Yesterday at the UN several groups, including Rotary International, the World Health Organization, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation met to discuss their commitment to, and the strides made, campaigning to end polio worldwide. Yesterday Rotary announced,
The side event — “Our Commitment to the Next Generation: The Legacy of a Polio-free World” — brought together leaders of the remaining endemic countries, and representatives of donor governments, development agencies, the GPEI partners, and the media to underscore the urgent need to finish the job of global polio eradication. Although the wild poliovirus is endemic only in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria, other countries are still at risk for re-established transmission of the virus through its “importation” from the endemics.
Millions have been pledged towards the effort and we are slowly watching countries become polio-free. Unfortunately, polio and other preventable diseases could (and already are) facing a resurgence thanks to dangerous parenting fads in the West.
For several years, rumors have spread through all-natural, hippie parenting circles that vaccines contain chemicals that cause autism. They maintain, despite a total lack of scientific evidence, that children have been disabled and incapacitated by mercury and other preservatives in vaccines. The one scientific study that might have made their case was discredited last year and its results thrown out. Despite this, many famous parents, including Jenny McCarthy (of MTV fame) and Mayim Bialik (TV’s Blossom) have publicly lambasted vaccine research while declaring their children to be unvaccinated. Unfortunately, these conspiracy theories have hit the political mainstream as well. During the primaries this year Rep. Michele Bachmann repeated rumors she heard from an audience member at a debate about vaccine safety. In 2008, both candidates for president spread vaccine misinformation, claiming that the science was still undecided on the link between vaccines and autism.
The millions of dollars raised and spent by governments and organizations to end polio worldwide is money well-spent. Unfortunately, one epidemic could undo the decades of work making this vaccine available to every child in the world. We’ve already seen outbreaks of deadly and entirely preventable diseases like whooping cough and the measles, and instances of diseases with vaccines available have increased as immunization opt-outs rise. While it’s admirable that these groups are working to make vaccines available in the most remote villages in the world, parents in Portland and other liberal epicenters are setting medical science back fifty years in the United States.
All children, regardless of their parent’s scientific ignorance, need and deserve access to vaccines that were developed not just for their own sake, but also for the sake of public health. After these groups manage to get vaccines to children in isolated villages in Pakistan, perhaps they should schedule a stop-over in on their way home to explain science to self-described “educated” parents. Public health groups should be emphasizing the importance of vaccines in Pakistan and in Park Slope lest their efforts become undermined by parents in the latter.
Few topics in the health world seem to bring more passion out of people than vaccinations, what to have, what is helpful and what isn't! I think the problem can be multifold, in that vaccination can be helpful in preventing many diseases, but at the same time are not a cure all as all to often advertised. And that can cause distrust. For example, some say the rise in whopping cough is due to parents not vaccinating their children as often as they should. That very well might be the case. But there are also some that will argue the rise in whooping cough cases is natural and expected – at least from what I've read. Additionally, the vaccine does not provide complete immunization. We found that out in my family as my nephew Jude developed whooping cough a year or two ago even though he had been given the whooping cough shot. I've seen many mentions on the internet, in the immunization argument, that immunization shots was what brought about the end of the TB scourge in our country. From what I've read, that wasn't the case though. TB mysteriously became a large health issue in the 1800 hundreds, and for some reason just as quickly began to fade before TB shots came about. The flu shot is now very popular. I see signs for flu shots often this time of year. Some articles now question its effectiveness. From what I've seen on the internet, many report it not helping them. Some say the opposite of course. As for autism, I guess a latest fad in health circles is a lack of sunlight exposure during gestation might contribute to the condition. Apparently there is a study being done on this at the moment, if I recall correctly. Will be interesting to see results, as for several decades we've been warned to avoid sunshine as it is bad for health. Avoiding gluten/wheat is thought to be helpful for those with the condition. I don't believe much has been done to investigate on whether it is helpful with prevention though.
You exemplify the problem with anecdotal-based decision making. A few peoples' personal experiences, positive or negative, should in no way persuade anyone's decision making. Evidence comes from large studies with rigorous methods of sampling – something the now-defunct autism-vaccine link study did NOT have, as it cherry picked its participants leading to a spurious and dangerous conclusion.
"For several years, rumors have spread through all-natural, hippie parenting circles that vaccines contain chemicals that cause autism." n nVaccine rejectionism is found on the right, left, and in between. The spurious vaccine-autism rumor began around 1998, when The Lancet unwittingly published a fraudulent paper by Mr. Andrew Wakefield, a British gastroenterologist and researcher. Wakefield's hypothesis never made sense, and his results have never been replicated. Unfortunately, credulous news media picked up the story, and soon the vaccine-autism rumors spread to the US, where some parents also blamed thimerosal, a preservative once found in pediatric vaccines.
Good grief. I rely on Commentary to provide background on topics I don't have time to research, but if this is the level of research you do before spouting off on any given topic, then my confidence is misplaced. n nWhy do people who get the flu shot get the flu more often that those who didn't get the shot? nWhy don't flu vaccinations decrease the rate of hospitalization or death from flu? nWhen there is an outbreak, you have to ask whether the afflicted got the vaccine or not. Don't assume they didn't. nWhy are the manufacturers exempted from lawsuits? nWhy was polio already declining before the mass vaccinations? nWhy is flu a seasonal problem? nHow does the human body defend itself? nWhy do vaccines include adjuvants? nWhich is better immunity: vaccination or wild caught illness? nDoesn't the whole concept of booster shots indicate that vaccinations don't work as advertised?
Gate…your vaccines are killing the kids in the 3rd world countries. Why don't you do something FOR REAL> Water…Clean water. How about setting up hydroponic gardens in the desert so kids can have fresh gardens all year…about about sanitation? n Instead of poisoning kids with false medicine…why not do something for real….
If you are truly an adherent of freedom and choice-then this is a decision best left to parents to decide, as with any medical treatment with potentially fatal side effects. Having vaccine safety studies which are undertaken and replicated by impartial sources would do a lot towards remedying their reputation in some circles. In addition, in some cases, immunizations are contraindicated(history of severe vaccine reactions in child, certain allergies) and this should be taken seriously. Would you seriously condone measures to force vaccinations on children whose parents refuse on their behalf? Would you also outlaw religious exemptions to vaccination? That seems like an awfully slippery slope to begin traversing. Education rather than strong arm tactics to enforce vaccination seem more appropriate in a country which prides itself on protecting individual choice. When it comes down to it, vaccination should be a medical choice, like any other.
Until they do AUTHENTIC studies on them and prove that they are safe and EFFECTIVE, I will continue to be a "hippie" as you so racistly belive we all are. nThere have been no true studies on whether they are safe or not. Most studies are on 2 groups where both still receive vaccines. There is no true control group that does not get vaccinated.