Department of Research
ARE VACCINES KILLING KIDS?

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Vaccines have always been touted as a perfect method of eradicating disease and either in promise or fact we seem to have a vaccine for nearly everything, even a potential super vaccine to cure all disease with one shot. The latest vaccine concept is as a contraceptive; at the moment it can halt the reproductive process but not without stopping the production of hormones. A vaccine for tooth decay even exists but it's in the testing stage. Interestingly enough it's made from a genetically modified tobacco plant. This vaccine is applied directly to the teeth and isn't an injection. The GM tobacco creates antibodies that bind to a protein on the surface of cavity causing bacteria.

Clearly vaccines effect nearly everyone in one way or another, we're bombarded with them from birth. Even those completely inured to the hazards of modern life have an interest in learning about vaccinations because of the unspoken dangers they pose to adults and especially children and infants. In America this is something like 22 shots before the fifth grade.

From the original days of the Clinton-Care™ national health program the Clinton administrations has put mandatory vaccinations at the forefront of their efforts, and indeed that was about all that was ever successfully implemented. Childhood immunizations in America are at an all time high with about 90% being vaccinated by age 2 and 97% by the time they reach school age. Yet despite this apparently good news, vacating President Clinton has personally ordered a new government program to monitor vaccinations and refer any unvaccinated or under vaccinated children receiving government assistance to the HHS and USDA. Uninsured kids receive vaccinations under the 'Vaccines for Children' program. Succinctly, health care providers are being linked to a federal nutrition program called WIC for Women, Infants and Children. Ref: Clinton announces effort to improve immunizations, AP news Dec. 11, 2000.

Vaccines have saved many lives, however as mandated vaccination programs are spreading to affect everyone certain blatant reactions have alarmed concerned and aware people monitoring the issue.

  • Safety and consistency of product in production standards including dangerous preservatives like mercury containing thimerosal.

  • Conflict of interests concerning vaccine manufacturers and the federal acceptance and safety assurance process.

  • Unstated and officially ignored adverse reactions to vaccines including permanent debilitating disease such as autism and diabetes as well as death.

  • Overuse of vaccines leading to increased adverse reactions out of proportion to the threat of the virus itself such as rotavirus and Hepatitis-B, and a potential decrease in natural immune strength.

  • Doctors and government irreparably damaging the public trust by consistently ignoring health issues relating to vaccinations.

Although the benefits of vaccinations are well documented the system is far from perfect. In fact if you ever read the documentation that should accompany any vaccination you may be surprised by the high chance of serious adverse reactions. The greatest myth commonly associated with vaccines is that they will banish disease forever. Actually a vaccination will only work for some diseases and even then it does not guarantee immunity for life or perhaps at all, but is intended to significantly reduces the risk. One problem that has occurred more than once is a disease mutation from the vaccination program as has been officially downplayed with polio in the Caribbean during the fall of 2000. In 1976 the swine flu vaccination gave 1000 people Guillain-Barre disease. Latrogenic problems (physician caused disease) are often downplayed and generally uncommon but still real and of serious consequence.

Actually the greatest weapon in combating virus and infection still is sanitation and common sense. Statistical evidence points to the ironic conclusion that infectious disease began a precipitous decline long before vaccinations were even introduced.

Tuberculosis in England decreased steadily beginning in the 1830s. Eighty-six percent drop in the tuberculosis death rate took place streptomycin was introduced in 1947. Sixty-eight percent of the reduction in bronchitis, pneumonia, and influenza deaths, 90 percent of the decline of whooping cough, and 70 percent of decline of scarlet fever and diphtheria occurred before the sulfa drugs appeared in the 1930s. From: Why Things Bite Back, by Edward Tenner, p.28, 1996 Knopf

Common vaccines with documented and possible repercussions:

VACCINE DISEASE LINKS & EFFECTS
DPT Diphtheria, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Tetanus, SIDS, encephalitis, seizures
MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella Autism, seizures
HB Hepatitis-B SIDS, insulin dependent diabetes, chronic arthritis, multiple sclerosis, ...
RotaShield™ (recalled) Rotavirus intestinal obstruction & death
OPV Polio Cancer causing simian virus transplanted from vaccines in the 50's and 60's.
LYMErix Lyme disease Chronic arthritic disorders, treatment resistant arthritis.

The MMR shot has been quite contentious in allegations that it's linked to the rise in autism.

...for research to finally prove or disprove whether there is a link between autism and the MMR vaccine, it would require a huge study that would take about 12 years and a lot of money that could otherwise be used to fund research into cancer or heart disease. In a new report, Dr. Harold Buttram, a doctor in Quakertown, Pa., questioned whether the recent rise in autism and neurobehavioral disorders among children could be caused by the combination measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine that is routinely given at age 18 months.

Researchers have found that 84 percent of autistic children have antibodies against a certain type of brain tissue, indicating that the immune system is destroying brain cells. They also have found the brain tissue antibody to be similar to the antibody that's formed against the MMR vaccine.

The only evidence that has been presented to suggest that MMR vaccine may be associated with autism has been published by the Lancet. An editorial published in the same issue, however, discussed concerns about the validity of the study. Based on data from 12 patients, Wakefield and colleagues speculated that MMR vaccine may have been the possible cause of bowel problems which led to a decreased absorption of essential vitamins and nutrients which resulted in developmental disorders like autism. No scientific analyses were reported, however, to substantiate the theory," says the agency. Julie Foster WorldNetDaily Vaccine linked to autism? March 6,2000

Critics of the autism link argue that the apparent connections are merely temporal coincidence because the shots are given at the same time as the typical onset of autism and that the cause of autism is genetic disposition. The increase in autism cases is unambiguous, however the cause is less certain. MMR may be a complication rather than a cause, if any relation exists at all. Still the thimerosal-mercury-brain damage connection is intriguing. [see thimerosal entry below]

DPT and MMR are associated with seizures, often immediately at the point of receiving the shot! But rarely is it life threatening, although it certainly would be disturbing for the parents watching.

One issue with pertussis is the increase in adults of whooping cough. Evidence points to the conclusion that the shot is only good for about 7 years and that booster shots will be necessary to tackle the rise in adult pertussis sickness. Other vaccinations may well turn out to be equally temporary in their effectiveness - but which ones and how do we know before an outbreak?

Hepatitis B Is a disease of transferred bodily fluids associated with intravenous drug users, prostitutes, homosexuals and other adults with similar lifestyle habits. Thus unless the mother is infected the infant has virtually no chance of contracting the disease. Due to its severe reactions, and since it's federally mandated by the Clinton administration for infants, it has been a major maelstrom of controversy. Also its duration of effectiveness is undefined, meaning that booster shots are necessary for prolonged immunity. Adverse reactions may include SIDS, encephalitis, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome and immune system dysfunction to include chronic arthritis.

Rotavirus This is a common viral infection that affects infants and young children. Symptoms include diarrhea ranging from mild to very severe. The FDA and the CDC approved the rotavirus vaccine in 1998 only to have it pulled from the market in 1999 since it caused severe bowel obstructions. As few as 20 infants die from rotavirus in the USA in any given year although 80% contract it before 5. Why this would dictate the need for a vaccine is unclear except as a profit scheme for American Home Products, the maker of the discontinued RotaShield vaccine. Now parents must rely on common sense and practical measures like breastfeeding and 'oral rehydration solution' to prevent the severe consequences of rotavirus infection. Furthermore, evidence may also implicate overly eager approval process and suspicious manufacturer collusion FDA, CDC, etc.

Disentangling the different vaccinations relative to their adverse effects if any is a daunting medical research challenge. Since shots like MMR have three diseases in one and even at that infants often get multiple and different vaccinations consecutively. Which one is the culprit, all together, or just one? Which one? How do we test this on a human subject?

Thimerosal is a mercury containing preservative that has been added to vaccines since the 1930s in order to prevent bacterial contamination, especially in multi-dose containers. Some common vaccines with mercury containing preservatives are influenza, hepatitis-B and rabies vaccines. Beyond that some vaccines for the same purpose vary by brand name as to their mercury content, clouding the issue. Mercury is a deadly natural element but low level intake is not uncommon. According to EPA it should be limited to 0.1 microgram per kilogram per day. And as example a 6 ounce can of tuna has an average of 17 micrograms of mercury (but range goes from 1.7 to 127 micrograms!) Incidentally predatory fish such as tuna and swordfish are the primary source of environmental mercury intake. This is not due to pollution however as mercury levels in these fish have remained steady for over 100 years of measurements. It is due to the natural land runoff into the ocean from streams and rivers. The predatory fish accumulate it by eating other fish, the mercury is simply omnipresent in the food chain.

Nobody wants mercury in their system, it's cumulative and the destructive effects on the nervous system in large quantities are well documented. But the real issue concerning thimerosal is its effect on infants because of the amount of the mercury to the body size and on the developing brain. For an adult thimerosal is unnecessary risk but not deadly. For a child it can damage or even kill, largely dependent on how much mercury they are already being exposed to in their environment.

Although thimerosal is being slowly phased out in the USA, the WHO (World Health Organization) has no interest in seeing it done in the rest of the world because they believe the cost too high for multi-dose multi--puncture injections that are the only ones cost effective enough for use in developing countries. Mercury from vaccines is not well studied and indeed when the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research (CBER) did an analysis in 1999 to actually add up all the mercury that an average child would receive from vaccinations the results totaled 187.5 micrograms of mercury at 6 months of life with all vaccinations on time. Complicating the issue is the fact that the mercury compounds metabolize into ethyl mercury rather than the more studied methyl mercury.

Long story short, nobody really knows yet how toxic these mercury compounds are either alone or cumulative since most of the examples are just of egregious long term poisoning from heavy doses i.e. the headline screaming environmental disasters. Regardless, thimerosal is unnecessary and although preservatives are good to have no need exists for them to contain mercury. A new version by SmithKline Beecham is thimerosal-free which actually means it has only trace amounts.

Tissue straining: Another issue, especially concerning the polio vaccine, is the use of animal and sometimes human tissue to make the vaccines. This technique can transfer animal virus' to humans as has happened with the polio vaccine which introduced simian virus #40 into humans. So everyone who took the OPV from 1955 to 1961 got more than a polio vaccination, they got a cancer causing virus too, a little ticking time bomb in their system.

Money Making: Virus manufacturers have a sweetheart deal since they have a legally captive market and a government shield protecting them from all but the most serious legal repercussions.

Quality Control: Hot-lots, production allows for a wide tolerance in actual ingredients for vaccines. It's assumed that every vaccine lot is equally effective just as every inoculated kid will react exactly the same to the shot. Both are myths. Determining how dangerous a hot-lot would be is very difficult especially without any authority recognizing the problem.

Damaged immunity. What medical science has rediscovered is that by lowering the strength of the immune system by eliminating childhood illness as completely as possible they end up making the immunized actually more susceptible to illness. Since no one really knows the exposure percentage of any given supposedly immunized group, it is very difficult to attach any meaningful resistance statistics to the vaccinated. Actually the best method for disease reduction is as it always has been: common sense, sanitation, healthy diet and hygiene.

[S]ome experts believe certain childhood illnesses including measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox are a necessary and helpful step in strengthening the immune system. Because the vaccines are given by injection, the immune response of the mucous membranes, through which these diseases enter the body, is not challenged and strengthened. Those who support the theory also attribute the use of vaccines to the great increase in cases of asthma and eczema, both of which are diseases of the mucous membranes. - Julie Foster WND Vaccine linked to autism? March 6,2000

One wonders whether babies should be given ANY vaccines since they have underdeveloped immune systems. Health authorities of course counter that by waiting until they are older it could open the way for epidemics targeting infants.

When a child becomes ill or dies from vaccination-oriented circumstances the doctors blame the parents and the parents blame the doctors. But it's even more complex than that because we can see that doctors and agencies charged with maintaining the vaccination programs are reluctant to release data and research that demonstrates the dangers of vaccinations for fear of giving more ammunition to anti-vaccination proponents. They fear that these activist groups will go too far and have all vaccines banned or get the public so scared they wont allow their kids to get vaccinated and we'll all end up with another diseases epidemic. Intense mistrust is the name of the game here.

Most doctors really don't want to hear about the consequences let alone accept that a connection may exist between childhood deaths and vaccines. Unfortunately doctors and pediatricians are mostly unhelpful in rectifying vaccine dangers because they clearly have been inculcated with the monomaniacal bias that vaccines do wonderful things end of story. A real hot-button for many pediatricians. As is the case when dealing with any 'expert' doctors are reluctant to accept the conclusions of parents or anyone else lacking their extensive medical training. The experts all too often overlook valid observations out of arrogance and impatience. But doctors are educated, generally intelligent but most importantly rational people that are willing to accept heterodoxy if it is presented in the proper package. The best defense is to present the kind of evidence and statistics that they understand, preferably from reputable medical sources such as Lancet. Unfortunately connecting mysterious illness' like autism or SIDS with a vaccine is no easy task and as of yet the serious research has failed to come up with much in the way of solid conclusions.

And the truth is vaccine manufacturers simply cannot produce vaccines without government protection because they will be sued into bankruptcy by the people they kill from the adverse reactions. And that is an absolute and an inevitability: vaccines do kill people. Which is exactly why vaccine manufacturers cannot be insured because they're too high of a risk, they must have federal programs to back them up and protect them from indemnification. They can't even find who will have adverse reactions and not vaccinate them because no one can tell who will be killed or crippled and who won't, could be me, you or your neighbors infant. It's a crap-shoot but since the benefits are perceived by most of the medical community to outweigh the costs, vaccinations continue, backed by an increasingly pervasive, rule by mandate federal authority.

Still, I wonder how many are ready for the fallout on this highly contentious issue? As much as the CDC and vaccine manufacturers would like to wish it all away, the evidence is increasingly implicating vaccines as dangerous vectors for prevalent childhood illness and death. The real danger in all this comes from the arrogance of government health entities for they stand to lose the public trust so critical for maintaining health programs such as vaccinations that prevent disease outbreaks. The issue won't be going away since most of the diseases vaccines address are not capable of being eradicated, doctors view it as necessary to continue these programs indefinitely.

In black and white what we're looking at is either:

A) Going to a purely voluntary system for immunizations where no drug company can be held liable for reactions but perhaps leaving large sectors of the population open to communicable diseases.

B) Mandating that everyone get vaccinated and accepting that a minority will be killed and crippled.

Meanwhile the effort to develop safer vaccines goes on but perhaps not at a fast enough pace. Interestingly enough though the drug manufacturers can only turn a profit off of the second option because they are guaranteed a large population which must comply by receiving their vaccine. The government also has a significant interest in the second option because they appear to be family friendly and health conscious thereby placating most of the electorate and collecting kickback from the drug manufacturers. The population would prefer option A because they would have a choice in the matter. But no party would benefit from an epidemic. However I don't believe both sides must take a mutually exclusive option.

In a free society people should have the right to choose how they personally manage risk. So it must be publicly stated in unambiguous terms that vaccines are no panacea, but have very real dangers. Likewise the even more severe consequences of contracting serious illness like polio or tetanus should get equal emphasis. What could be done is to allow for a voluntary system but with advertising encouraging people to comply. Meanwhile stock enough vaccinations to cover the rest in the unlikely but always possible case of an outbreak. No matter what, someone will die. It would make more sense to be from a natural cause than for the government to kill an infant with a vaccine or perhaps even worse have them spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair vacuously staring off into space and drooling, with the state paying for their life-care.

If we actually add up all the costs, emotional, economic and otherwise, that are associated with vaccine reactions to include SIDS, autism, diabetes, and a multitude of various illness', we'll find that the costs of mandating vaccinations are actually higher than making it optional and merely dealing with disease outbreaks as they occur. And we must keep in mind that vaccinations do not guarantee freedom from disease or even from epidemics. In other words since ugly things like disease will occur no matter what, that has to enter the equation. The issue is the magnitude not the occurrence of disease.

Closing Comment

The whole concept of risk and death is truly warped beyond recognition in our modern society. It seems anymore that we've become so distanced from the realities of disease and illness that we've begun to believe the medical myths 'all disease eradicated' and 'a new era without pain or suffering'. But not only is it unrealistic it's a hollow and self-defeating goal to even attempt to achieve. Death is a part of life. No parent wants to see their infant die from disease but to me death or permanent lifelong impairment like autism or diabetes from a vaccine is an immensely greater injustice. Not the least of which because it was sanctioned by a government authority rather than the capricious whims of nature.

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 Content & Design © Freydis
Created: February. 2001
Updated: August, 2008