Vaccines Rock

As a Public-Healther, I love vaccines. This is National Infant Immunization Week, and a great time to talk about it. They are one of the cheapest (in most cases), most efficient ways to prevent major illness and death caused by infectious disease. Vaccines have changed the health of the world - including erradiation of smallpox in 1977, prevention of HPV and HPV-related cancers, and prevention of polio (to name just a few). Of course, we do not have vaccines for every infectious disease yet - e.g., myriad unsuccessful attempts for HIV - but scientists are working on it, albeit not as much on "neglected diseases".

Vaccines do come with some risks. There are common side effects, such as soreness at the injection site, and there are very rare major side effects, such as an allergic reaction. The risk of a major side effect or death is so rare that vaccines are well-worth it. The restrictions on and testing of vaccines are generally exhaustive; infectious diseases usually pose a greater risk than any rare side effect. Here is a link to a Fit Pregnancy blog discussing vaccine myths.

With Aaron researching autism and with a brother who is autistic, you may be wondering how we feel about the MMR-autism controversy. The first and only MMR-autism implication stems from a 1998 Lancet article that was offically retracted this year, 2010. The main author of the paper manipulated and withheld results, while receiving money from folks who had a vested interest in seeing false results published. 10 of the 12 paper's authors retracted their support as well. The myriad studies completed after this false 1998 article showed no correlation or causation of autism by MMR vaccines. Vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccines happen to be given at an age when autism and ASDs are detected - as the brain develops rapidly. Not vacciniating/waiting to vaccinate kids has led to a sharp increase in measles and mumps (particularly in the UK), which could have easily been prevented. Pertussis (whooping cough) is currently on the rise in the US, so make sure you and your child are up-to-date on your immunizations, particularly DTaP/Tdap. Here are the currently CDC-recommended vacccine schedules.

It is your choice whether or not to vaccinate, but I recommend, yes, please do. All evidence points to vaccines protecting you, your child,and those you come in contact with.