Firstly, search for the words "vaccine efficacy" pulls up over 11,000 articles at PubMed (http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/vaccines/028.printerview.html) (the National Library of Medicine's repository for biological and medical research). Add the name of the vaccine to the search, and you'll find exactly what you need. That's where the hard numbers are that back up the NIH's recommendations, which are here (http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/vaccines/028.printerview.html). The FDA requires vaccine manufacturers to prove efficacy before it goes on the market. If you can't view the full text of these articles, go to a library that has an online subscription to the journal.
As to why would we would put all these foreign substances into our bodies, I hate to tell you this, you're kind of already getting them and far worse just by living in the modern world. Everything from fabric softener to flame-retardant lingers your body far longer than the preservatives from a vaccine. National Geographic ran this (http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/chemicals-within-us.html) rather daunting article on environmental chemicals. Unlike those that are in vaccines, the long-term effects of these chemicals aren't studied.
Re: viruses in vaccines, most are killed by heat before being put into the body and chemically preserved (rather like much of the food we eat). While I am pro-vaccination, even I know that mercury-based preservatives like thimerosol are bad news. The way to avoid this is by asking your doctor to help you avoid them.
As to why people are upset about people not vaccinating their children, that's how outbreaks happen (like the measels outbreak in Northern California and the resurgence of mumps), and outbreaks have bigger effects than simply those who have the disease. And vaccines don't last forever- that's why people who work with animals need to get frequent booster shots for tetanus. I know you said no news, but this New York Times (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDA1330F932A15750C0A96E9C8B63) article encapsulates the issue quite nicely.
If you're questioning the efficacy of childhood vaccines due to people's experience with flu shots, you're missing a fine but critical distinction vis a vis the bug involved. Influenza is caused by thousands of strains of three different viral subtypes, all of which survive by mutating rapidly to evade the host's immune system and cause yearly epidemics. Every year, epidemiologists study outbreak patterns to predict which strains of which subtype of virus are likely to cause problems during the flu season. Since there are so many different types that all make people sick, a flu shot may work perfectly and still be ineffective against other strains. By contrast, measels, mumps, rubella (all paramyxoviruses), and tetanus (bacteria) are relatively stable pathogens, which is why their vaccines are more effective than flu shots, even those, like tetanus, that require periodic boosters.
As to why to get your children vaccinated? Well, I can understand not getting a kid a polio vaccine. But tetanus, menangitis, and hepatitis are all potentially deadly bugs that are everywhere and easy for kids to be exposed to. Your advice to do your research is excellent, and I encourage you to get your pediatrician involved. Find out what he/she recommends, and then read up on it.
As a final word, to help put things in perspective: I've never gotten a flu shot, and I have had the flu. I have had vaccinations against measels, mumps, rubella, menangitis, typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and probably others that I don't remember, and I have never had any of those serious or life-threatening diseases, no matter how many times I may have been exposed in my lifetime. I don't believe that this is a coincidence.
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Date: 2008-05-17 07:46 am (UTC)Firstly, search for the words "vaccine efficacy" pulls up over 11,000 articles at PubMed (http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/vaccines/028.printerview.html) (the National Library of Medicine's repository for biological and medical research). Add the name of the vaccine to the search, and you'll find exactly what you need. That's where the hard numbers are that back up the NIH's recommendations, which are here (http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/vaccines/028.printerview.html). The FDA requires vaccine manufacturers to prove efficacy before it goes on the market. If you can't view the full text of these articles, go to a library that has an online subscription to the journal.
As to why would we would put all these foreign substances into our bodies, I hate to tell you this, you're kind of already getting them and far worse just by living in the modern world. Everything from fabric softener to flame-retardant lingers your body far longer than the preservatives from a vaccine. National Geographic ran this (http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/health-and-human-body/human-body/chemicals-within-us.html) rather daunting article on environmental chemicals. Unlike those that are in vaccines, the long-term effects of these chemicals aren't studied.
Re: viruses in vaccines, most are killed by heat before being put into the body and chemically preserved (rather like much of the food we eat). While I am pro-vaccination, even I know that mercury-based preservatives like thimerosol are bad news. The way to avoid this is by asking your doctor to help you avoid them.
As to why people are upset about people not vaccinating their children, that's how outbreaks happen (like the measels outbreak in Northern California and the resurgence of mumps), and outbreaks have bigger effects than simply those who have the disease. And vaccines don't last forever- that's why people who work with animals need to get frequent booster shots for tetanus. I know you said no news, but this New York Times (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CEFDA1330F932A15750C0A96E9C8B63) article encapsulates the issue quite nicely.
If you're questioning the efficacy of childhood vaccines due to people's experience with flu shots, you're missing a fine but critical distinction vis a vis the bug involved. Influenza is caused by thousands of strains of three different viral subtypes, all of which survive by mutating rapidly to evade the host's immune system and cause yearly epidemics. Every year, epidemiologists study outbreak patterns to predict which strains of which subtype of virus are likely to cause problems during the flu season. Since there are so many different types that all make people sick, a flu shot may work perfectly and still be ineffective against other strains. By contrast, measels, mumps, rubella (all paramyxoviruses), and tetanus (bacteria) are relatively stable pathogens, which is why their vaccines are more effective than flu shots, even those, like tetanus, that require periodic boosters.
As to why to get your children vaccinated? Well, I can understand not getting a kid a polio vaccine. But tetanus, menangitis, and hepatitis are all potentially deadly bugs that are everywhere and easy for kids to be exposed to. Your advice to do your research is excellent, and I encourage you to get your pediatrician involved. Find out what he/she recommends, and then read up on it.
As a final word, to help put things in perspective: I've never gotten a flu shot, and I have had the flu. I have had vaccinations against measels, mumps, rubella, menangitis, typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and probably others that I don't remember, and I have never had any of those serious or life-threatening diseases, no matter how many times I may have been exposed in my lifetime. I don't believe that this is a coincidence.