Lets talk a little more about vaccines - What's true & What isn't.
Myth 1: Vaccines contain many harmful ingredients
Vaccines contain products that allow them to be safely administered. Any product can be considered harmful when administered in high doses - even water. Vaccines contain products that improve storage and administration capacity. Those products exist in lower concentrations then would be otherwise found in your natural environment. For example, some vaccines contain an amount of mercury in levels lower than that found in products such as milk or fish. Formaldehyde is a product found in some vaccines, yet the amount is less than what humans are exposed to from cosmetics or car exhaust. Aluminium is also contained in some vaccines, at a level well below the amount normally consumed daily. Much is made of these products by those opposing vaccination, yet there is no evidence to support the claims made by anti-vaccination campaigners that these products have resulted in any harm.
Myth 2: Vaccines cause autism and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
This is a common myth that has been researched through several longitudinal trials internationally. The myth arose from a study conducted in 1998 concerning the Measles Mumps and Rubella vaccination. That study has now been retracted by the journal that published it on the grounds that it was heavily flawed and contained 'significantly bad science'.
There is no evidence to support this myth.
Myth 3: Vaccine-preventable diseases are just part of childhood. It is better to have the disease than become immune through vaccines.
Vaccine preventable diseases can have serious complications. Vaccines stimulate the immune response and offer protection against the disease, whilst not exposing you to the actual disease or its complications.
Myth 4: It's my choice. I'm doing no harm to anyone by electing not to vaccinate.
This is untrue. Vaccination not only protects you, but eliminates the possibility that YOU will infect another vulnerable person.
Infants, pregnant women and immunocompromised people who cannot receive vaccines rely on you NOT to pass on a disease to them. If the entire population was vaccinated, this vulnerable group would have protection. How would you (or your child) feel passing on measles to a newborn child that resulted in its death. Anti-vaccination advocates are in fact supporting a program that does harm to the community.
Myth 5: A child can actually get the disease from a vaccine.
Most vaccines contained an attenuated virus (ie a virus that has been killed). Some though, such as chicken pox, use a live virus. This group of vaccines can result in a mild form of the disease, typically in the form of a rash. All substances, whether natural products or synthetic, have the potential to cause a allergic reaction. For this reason your doctor is trained to screen you for the potential of such a reaction.
There are numerous sites to gain further information. If you are inclined towards anti-vaccination, could you at least balance your opinions with information provided by the World Health Organisation, or the Centre for Communicable Diseases in your state.
Information in the post is gained from:
Department of Health | Communicable diseases information
Fact or Fiction?: Vaccines Are Dangerous