Shot of Prevention

If you follow immunization news at all, than you probably know the name Andrew Wakefield pretty well.  In fact, you’re probably tired of hearing it.

Personally, I try to avoid hearing it, reading it or even mentioning it, because when I do I get a big knot in the pit of my stomach.

I’m not trying to be dramatic.  It’s just that I believe this one man has done more to interfere with immunization advancements all across the world than anyone else in recent history.  And to be honest, that really upsets me…as a mother, as an American and as a global health advocate.

What surprises me most about Andrew Wakefield is how many people continue to idolize him as a direct result of one poorly executed study of just a handful of individuals conducted so many years ago.  He has miraculously managed to garner so much support among people that they often act as if they are brain-washed cult followers.  In their eyes, everything Wakefield says is truth and he can do no wrong.  In fact, every time I hear someone credit Wakefield, or even defend him, I can’t help but wonder if they’re just desperate to root for the underdog and convince themselves that the “establishment” is working against them.  How does he work his magic and convince people that he speaks “the truth” when the courts, and the science, continue to defy him?

It doesn’t seem to matter that the co-authors of Wakefield’s discredited study retracted their claims long ago.  It doesn’t matter that The Lancet, which initially published the study, retracted it in its entirety back in February, 2010.  It doesn’t even matter that the British General Medical Council determined that Wakefield was guilty of serious professional misconduct and as a result, stripped him of his medical license.  Despite all this, he somehow continues to persuade countless parents to forego MMR vaccinations, leaving children vulnerable to dangerous and sometimes life-threatening diseases.

When will his followers recognize that critical research funds have been spent disproving the hypothesis that Wakefield was never able to adequately prove?  And why won’t they accept the various allegations that Brian Deer so elaborately exposed in detail over a year ago?

It’s as if the gig is up, but none of his loyal followers are willing to admit it. Read more…

Every Child By Two (ECBT) recently offered an informative webinar entitled “Autism 101 for Immunization Advocates”. 

You may be asking, why would an immunization organization like Every Child By Two be offering education on autism?  To be honest, as we continue to share information about autism research on this blog and on our Vaccinate Your Baby Facebook page, we hear this question time and again.

“If there is no link between vaccines and autism, then why do you spend so much time talking about it?”

While the majority of people realize that vaccines are not responsible for a diagnosis of autism, there are still some people who are under the impression that some possible link may exist.  In fact, research has indicated that some parental hesitation about vaccinations is in part due to these unsettling concerns and misconceptions.   According to a Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll published in January 2011, 18% of Americans say vaccines cause autism and 30% of Americans aren’t sure.

That is why Every Child By Two continues to be involved in the conversation.  They believe that as long as these two things remain associated in some way, both the immunization community, as well as the autism community, have an important role in educating parents.

Amy Pisani, Executive Director of Every Child By Two, explains, Read more…

October marks the official start of influenza season.  To  highlight the dangers of the flu and the benefits of vaccination, I plan to incorporate a new feature called “Friday Flu Shots” throughout the course of the next few months.

Today’s Friday Flu Shot focuses on personal experiences.

Just last week I was chatting with a neighbor at the bus stop.  She was talking about the health problems of her asthmatic son.  When I casually asked if she had gotten him his flu shot yet, she matter-of-factly explained that her husband had the shot once before and then he got really sick with the flu.  Somehow that “experience” has since kept all three of her children, as well as herself and her husband, from getting an influenza vaccine each year.

Now, I can’t say that I was surprised by her responses.  Unfortunately, I’ve heard these similar objections before.  As well as many others.

To be honest, if people are looking for a reason NOT to vaccinate for the flu, there are plenty of excuses to be used. Read more…

Maybe you’ve seen this already, but this is one blog post definitely worth reading, saving and passing on.

Dr. Rachel Dunlop, a medical researcher, science communicator and campaigner for science-based medicine in Australia, does a truly outstanding job of addressing some of the top vaccination myths in her post 9 Vaccination Myths Busted.  With Science.  Her frank and direct approach relies on solid science and is backed by extensive references.  Yet, she still manages to communicate the science in a way that any layperson can understand.

The following is a list of the myths she addresses in her post.

Myth 1: Vaccines cause autism.

Myth 2: Vaccines contain mercury.

Myth 3: Vaccines contain toxic ingredients.

Myth 4: Vaccines have never been tested.

Myth 5: Vaccines don’t work because children who are vaccinated can still get the disease.

Myth 6: Improved living standards, not vaccination have reduced disease.

Myth 7: Infectious diseases are not serious; children are meant to get them.

Myth 8: Vaccines cause or spread the diseases they are supposed to prevent.

Myth 9: My child’s immune system will be overwhelmed.

I can’t think of anything that she may have left out.  Except of course, how to make this required reading for all new parents!

Once again, this is an excellent read that I just had to share.  Thanks Dr. Dunlop for doing your part to help others understand the science behind immunizations!

On Monday morning, many health reporters and news stations covered the release of a survey published in Pediatrics that addressed “Alternative Vaccination Schedule Preferences Among Parents of Young Children.”   The survey results, which are a representation of 748 respondents, seem to provide a better understanding of who is using an alternative vaccination schedule, why they are choosing to do so, and what influences are swaying parents to either follow the recommended schedule or adopt their own alternative.

As we engage with other parents, it’s important that we not assume that those who use an alternative schedule are opposed to immunizations. In this particular survey, an alternative vaccinator was a parent who failed to follow the exact recommendations of the CDC, regardless of their reasoning.   This survey may have even encompassed parents who skipped or delayed a vaccine because of vaccine shortages, illness or missed appointments or, more likely, parents who consciously chose to delay or decline one or more vaccines.

While it is true that 13% of the survey respondents reported following an alternative vaccination schedule, it was also noted that only 2% reported refusing all vaccines for their young children.  That leaves the remaining 11% who have obviously deviated from the schedule, but are still vaccinating their children to some extent.

Interestingly enough, I get to hear from parents almost daily, through my work on this blog and in reading comments on our Vaccinate Your Baby Facebook page.  What I have found is that many of the parents who admit to declining, or delaying, one or more vaccines, share many of the same concerns.

 “We give too many vaccines in one visit.” 

“We give too many vaccines when the child is still so young.” 

“I don’t feel this disease poses a serious risk to my child.”

“I am not convinced that this particular vaccine is safe or effective.” Read more…

If you haven’t heard by now, than you probably haven’t read or watched any major news source in the past few days.

GOP presidential hopeful, and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, made some serious allegations about the HPV vaccine during Monday night’s debate.  Her main objective was to criticize her political opponent Rick Perry for his attempt to mandate the HPV vaccine for girls in his home state of Texas. While Perry’s attempt to protect his constituents from cervical cancer may have been heavy handed, his executive order was overruled and the mandate never enforced.  But Michele Bachmann’s reckless comments have taken hold in just a matter of days , injecting fear and doubt about the safety of the HPV vaccine.

However you view her performance at the debate, her comments about HPV can be considered an epic fail.

It’s important to note that Bachmann, who claims to be a defender of our freedoms, failed to even acknowledge the liberties we do have in this country.  No child is being forced to get this vaccine.  Suggested and encouraged?  Yes.  But forced? No.  Even if Rick Perry had been successful at making HPV a state mandated vaccine in Texas, parents would still have been able to exercise their option to exempt their child.

In her Tuesday morning interview on The Today Show, Bachmann once again demonstrated her ignorance on this subject when she suggested that the vaccine could cause “mental retardation” (her words, not mine).  As if that claim wasn’t bad enough, she made the statement in response to a brief conversation she had with a random mother she had met only hours before.  Any good parent – or politician – would know enough not to take the word of a complete stranger, but to consider doing some research before blasting opinions out over the airways that could impact the health decisions of millions of people. Read more…