Lets try this again

[Mr. Ogyny]

Another forum to present facts on immunization.


I'm going to bring some of my research over from the closed thread to this one and I invite others to do the same.

[Mr. Ogyny]

Stolen directly from the other thread.

First, the litigation question. Since this seems to be the main thrust of the pro-vax group in their attempts to discredit the anti-vax research I had a look at this first. I found an interesting site courtesy of the Institute of Vaccine Safety.
In the home for mass tort litigation, the USA, it appears that there is already a mechanism in place for dealing with injuries caused by vaccines. Cases are judged on individual merits and heard before the Federal Court of Claims. The organisation is Health Resources and Services Administration http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/ . Have a look, it is quite interesting.
The first thing that hits you when you look at the statistics are the small number of cases that are successfully brought. Out of the 4259 cases that were brought between 1989 and 2006 only 1189 were deemed to have been definitively caused by vaccines. That is still 33% but 4200 is not a large number. For the interests of the lawyers fees arguement lets look at how much they received. On averagfe the lawyers made a miserly 4-6% of the settlement awarded. In an industry rife with 25-50% fees that is a very pitiful amount. And, more importantly it is set by the court and cannot be changed by the litigator.
I am, as you all are, aware of the bad name that lawyers have. Ambulance chasers etc. yet at the end of the day they are human too and some no doubt have children of their own that they would like to protect.
Should a direct causal link ever be found between vaccinations and autism I suspect that it is the parents that will be most relieved for finding out what is wrong with their children and not the lawyers who will have to work long and hard to get a case together to put before the Federal Court of Claims.
In Australia, large settlements are not the norm (look at the Hardie asbestos case) so I suspect that Aussie lawyers would be even worse off.
As far as autism goes I haven't found any direct link between it and vaccinations. I did find this though. It is from the Centre for Disease Control website. http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/side-effects.htm
Have a look, it's pretty scary, don't you think? The DTaP vaccine can cause seizures in one out of 14000 children. With MMR it falls to one in 3000. In Varicella it falls yet again to one in 1000. Last year there were 261400 births in Australia. If all those children were immunised with those three vaccines then 261 had seizures. Mediline Plus, an online medical dictionary defines a seizure as:
Main Entry: sei·zure
Pronunciation: http://www2.merriam-webster.com/imag...marystress.gifshttp://www2.merriam-webster.com/images/emacr.gif-zhhttp://www2.merriam-webster.com/images/schwa.gifr
Function: noun
1 : a sudden attack (as of disease); especially : the physical manifestations (as convulsions, sensory disturbances, or loss of consciousness) resulting from abnormal electrical discharges in the brain (as in epilepsy)
2 : an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain
Abnormal electrical discharges in the brain.

My baby's brain is still developing. I don't want abnormal electrical discharges affect it.

[Mr. Ogyny]

Here are some more interesting sites

http://www.chiro.org/Immunity/

This one discusses the rise in atopic illness (asthma, hay fever, and eczema) relevant to lack of early childhood infection.

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/vaccine/side-effects.htm

This is the one I got my side effect info from. As an interesting side note, a fever of 105 degrees farenheit is 40.5 degrees centigrade.

[jessgray]

where do you find information about side effects of vax's verses the actual illness. and stats on those who were admitted to hospitial from the vax's and the illness if that makes sense :confused:

[Mr. Ogyny]

Good question Jess. I have been getting my information from the Centre for Disease Control website. Admittedly it is an American Centre but I have yet to find Australian studies with a large enough sample base. But as far as authorities in vax information go, few would question the CDC. here is a severe paucity of online information in that regard.

As for the effects of the actual illness they are well documented as are the hospitalisation rates. The one that really scares me is Meningococcal. Chickenpox, smallpox, measles, even whooping cough are normal childhood illnesses. I was immunised against all of them and still caught chickenpox and whooping cough. Subjective, anecdotal evidence, I agree, yet it forms the basis for my interest in what vaccinations actually do.

[misskittyfantastico]

Lets keep this thread about sharing info on vaccinations. It will be closed otherwise:)

[Duchessa]

Okay, for the sake of centralising the info, I'll move the posts I made in the previous thread. I'll edit them to remove stuff relevant only to the previous discussion or they might cause confusion...


*********

Here is an excerpt from a letter to Brit Med Journal, written by L Travis Haws, that outlines some relevant vaccination information in a fairly succinct form that removes a lot of the hard work. I have included his references at the end for if people want to follow anything up further. Its a bit long so I've chopped it into a few posts...

"... Let's have a GLIMPSE at the efficacy/benefit vs. risk/safety of vaccination for some individual vaccines.


PERTUSSIS
EFFICACY: 1300 cases were reported in Kansas, in 1986. Of patients with known vaccination status, 90 percent were vaccinated. (6) Ehrengut, in 1978, points out that "in 1970-71, there were more than 33,000 cases of pertussis with 41 fatal cases among the very well immunized British child population...whereas in 1974/75 with a declining rate of vaccination, a pertussis epidemic caused only 25,000 cases with 25 fatalities." (7,13) An outbreak in Ohio, in 1993, occured with 82% of children having had regular vaccine doses. (8) Let's not forget when Sweden stopped vaccination of whole cell pertussis in 1979 (unfortunately they began testing other vaccines out later). This was because after more than 10 years absence, a resurgence of whooping cough became endemic, despite generalized vaccination. A subsample(620 cases) of the 5,140 cases, verified by bacteriological lab testing, showed 84% vaccination "success". (9)
SAFETY: Studies have shown that babies die at a rate 7 times greater than "normal" within 3 days of the pertussis jab. (10,11) William Torch found that out of 103 SIDS cases, 70% of them had been vaccinated with pertussis within three weeks. (12) Scheibner found stress induced breathing to the point of cessation of breathing following DPT vaccination, where there were no such patterns prior to the jab assault. There was a high time associated correlation between "SIDS" fatalaties and peaks of stress induced breathing following vaccination. (13) Pertussis vaccine can cause severe reactions such as fever to 106, projectile vomiting, high-pitched screaming (encephalitic cry), convulsions, seizures, collapse, breathing problems, brain damage, and SIDS. (14,15) Another study showed severe reactions such as grand-mal epilepsy and encephalopathy to occur as frequent as one in 600. (16) One study demonstrated severe reactions to occur in 1 in 875. However, each child had received 3-5 jabs, so the rate becomes more like 1 in 200. (17) The JAMA published data in 1994 showing that children with asthma were 5 times more likely to have received pertussis vaccine than not. (18) A 1989 Pediatrics study found that using acellular pertussis DTaP decreased mild reactions, but, serious reactions (i.e. encephalitis) increased to a rate of one in 106. (19)


TETANUS
EFFICACY: Prior to tetanus vaccine development, the cases of tetanus had declined by 92 percent. (20) Most likely due to more proper wound care. How many infants do you know are stepping on rusty nails, or getting open wounds in the thicket? In the U.S. 95% of fatal cases occured in adults 50 years of age or older; only 5% of cases occured in people less than 20 years and were rarely fatal. (21)
SAFETY: The IOM, stated a causal relationship between tetanus toxoid, Guillain-Barre Syndrome and brachial neuritis. The IOM also reported several cases of anaphylactic reactions, inability to breathe, shock, collapse or death within four hours of tetanus vaccine injections. (22) It has been shown that T-lymphocyte levels drop below normal following tetanus vaccine. The greatest decrease lasting up to two weeks. The levels were similar to those found in "HIV" and AIDS victims. (23)


MUMPS
EFFICACY: Do we need to discuss efficacy of MUMPS vaccine as it usually only requires palliative treatment. The natural disease confers permanent immunity. An outbreak in Minnesota in 1987 was in a population of 82% previously vaccinated. (21) In 1991, in Tennessee schools, of the 68 cases, 99% had been vaccinated. (24) MUMPS complications are much worse in teens and adults. I'm glad I got the natural version of MUMPS as I don't think I'd appreciate experiencing ORCHITIS.

SAFETY: Several cases of diabetes and pancreatitis has been noted following mumps vaccination. (25) "In 1992, 180 European doctors jointly noted that the mumps vaccine "can trigger diabetes, which only becomes apparent months after vaccination." (21,26) Japan pulled the vaccine after realizing it caused encephalitis in 1 of 1044 people vaccinated. (27) The IOM recognized aseptic meningits as a cause of mumps vaccine when mumps- vaccine virus strains were isolated from patients that were neurologically impaired following vaccination. (22)
6) Vaccine bulletin, 1987 p. 11
7)Ehrengut W. Whooping cough vaccination. Comment on Report from Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Lancet 1978; Feb 18: 370- 71
8) Christie D.C. et al. The 1993 epidemic of pertussis in Cincinnati: resurgence of disease in a highly immunized population of children. New Eng J of Medicine. July 1994 pp. 16-20
9) Trollfors B. Rabo E., Whooping cough in adults. British Medical Journal 1981 283: 357-9
10) Walker A.M. Does pertussis vaccine cause sudden infant death? Presentation for Institute of Medicine Workshop on Possible Adverse Consequence of Pertussis and Rubella Vaccines. Washington DC May 14, 1990
11)Fine and Chen. Confounding in studies of adverse reactions to vaccines. American Journal of Epidemiology 1992 (136): 121-35
12) Torch W.C. Diptheria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) immunization: A potential cause of the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) American Academy of Neurology, 34th Annual Meeting, Apr 25 - May 1, 1982. Neurology 32(4), pt. 2
13) Scheibner V. Vaccination 100 Years of Orthodox Research shows that Vaccines Represent a Medical Assault on the Immune System. McPherson's Printing Group. Copyright 1993 by Dr. Viera Scheibner
14) Vaccine insert pp. 32-34
15) Whooping Cough, the DPT Vacine and Reducing Vaccine Reactions (Vienna, VA., National Vaccine Information Center 1989), pp. 10-16
16) Immunization: Survey of Recent Research, (United States Department of Health and Human Services, April 1983), p. 76
17) Nature and the Rates of Adverse Reactions Associated with DTP and DT Immunizations in Infants and Children. Pediatrics. November 1981, Vol 68 No. 5
18) Odent M. et al. Pertussis vaccination and asthma: is there a link? JAMA August 24-31 1994. pp. 592-93
19) Blennow M. et al. Adverse reactions and serologic response to a booster dose of accellular pertussis vaccine in children immunized with accellular or whole-cell vaccine as infants. Pediatrics 1989; 84: 62-67
20) Mortimer E. Immunization against infectioius disease. Science 1978 May 26 p. 905
21) Miller N.Z. Vacciines Are They Really Safe and Effective? New Atlantean Press. Copyright 2002 by Neil Z. Miller p. 24
22) Institute of Medicine. Adverse Events Associated with Childhood Vaccines: Evidence Bearing on Causality. Washington DC: National Academy Press, 1994"

[Duchessa]

"...MEASLES
EFFICACY: International mortality statistics show a decline of mortality from measles, by 98% from 1915 - 1958 in both the U.S. and U.K. (1) "Dr. William Atkinson, senior epidemiologist with the CDC, admitted that "measles transmission has been clearly documented among vaccinated persons. In some large ourbreaks...over 95 percent of cases have a history of vaccination." (21)
SAFETY: The PDR has a litany or severe reactions to the measles vaccine, including but not limited to, encephalitis, febrile and afebrile convulsions, anaphylaxis, seizures, ataxia, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, ocular palsies, angioneurotic edema, retinitis, deafness, dizziness, optic neuritis, headache and death. (28) Following mass measles innoculation, it was revealed that infants of mothers born after 1963 (start of mass immunization with measles) were 7.5 times more likely to contract the disease than infants of mothers born prior to 1963. (29) Thus, vaccines have interferred with the passing of natural immunity from mother to child. Let's not ever forget what Andrew Wakefield has found--in relation to sky rocketing of autism.


RUBELLA
EFFICACY: Three years prior (1966,67 and 68) to vaccine introduction, number of CDC reported cases of congenital rubella syndrome were 11, 10, and 14 respectively. In 1970, there were 77 cases--greater than a 600 percent increase. (30) The cases remained much higher, through the 80's than pre-vaccine numbers. And, isn't the goal to protect the ever susceptible infants (i.e. congenital rubella syndrome)?
SAFETY: Several studies have implicated rubella vaccine in neurological disorders. (31,32,33) Others have linked CFS to the rubella vaccine. (34,35) Fifty-five percent of women vaccinated against rubella developed joint pain or arthritis within four weeks. (36) 78% and 91% of doctors and OBGYN's respectively refused to take the rubella vaccination.(37,38) Adults refuse to take the jab, but it's ok for our little infants?--Enough said!

23) Eibl M. et al. Abnormal T-lymphocyte subpopulations in healthy subjects after tetanus booster immunizations. New England Journal of Medicine Nov 26:1307-1313
24) Briss, P.A. et al. Sustained transmission of mumps in a highly vaccinated population: assessment of vaccine failure and waning vaccine- induced immunity. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1994; 169:77-82
25) Adler J.B. et al. Pancreatitis caused by measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Pancreas 1991: 6:489-90
26) Albonico H. Klein P et al. The immunization campaign against measles, mumps and rubella--coercian leading to a realm of uncertainty: medical objections to a continued MMR immunization campaign in Switzerland. JAM 1992; 9 (1)
27) Sawada et al. Lancet 1993; 342:371
28) Physician's Desk Reference (PDR); 55th edition (Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics, 2001)
29) CDC. Babies of vaccinated moms more susceptible to measles. Pediatrics November 1999
30) CDC. Summary of notifiable diseases, United States, 1995. MMWR (October 25, 1996)
31) Kilroy A.W. et al. Two syndromes following rubella immunization. JAMA 1970; 214:2287-92
32) Schaffner W. et al. Polyneuropathy following rubella immunization: a follow-up study and review of the problem. American Journal of Diseases of Children 1974; 127:684-88
33) Institute of Medicine. Adverse Effects of Pertussis and Rubella Vaccines. (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1991)
34) Lieberman A.D. The role of the rubella virus in the chronic fatigue syndrome. Clincal Ecology 1991; 7(3):51-54
35) Allen A.D. Is RA27/3 rubella immunization a cause of Chronic Fatigue? Medical Hypotheses 1988; 27:219
36) Tingle A.J. et al. Rubella-associated arthritis. Comparative study of joint manifestations associated with natural rubella infection and RA 27/3 rubella immunisation. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases 1986; 45:110-14
37) Orenstein W.A. et al. Rubella vaccine and susceptible hospital employees: poor physician participation. JAMA 1981; 245(7):711-13
38) Sacks J.J. et al. Employee rubella screening program. JAMA 1983; 249:2675-78"

[Duchessa]

"...DIPTHERIA

EFFICACY: Again, the diptheria mortality rate seriously declined prior to vaccine administration. From 1911 to 1935 (long before the vaccine), there was an 88 percent decrease. (39) In 1975, the FDA and authorities noted that diptheria vaccine is not as effective as projected, that it may occur in vaccinated individuals and the conferring of permanent immunity is open to question. (40) Europe in the mid 1990's had diptheria outbreaks in which several of the effected were "successfully" vaccinated. (41,42) The FDA announced, in 1999, that the prior years vaccines were too "weak", but since diptheria is very rare in the U.S. and developed world, no new vaccine doses were recommended. (43)
SAFETY: Sounds like an all risk-no-benefit vaccine to me--especially in developed countries. And especially since there is a diptheria anti- toxin available and it's generally responsive to penicillin.


HIB
EFFICACY: Research has shown a decline in Hib antibodies following innoculation rather than an increase. (44,45) Other research shows that Hib vaccination can increase the risk of contracting Hib, up to 6 times, as compared with non vaccinated children. (46,47,48) Another study of children that acquired Hib post-vaccine, 70% developed meningitis. (49)
SAFETY: Other than the so called benefit increasing the odds of acquiring Hib, the literature is repleat with examples of severe reactions to Hib such as, transverse myelitis, aseptic meningitis, invasive pneumococcal disease, vomiting, seizures, erythema multiforme, fever, convulsions, death and diabetes. (50,51,52,53,54)


HEPATITIS B
EFFICACY: I'm not sure how to assess this as less than one percent of Hep B cases occur in the 15 and younger population. (55) Not surprising considering the natural "spread" of the disease. Additionally, surveys indicate that 87% of pediatricians do not feel the Hep B vaccine is needed for newborns. (56,57)
SAFETY: The potential adverse reactions following Hep B vaccination, listed in the literature: ocular and brachial plexus, central nervous system demyelination, lubar reticulopathy, autoimmune reactions, anaphylaxis, arthritis convulsions, neuropathy, optic neuritis, Bell's palsy, Rolf's Palsy, herpes zoster, vertigo, vomiting. (58,59,60,61,62,63)


CHICKENPOX
What a complete waste. Especially with the timely increase of pediatric shingles cases now.


39)Dublin L. et al. Twenty-Five Years of Health Progress New York: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, 1937 p. 60
40) Bureau of Biologics. Minutes of the 15th meeting of the panel of review of bacterial vaccines and toxoids with standards and potency. FDA Nov 20-21 1975
41) Hardy I. R. et al. Current situation and control strategies for resurgence of diptheria in newly independent states of the former Soviet Union. Lancet 1996; 347:1739-44
42) Prospero E. et al. Diptheria: epidemiological update and review of prevention and control strategies. European J of Epidemiology 1997; 13:527-34
43) Associated Press and Reuters. "FDA recalls diptheria vaccine found to be too weak. www.cnn.com/health/9901/29diptheria.recall (http://www.cnn.com/health/9901/29diptheria.recall)
44) Daum R.S. et al. Decline in serum antibody to the capsule of Haemophilus Influenzae type b in the immediate postimmunization period. J of Pediatrics 1989; 1114:742-47
45) Marchant D.D. et al. Depression of anticapsular antibody after immunization with Haemophilus influenzae type b polysaccharide-diptheria conjugate vaccine. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 1989; 320: 75-81
46) Black S. et al. Efficacy of Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide vaccine. Pediatric Infectioius Disease Journal 1988; 7:149-56
47) Osterholm M.T. et al. Lack of efficacy of Haemophilus b polysaccharide vaccine in Minnesota. JAMA 1988; 260:1423-28
48) Hiner E.E. et al. Spectrum of disease due to Haemophilus influenzae type b occurring in vaccinated children. Journal of Infectious Disease 1988; 158(2):343-48
49) Gellis S.S. Pediatric Notes: The Weekly Pediatric Commentary Vol. 11:2 Jan 15, 1987
50) D'Cruz O.F. et al. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy after immunization with Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine. Journal of Pediatrics 1989; 115:743-46
51) Vadheim C.M. et al. Effectiveness and safety of an Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (PRP-T) in young infants. Pediatrics 1993; 92:272-79
52) Milstien J.B. et al Adverse reactions reported following receipt of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine: an analysis after one year of marketing. Pediatrics 1987; 80:270-74
53) Karvonen M. et al. Association between type 1 diabetes in children under 5 years in Oxford region: time trend analysis. British Medical Journal 1997; 315:713-16
54) Classen J.B. et al. Association between type 1 diabetes and Hib vaccine. British Medical Journal 1999; 319:1133
55) Alter M.J. Hadler S.C. et al. The changing epidemiology of hepatitis B in the United States. JAMA 1990; 263:1218-22
56) Freed G.L. et al. Reactions of pediatricians to a new Centers for Disease Control recommendation for universal immunization of infants with hepatitis B vaccine. Pediatrics 1993; 91:699-702
57) Freed G.L. et al. Family physician acceptance of universal hepatitis B immunization of infants. Journal of Family Practice 1993; 36:153-57
58) Morris K. et al. Nature and frequency of adverse reactions following hepatitis B vaccine injection in cheldren in New Zealand, 1985- 88. Presented at the Vaccine Safety Committee, Institute of Medicine, Washington DC, May 4, 1992
59) Herroelen L. et al. Central nervous system demyelination after immunization with recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. Lancet Nov 9 1991; 338:1174-75
60) Shaw, F.E. Graham D.J. et al. Postmarketing surveillance for neurologic adverse events reported after hepatitis B vaccination. American Journal of Epidemiology 1988; 127(2):337-52
61) Ribera E.F., Dutka A.J. Polyneuropathy associated with administration of hepatitis B vaccine. New Eng J of Medicine 1983; 309:614 -15
62) Classen, J.B. The Diabetes Epidemic and the Hepatitis B Vaccine. New Zealand Medical Journal May 24, 1996 p. 366
63) Manufacturers package insert"

[Goosie22]

Here is an interesting article from byronchild (http://www.byronchild.com/vacc.htm). I am a selective/delaying Vaxer. I believe the government is lazy and doesnt hold drug companies accountable for the products/immunisations which they produce.

I also believe that anyone has the right to question "For your own good" and recieve truthful accurate answers without the adgenda of drug companies clouding the information exchange.

[jessgray]

CHICKENPOX
What a complete waste. Especially with the timely increase of pediatric shingles cases now.


dumb question but what is peadiatric shingles:confused:

[Duchessa]

Shingles is a painful condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella virus (so people who have had chicken pox or the chick pox vax can get it). It is also known as Herpes Zoster. Paediatric basically means infant/child.

[jessgray]

Shingles is a painful condition caused by the reactivation of the varicella virus (so people who have had chicken pox or the chick pox vax can get it). It is also known as Herpes Zoster. Paediatric basically means infant/child.

:thumbsup: thanks for explaining that to me :)
is it a condition in your legs or am i thinking of something else?

[Duchessa]

The herpes zoster virus lives in the nerves and therefore can affect the skin nearly anywhere on the body, though I think on only one side or the other...? It is a potentially very serious condition - more so than chick pox. People infected wiht shingles are contagious - they don't spread shingles, they spread chicken pox. But don't worry - they're working on a vaccine for it, :p

[xkwzit]

I am closing this to clean out the offtopic posts, because I really believe in the OP of this thread...

SHARE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE FOUND THAT HELPED YOU MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT VACCINATION

(yes I'm shouting - and I mean it :D)

If you have done research that indicates a quoted study has no merit, post the research / reasons. Posts that simply disagree w/o presenting facts will be deleted. If this thread goes off track again, it will be closed permanently.

Cheers

[xkwzit]

This thread is now open for posting - please keep to the topic. This is the third and final warning. Any further argumentative posting will attract infringments for all parties.

Cheers

[jessgray]

Duchessa- where can i find info about the chickenpox vax and the link to shingles? i googles but cant find it maybe i didnt put the right words in lol

[Duchessa]

Below is an excerpt from the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) submission to congress re the Hepatitis B Vax.

The AAPS describes themselves thus:
The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) is a non-partisan professional association of physicians in all types of practices and specialties across the country.
Since 1943, AAPS has been dedicated to the highest ethical standards of the Oath of Hippocrates and to preserving the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship and the practice of private medicine.
Our motto, "omnia pro aegroto" means "all for the patient."


"STATEMENT
of the
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS to the
Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources
of the Committee on Government Reform
U.S. House of Representatives
RE: HEPATITIS B VACCINE
Submitted by Jane Orient, M.D.
June 14, 1999


... Information given to parents about this vaccine often does not meet the requirement for full disclosure. For example, it may state that “getting the disease is far more likely to cause serious illness than getting the vaccine.” This may be literally true, but it is seriously misleading if the risk of getting the disease is nearly zero (as is true for most American newborns). It may also be legalistically true that “no serious reactions have been known to occur due to the hepatitis B recombinant vaccine.” However, relevant studies have not been done to investigate whether the temporal association of vaccine with serious side effects is purely coincidental or not.
An independent review of the VAERS data; publications by governmental, pro-vaccine, and anti-vaccine groups; and a sample of the medical literature leads to the following conclusions:
For most children, the risk of a serious vaccine reaction may be 100 times greater than the risk of hepatitis B. Overall, the incidence of hepatitis B in the U.S. is currently about 4 per 100,000. The risk for most young children is far less; hepatitis B is heavily concentrated in groups at high risk due to occupation, sexual promiscuity, or drug abuse.
VAERS contains 25,000 reports related to hepatitis B vaccine, about one-third of which were serious enough to lead to an emergency room visit, hospitalization, or death. It is often assumed that only 10% of reactions are reported. (This committee has heard testimony about persons being actively discouraged from reporting, even if they are aware of the reporting system.) Thus, if there have been some 80,000 serious adverse reactions associated with 20 million doses of vaccine, the risk is about 4 in 1000.
(This calculation depends on many assumptions. Moreover, many of the patients experiencing temporally associated adverse reactions had simultaneously received more than one vaccine. Nevertheless, a better estimate has not been put forth.)
It should be noted that a less than 1 in 1,000,000 purely hypothetical risk may be used to justify costly federal regulations on highly useful products that are used voluntarily.
In nearly 20% of VAERS reports, the first of eight listed side effects suggests central nervous system involvement. Examining the first listed effects shows about 4,600 involving such symptoms as prolonged screaming, agitation, apnea, ataxia, visual disturbances, convulsions, tremors, twitches, an abnormal cry, hypotonia, hypertonia, abnormal sensations, stupor, somnolence, neck rigidity, paralysis, confusion, and oculogyric crisis. The last is a striking feature of post-encephalitic Parkinson's disease, or it may occur as a dystonic reaction to certain drugs such as phenothiazines.
The CDC admits that the results of ongoing studies on a potential association of hepatitis B vaccine and demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis are not yet available.
There may be large genetic differences in susceptibility to vaccine adverse effects. The committee has been told that serious reported adverse effects seem restricted to Caucasians. Yet the oft-cited long-term safety study was conducted in Alaskan natives, and many studies involved Asians. In adults, 77% of the reactions involve women, who are generally more susceptible to autoimmune diseases. This deserves serious study, not off-hand dismissal (“nurses always over-report”). Universal immunization could lead to disproportionate injury to susceptible populations, who might also be the least affected by the disease one is trying to prevent.
Striking increases in chronic illnesses have occurred in temporal association with an increase in vaccination rates. Asthma and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, causes of lifelong morbidity and frequent premature death, have nearly doubled in incidence since the introduction of many new, mandatory vaccines. There is no explanation for this increase. The temporal association, although not probative, is suggestive and demands intense investigation. Instead of following up on earlier, foreign studies suggesting a greater-than-chance association, the CDC, through vaccine mandates, is obliterating the control group (unvaccinated children).
Dr. Classen testified concerning his opinion that hepatitis B vaccine could precipitate diabetes mellitus. Of note, VAERS contains more than 4,000 reports of abdominal symptoms that could have been due to pancreatitis, which was probably not specifically sought and thus missed if present.
Even more alarming is the huge increase in reports of autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, with devastating, life-long impacts. Much of this could be due to overdiagnosis (now rewarded by numerous government subsidies). The change in behavior that many parents observe related to vaccines could be coincidental, or it might reflect a desperate need to explain a disastrous occurrence. Nonetheless, the implications are so grave that immediate investigation is needed. Measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and the whole panoply of childhood diseases are a far less serious threat than having a large fraction (say 10%) of a generation afflicted with learning disability and/or uncontrollable aggressive behavior because of an impassioned crusade for universal vaccination.
There are plausible mechanisms such as molecular mimicry whereby vaccines could have such effects. Basic research, as well as epidemiologic studies (starting with a long-term follow-up of reactions reported to VAERS), is urgent.
Hepatitis B vaccine as a cause of sudden infant death has not been ruled out. The mere observation that the incidence of SIDS has decreased while hepatitis B immunization rates have increased proves nothing whatsoever. In other contexts, the Back to Sleep campaign is credited with a dramatic fall in SIDS; the fall might have been much greater without hepatitis B immunizations. The presence of findings such as brain edema in healthy infants who die very soon after receiving hepatitis B vaccine is profoundly disturbing, especially in view of the frequency of neurologic symptoms in the VAERS.
Does SIDS occur on the day after hepatitis B vaccine with a greater-than-expected frequency? Does it occur at a younger-than-expected age? Are the autopsy findings different in babies who just received the vaccine? The fact that vaccine just happens to be given during the time period that babies are most likely to die of SIDS complicates the analysis. Also, there are a number of other confounding variables (sleep position, socioeconomic status, and possibly smoking behavior).
The data in VAERS are probably too incomplete to answer the questions. A very detailed statistical analysis and an aggressive attempt to obtain more complete information are urgently needed. Glib reassurance, based on the secular trends shown to this Committee, is dangerous."

[Duchessa]

Pediatr Adolesc Med 1995 Vol 149

Mumps outbreak in a highly vaccinated school population. Evidence for large-scale vaccination failure

J. E. Cheek, R. Baron, H. Atlas, D. L. Wilson and R. D. Crider Jr
Division of Field Epidemiology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.


OBJECTIVES: To describe an outbreak and to identify risk factors for mumps occurring in a highly vaccinated high school population. (Note: Highly vaccinated means a population in which more than 95% have been vaccinated.) DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: Survey and cohort study of 307 (97%) of 318 students. OUTCOME MEASURES: Mumps was defined as an illness with 2 or more days of parotid swelling. Serologic confirmation of infection was obtained in eight cases, seven of which were evaluated for presence of IgM antibody using immunofluorescent antibodies. Vaccination records were verified for 297 (97%) students. RESULTS: Between October 3 and November 23, 1990, clinical mumps developed in 54 students (attack rate, 18%), 53 of whom had been vaccinated. Most cases (40 [77%] of 52) occurred 12 to 20 days after a school-wide pep rally. Immunofluorescent antibody testing of all seven specimens demonstrated IgM antibody to mumps. Risk factors for clinical mumps identified in multivariate analyses included female gender (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.6 to 5.7) and source of vaccination other than the local public health clinic (students vaccinated by private providers [odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 5.2] or in other districts [odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 5.3]). CONCLUSIONS: The overall attack rate is the highest reported to date (and to our knowledge) for a population demonstrating virtually complete mumps vaccine coverage. Even verified documentation of vaccination may not be an accurate indicator of an individual's protection against mumps. Vaccination failure may play an important role in contemporary mumps outbreaks. We found no evidence to indicate that waning immunity (secondary vaccine failure) contributed significantly to this outbreak. A second dose of mumps vaccine, as recommended using measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, could potentially prevent similar outbreaks in secondary school populations in the future.

[Duchessa]

THE CHICKEN POX VACCINE, NEED FOR A BOOSTER: NEJM, DEC 7,2002

Despite vaccination for chicken pox (varicella), there have been sporadic outbreaks of the disease, even among those vaccinated previously. Though the effectiveness of the vaccine was reported to be 44% against varicella and 86% effective against moderate to severe disease, it appears that a second booster possibly less than 3 years may be needed to increase the protective effect of the vaccine.