticed that you'd edited your post after I'd posted though

[FluffNStuff]

However I noticed that you'd edited your post after I'd posted though

looks to m elike the wording has changed from Article to Thread

[HotI]

6) Vaccines do not necessarily protect against infectious diseases

If enough of a virus or bacteria get into a body no immune system, vaccinated or natural, will prevent it from taking hold. Vaccines have been shown to greatly reduce a persons chance of getting sick, because people only infect other people when they are sick (or infected with the disease) and most diseases need to live and grow in people the disease has nowhere to go and dies out. This is what is called herd immunity.

My understanding is that in addition to herd immunity, that being vaccinated increases your personal ability to fight off the virus or bacteria (so not get the disease at all) OR if you do get it your body has a head start in dealing with the disease (through seeing the antigens of the virus/bacteria via vaccination) and therefore you will get a milder version. [This is all based on the theory that the vaccine contains the strain to which you are exposed and your body creates an immune response to it]. Herd immunity is the second line of defence.