For some time now, members of the government and the medical industry have tried to explain away the phenomenon of parental refusal to vaccinate. Despite the government’s own studies, such as Rogers and Pilgrim; 1993, which shows that “Older, highly educated parents form the basis of the [sic] anti-immunisation lobby”, parents continue to be accused of being ignorant, uncaring and stupid for refusing vaccines which the medical community claim will keep their children healthy.
In an effort to set the record straight, the AVN, which is contacted by more than 10,000 Australian parents each year who question this procedure, would like to give you the 10 most common reasons why the parents who contact us have chosen not to vaccinate.
1 - Vaccines have never been tested.
The gold standard of medical science is the double blind crossover placebo study. This test has never been performed on any vaccine currently licensed in Australia. In an astounding leap of logic, contrary to all rules of science, vaccines are assumed to be safe and effective and therefore, it is considered to be unethical to withhold vaccinations for the purposes of testing them.
2 - Vaccines contain toxic additives and heavy metals.
The list of vaccine ingredients includes toxins such as formaldehyde, a substance which the Queensland Poisons Control Centre has said was “unsafe at any level if injected into the human body”; carbolic acid, also a strong poison which was implicated in deaths and serious injuries in a recent Sydney hospital mishap; aluminium which is linked with the development of Alzheimer’s disease and allergies; and Thiomersal, a mercury-based preservative which is a known neurotoxin and whose inclusion in vaccination sparked a series of Congressional hearings which saw the US Government and the AAP (American Academy of Paediatrics) call for its immediate withdrawal from any vaccine product and which was withdrawn over two years ago in the USA from any over-the-counter medicines . It was also withdrawn from the American Hepatatis B vaccines, Engerix and HB Vax II, though their Australian counterparts which are still being injected into children here today, are only just being made mercury free or mercury reduced (though the old, mercury-laced stocks will be used up rather than being withdrawn from use).
3 - Vaccines are contaminated with human and animal viruses and bacteria
All childhood vaccines, apart from the Hepatitis B (which is genetically engineered and carries with it a different set of problems,) are cultured on either animal tissue, a broth of animal and/or human blood and blood products or the cell lines from aborted human foetuses. None of these culturing methods is able to guarantee an uncontaminated vaccine. In fact, it is well known that many foreign viruses and bacteria can and do contaminate vaccines. Almost none of these contaminants have been studied. The few which have been leave many parents concerned about the long-term effects of injecting these substances into their children. For instance, SV 40 (simian or monkey virus 40 – just one of 60 monkey viruses known to contaminate the polio vaccines) has been linked with cancers in humans; there is a chicken retrovirus which contaminates the measles and mumps vaccines called Reverse Transcriptase. This substance, an ancient non-human DNA code, is thought to switch on the HIV virus and cause it to become AIDS in humans; AIDS itself has been linked with a virus called SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) which contaminated both the polio and smallpox vaccines; the current MMR (measles mumps rubella) and other vaccines which contain bovine (cow) blood products are thought to be able to spread the human and always fatal form of mad cow disease, Creutzfeld-Jacobs disease, more readily than eating contaminated meat.
4 - Vaccines can cause serious immediate side effects.
As long as there have been vaccines, there have been reports of serious side effects following their administration. These side effects include (but are not limited to) convulsions and epilepsy, permanent brain damage, anaphylactic (life threatening allergic) reactions, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), retinal and brain haemorrhages (now being confused with Shaken Baby Syndrome) and death.
5 - Vaccines can cause serious long-term side effects.
According to medical reports, children are now less healthy than they have ever been before. More than 40% of all children now suffer from chronic conditions , something that was unheard of prior to mass vaccination. Vaccines have been associated with such conditions as Asthma, Eczema, Food Allergies, Chronic Ear Infections, Insulin Dependent Diabetes, Arthritis, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Autism, Attention Deficit Disorder, Ulcerative Colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Hyperactivity, Schizophrenia, Multiple Sclerosis, Cancer and a raft of other chronic and auto-immune conditions which are experiencing dramatic rises in incidence.
6 - Vaccines do not necessarily protect against infectious diseases.
For many years, parents were told that once a child was fully vaccinated, they would be protected for life. That has now turned into a series of life-long boosters that are still not able to protect either children or adults from infectious diseases. For the very real risk of both short and long-term side effects from vaccines, parents are asked to allow their children to be given vaccines that at best, will provide a temporary sensitisation to illnesses and at worst, can make their children more susceptible to both opportunistic and infectious illness. As evidenced by the recent whooping cough outbreak in SA, the only Australian state which actually records vaccination status in cases of infectious illness, 87% of all those who contracted whooping cough and whose vaccination status was known were fully and appropriately vaccinated. In fact, Australian government statistics have shown that the majority of outbreaks in Australia occur in those who have been either fully vaccinated or were too young to be fully vaccinated.
7 - Doctors, as paid salesmen for vaccine products, are no longer considered to be trustworthy arbiters of their safety and effectiveness.
Doctors are currently receiving several payments from the government to push vaccines. These include $6 for reporting vaccinations to the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR), a national database which tracks vaccination status in our children and which has been called “a back-door Australia Card”; $18.50 on top of their Medicare rebate for vaccinating a child on time; and a bulk payment at the end of each year based upon them having a practice vaccination rate in excess of 80%. These payments can add up to many tens of thousands of dollars in a busy inner-city practice.
As a result of this grossly unethical situation, doctors can no longer be thought of as objective when it comes to this issue. Parents no longer trust that their doctors will recommend that they vaccinate simply because it is the best thing for their child rather than the best thing for the doctor’s bottom line.
8 - Pharmaceutical companies have paid for almost all vaccine research to date.
Just as the tobacco companies paid for corrupt and incorrect research which purported to show that tobacco and tobacco products were safe for human consumption, so too the pharmaceutical companies have paid for and produced almost all of the research into vaccines. While the Australian government continues to spend literally hundreds of millions of dollars a year in promoting and implementing vaccination campaigns (an example is the $292 million earmarked for vaccination against Meningococcal this year alone!) and little or no money on independent research, parents will continue to mistrust the research that has been performed by vested interests. After all, companies are by their very definition commercial concerns which are motivated by profit. There is nothing that would make a pharmaceutical company intrinsically more ethical and therefore more trustworthy than a tobacco company.
In addition, it is a little-known fact that the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the government body which licenses and registers vaccines and other medical products, does not perform any tests whatsoever to verify pharmaceutical company claims of safety or effectiveness.
9 - Doctors and health professionals rarely if ever report vaccine reactions.
In discussions with representatives of both ADRAC (The Adverse Drug Reactions Advisory Committee) and the SAEFVSS (Serious Adverse Events Following Vaccination Surveillance Scheme), the two government bodies charged with keeping track of reactions to vaccines and other drugs, the AVN’s representatives were informed that less than 10% of all adverse reactions are ever reported. This means that the government’s claims of vaccine safety are admittedly 90% incorrect. In addition, the AVN’s adverse reactions database currently contains details on more than 800 serious adverse vaccine reactions. Not one of these reactions was ever reported by the doctors or health professionals involved. Parents cannot rely on data with that wide a margin of error when they are dealing with the health and well-being of their children.&
10 - Some childhood illnesses have beneficial aspects and therefore, prevention may not necessarily be in the best interests of the child.
Measles, for example, has been used in Scandinavian countries to successfully treat such autoimmune conditions as eczema and many studies have performed which show that children who do not contract measles naturally as a child are more likely to suffer from certain cancers later in life. In addition, recent studies have shown that contracting the common childhood illnesses help to prime and strengthen the immune system in a way that vaccinations just cannot do. This priming means that children are much less likely to suffer from the now common allergic and autoimmune conditions that plague them today. Conditions such as asthma, diabetes and cancer. In addition, vaccinated mothers cannot confer passive immunity to their children even if they have contracted the wild form of the disease. This immunity used to protect all children during their vulnerable first months and years. Now, a vaccinated mother will give birth to a child who will be susceptible to these infections when, prior to vaccines, they would normally have been immune.
Vaccination is a medical procedure. It should never, ever be mandated. Nor should there ever be any coercion, financial or social penalties for those parents who have chosen, as is their right under the law, not to take the above risks on behalf of their children.
Unvaccinated children continue to be among the healthiest children in our society. They are no more the carriers of disease than any other healthy person. It is the government’s responsibility to do the necessary research to ensure that procedures they are recommending for all Australian families are as safe and effective as they possibly can be. It is also their responsibility to keep vested interests honest. On both counts, this government has failed in its duty of care to our most vulnerable resource – our children.
Every one of the points raised above deserves critical examination and public discussion and the parents who ask these questions deserve respect, not vilification.
References:
- - C. Wilson; Chronic Exposure and Human Health (1993), McFarland & Company taken from Our Toxic Times Feb 1997 pgs 18 & 19
- New Scientist, 2/11/96 “Dirty Secrets”
- Aluminium phosphate but not calcium phosphate stimulates the specific IgE response in guinea pigs to tetanus toxoid.; Allergy 1978 Jun;33(3):155-9
- Studies on the toxicities of aluminium hydroxide and calcium phosphate as immunological adjuvants for vaccines.; Vaccine 1993;11(9):914-8
- Staying Below the Limit-Manufacturers to Remove Mercury Used in Vaccines; By Lauran Neergaard; The Associated Press; July 8, 1999.
- Federal Register: April 22, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 77)
- Hepatitis B Immunization Linked to Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Two abstracts being presented at the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (held November 8-12, 1998, in San Diego, California)
- First central nervous system demyelination and hepatitis B vaccination: a pilot case control study; REVUE NEUROLOGIQUE (Paris) 2000;156(3):242-246
- Simian virus-40 linked to human giant cell tumors; Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2000;28:23-30.
- SV-40 and Polio Vaccine; http://www.ccid.org/ASV40.html
- Washington Post ; December 9, 1995; Unexpected Protein Found in Measles-Mumps Vaccine
- Aids: the big mistake?; May 28, 2000, The Sunday Times
- Children ‘face BSE risk from infected jabs’ Daily Express March 30, 2000
- Vaccines not containing human albumin and vaccines to avoid the risk of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, European Journal of Pediatrics; Volume 159 Issue 3 (2000) pp 222-222
- Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/default.htm “As with every medicine, vaccines carry a small risk of serious harm, such as severe allergic reaction or even death. Seizure (jerking or staring)————6 of every 10,000 doses (or 1 in 333 fully vaccinated children)”
- Pediatrics 1997 Nov;100(5):767-71 MMR2 immunization at 4 to 5 years and 10 to 12 years of age: a comparison of adverse clinical events after immunization in the Vaccine Safety Datalink project. The Vaccine Safety Datalink Team.
- Immunological aspects of demyelinating diseases. [Review] [171 refs] Annual Review of Immunology. 10:153-87, 1992.
- J Okla State Med Assoc 1996 Apr;89(4):135-8; Perverse reactions to pertussis vaccine by government medical agencies; Sepkowitz S
- Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 1999 Feb;103(2 Pt 1):321-5; A clinical analysis of gelatin allergy and determination of its causal relationship to the previous administration of gelatin-containing acellular pertussis vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids.; Nakayama T, Aizawa C, Kuno-Sakai H
- Baraff, LJ, Ablon, WJ, Weiss, RC; Possible temporal association between diphtheria-tetanus toxoid pertussis vaccination and sudden infant death syndrome; Pediatric Infections Diseases; Jan-Feb 1983; 2 (1) 7-11.
- Characteristics of DPT Postvaccinal Deaths and DPT-caused Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): A Review William C. Torch, Reno, NV, Neurology 36 (Suppl 1) April 1986
- Give us this day our daily germs; Graham A.W. RookA and John L. Stanford; Immunology Today 1998, 19:113-116
- Lancet, June 29, 1996
Reprinted with permission from the Australian Vaccination Network
About the Author...
The Australian Vaccination Network was founded in 1994 by a group of parents and health professionals who were concerned about protecting the rights of Australians to make free and informed health choices. Since its inception, this organisation has been run on a volunteer-basis though it currently has two part-time employees who work in administration. The AVN is dedicated to the idea that health can be achieved and maintained without the use of pharmaceutical drugs and vaccines.
Jul 1st, 2008 at 7:52 am
Thanks for the information on vaccines. Those ten reasons really do make sense.
We recently wrote an article on vaccines at Brain Blogger. A recent vaccine was created to help prevent the HPV virus in girls. But with how little it really does and with the toxic substances that have been proven to be in vaccinations, is it worth it?
We would like to read your comments on our article. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Kelly
Jul 3rd, 2008 at 4:56 am
Thank you for the article. Thought provoking and informative as it is, I am inclined to think someo of the side-effects of vaccines can be exacerbated by the general poor diet of the mother while she was rearing and breast-feeding their child. Indeed, a child’s health and positive response to any treatment will be compromised by the health of their mother and, even, the parents of the mother. Studies like Pottenger’s Cats and the research of Weston A. Price clearly show how the weakened immune response and health can take place over many generations.
Jul 3rd, 2008 at 7:27 am
What a nicely put together 10 point article.
My daughter was 2 months old when she got her shots and she had a seizure later that night. The hospital determined that it probably was due to the vaccinations. Thankfully a visiting Stanford doctor was there and took me off to the side from the hospital personell and told me I may want to do more research on vaxes before continuing since she had such a bad reaction, it could get worse. I had no idea about the “other side” to vaccines until this incident. I did think it was odd how they kept pushing and pushing me to vaccinate my baby for hep b just as she came out of the womb. That did not make sense to me whatsoever.
I went to her pediatrician and she told me I was speaking nonsense (I was relaying to her about the hospital’s findings and I only asked her some questions that she could not answer) and denied that it was the vaccine. I was so confused but my parental instinct was to hold off until I read more on it and boy am I glad I did. This launched me into reading a few books: How to raise a healthy child in spite of your doctor by Robert Mendelsohn and The Vaccine Guide by Randall Neustadter.
And reading http://www.mothering.com ’s vaccination board was helpful. I was reading another website’s vax board but it turned out the major proponents of the information there were a pediatrician and a drug salesperson! So be really careful who is feeding you info on the net. I was so angry after I did over 1500 hours of research to see that the packet insert said my baby could have a seizure and my pediatrician said it wasn’t possible. I know for a fact that that doctor did not turn it in as a reaction because she was so adamant that I was irresponsible for not letting her continue with vaxxing and the vax wasn’t the problem. I dropped her and got a more supportive pediatrician.
Two decades before this incident my father was given a tetanus shot and the next day he could not move his arm. It was paralyzed. He had to go through a year of therapy to get it working again. Upon reading about the tetanus shot, some side effects can be temporary paralysis! I’m sure his doctor didn’t turn in information either when my father called and asked them if the shot could do that to his arm, they denied it.
My brother always had a tick in his neck (where his head would move every 10 mins multiple times). He never knew why he did it and neither did the doctors. Given what I’ve read, it would not surprise me if vaxes played a roll in that neurological tick. Much later I believe it went away or lessened.
In a public college I had a roommate that was literally forced to get vaccinated at college when there was some outbreak. The health department actually mandated (Looking at the law now, that is illegal what they did in Washington state since you can opt out of vaxes there but I did not know that at the time) that no one be let into their classes until they submit their vax records or get revaxed. His records were not complete and he was made to get the vax before they allowed him to continue schooling. He had non stop headaches for over 3 months after that vax. He contacted all around and that is when I first found out that the fund existed for reimbursement of vax reactions (I had no idea that same fund was part of a law that kept people from suing drug companies over vax reactions/damage). Of course he didn’t qualify because they said a headache couldn’t happen and it is extremely hard to prove but that planted a seed in me to ask questions later why such a fund existed if they were so “safe” and why such protection on drug companies existed against the consumer.
I’m tired of being seen as some “nut” that rejects vaxes when I see in front of my eyes the damage it has done to people and the medical personell never have answers but only condemnation if you don’t fall in line which is a bit on the cultish side in my opinion. I’m no liar and I know what I saw so I tell my story of my experiences and hope that it gives some validation to these reasons not to vax.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Hi
We haven’t vaccinated my daughter Bella. I am however nervous about Tetanus. We are living in a country/regional area now (Ballarat) and I am always thinking about her getting an infection whilst playing in the dirt. I so don’t want her to get whooping cough, though you have to actually walk through the spray of someone with whooping cough, inhale enough of it and then actually get sick from it, so it may not be that easy to get? My old integrative medicine GP from Melbourne (who is against most vaccinations) told me that his brother got scratched by a nail that had some horse poo on it which had tetanus in it and almost died. He also thinks that Measles is particularly nasty though doesn’t like the MMR. I hate the fact that you can’t really selectively immunise. I can’t just get Bella immunised for tetanus. Once you get one vaccine then you have to follow the whole schedule to get child care rebates, which we are in need of. So now I am thinking of not getting her vaccinated at all because my consci/objection would be invalid. I feel that she should have tetanus, but the government makes it difficult for me to participate in the vaccination system because of their manipulative policies. By the time I get her vaccinated for tetanus with the older kids single vaccine, it probably won’t exist as it will be a multiple. It’s so frustrating.
Jul 5th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Suzanne, have you looked into natural treatments for tetanus? I’ve heard that homeopathics for this are very effective. A friend managed to single vacs for her child through an AIDS treatment clinic for sex workers (Perth, WA) of all places! It could be worth contacting Dr Isaac Golden regarding questions about tetanus etc as he has been researching vaccinations for decades. Regarding whooping cough - I’ve heard that it’s a hard illness to get through as it goes on for weeks (two of my five non-vaccinated nephews had it) BUT, once you get through it, your immune system is stronger than ever. I haven’t researched this but I have heard that whooping cough is only dangerous for babies and the elderly.
Jul 16th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
My husband and I made the decision not to vaccinate our daughter. I too was especially alarmed at the thought of giving her the hep B shot “straight from the womb”… it prompted me to do *a lot* of research (yes I am an “Older, highly educated parent”).
I am comfortable in my decision, though often challenged on it. The challengers are usually those parents who have blind faith in the system and have not bothered to question it or do their own research… and that to me is the bad parenting.
Suzanne - I think your children have an advantage by living in the country (as I do) - clean air, safer environment and less people. I don’t worry about tetenus… and as far as Whooping cough? Well I was a confirmed case of WC this year. It first presents as a common cold and then all it was in my case was a cough I couldn’t shake…. WC is treated by antibiotics within 5 days, and if left untreated is contageous for about 3 weeks. Yes the cough can last for a few more. My mother couldn’t believe it… “But you’ve had all your shots… and your boosters…???”… Well mum.. news flash, they don’t work! My daughter was blood tested for WC and guess what? After days of me kissing her and breathing all over her (she’s 20 months) she did NOT contract it. I credit her strong immune system from good healthy food, plenty of water each day and the fact she hasn’t been bombarded by a large number of immunity suppressing vaccines.
Jul 16th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Hi there to all who have written about not vaccinating their children.
I am a new Mum (Casper is 7 months) and my partner and I have decided not to vaccinate, I’m sure for the same reasons you all have! I am very interested in homeopathic vaccinations and alternative options, though am struggling to find a support network/parent group/website with more information for parents in Perth. I have just moved from the UK and don’t know all the “rules” about schooling, vaccinating and how to get around it. Is it possible to get an exemption and if so, how? Also, I would like to get my hands on the actual statistics of rates of infection for all the diseases, plus the rates of infections even after vaccinations. Is this possible? Thanks for your time on this, it’s such a relief to hear of other parents not vaccinating, I have been tearing my hair out and feeling like an alien!
Laura
Jul 17th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Hi Laura,
You just need to complete a conscientious objection form. You get it from your doctor and they have to sign it. Post it off to the address on the form.
You can not be discriminated against for not vaxing. Some daycare etc will try to tho.
Try the following site for statistic info from the government. Interestingly most of the historical data they include shows a steady decrease in disease before the vax’s were introduced… (which most of knew laready!)
sport.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-pubhlth-strateg-communic-index.htm there’s a lot of links to statistical reports off this page.
As far as support groups, there’s lots of online discussion boards: (google: baby parenting discussion boards) Often these virtual boards give you tips to real life groups…
forums.naturalparenting.com.au/faq.php
pomsinperth.com/discussionboard/viewtopic.php?p=94795&sid=d67a3aa9df8818a2f9886b60daae85c8
Hope that helps.
Jul 20th, 2008 at 8:21 am
There is free information on the homeopathic immunisation option being placed on the website of The Do No Harm Intiative (a non-profit organisation): http://www.d-n-h.org
It is still being added to but it does list the homeopathic remedies used to protect children from tetanus and childhood epidemic diseases. It tells you what to give them and when. You can just print out the lists and take them to your homeopath or contact Do No Harm directly.
It will soon have information on how to protect not only children but also adults, travellers, pets, and farm animals from their epidemic diseases.
There are also articles about homeopathic immunisation including ones on the effectiveness of homeopathy in protecting against meningococcal disease (a large Brazilian government funded study) and malaria.
Jul 20th, 2008 at 11:03 am
Thank you Tracy and Fran
I’m off to the doctor on Monday and I have printed out a list to take to the homeopath!
Jul 21st, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I’d like to expand this great topic and discussion to dog vaccinations.
Holistic veterinarians question the effectiveness of vaccines. They argue that vaccines can actually have a negative effect in several situations, such as:
Vaccinating when your dog is too young, sick, weak or malnourished
Using the wrong schedule
Giving a vaccine to a dog whose immune system is weak due to genetics, drugs or a previous disease
They also argue that there is no guarantee that vaccines will work and that their effectiveness relies on several factors such as health, diet and overall lifestyle.
While conventional vets would call side effects uncommon, many holistic veterinarians believe that vaccinations can have negative long-term effects on your dog. They suggest addressing problems as they arise through natural treatment options such as nosodes.
Holistic veterinarians recommend the following if you decide to vaccinate your dog:
Use single vaccines instead of complex vaccines. Below you will see complex vaccinations like “DHLP-P” that combine many vaccines into one. Holistic vets recommend administering each vaccine one at a time. Single vaccines may or may not be available in your area, so reach out to a holistic veterinarian if necessary.
Only use “inactivated” or “killed” vaccines instead of “modified live.” They are usually safer since they are certain not to grow inside your dog’s body.
If you own a puppy, use a reduced vaccination schedule (see schedules below). Immunized puppies may be good to go for several years or even their entire lives.
Do not vaccinate before 16 weeks of age.
Avoid annual boosters. While this is a common practice, there is no scientific evidence that this is necessary. And don’t be surprised if your conventional vet disagrees – reach out to a holistic vet for verification as this is the latest official veterinarian opinion from the experts in the field of veterinary immunology.
Best in health,
Jeff, Editor-in-Chief
http://www.organic-pet-digest.com
Aug 22nd, 2008 at 12:03 am
Hi Laura, I was on the net searching for a support group in Perth (same as you) and found your post. If you are interested I would like to get in contact with you as I live in Perth as well. My baby is 19 months old - and we have also decided against vaccination. Would be great to chat to someone (or catch up) that feels the same about this topic.
Aug 24th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
1. The reason that vaccines are not able to be tested in a double-blind setting is that they have been proven to work; it is therefore unethical to withold effective treatment for the purposes of research. This concept is really not that hard to understand.
2. What rubbish. Sure, aluminium and mercury-based preservatives are dangerous - if you’re stupid enough to grab a great big handful of it and just gorge yourself (mind you, judging by some of the comments on here, I wouldn’t put it past you). The amounts we are talking here are so ridiculously small that there is no way that they can possibly exert any toxic effect on the body.
3. Well, duh. How else do you expect the body to mount an immune response to these potentially deadly diseases? The author also can’t distinguish between an enzyme (reverse transcriptase) and an organism (a random chicken retrovirus, an entity which I have never come across), so I am a bit sceptical as to their level of scientific knowledge.
4. Anaphylaxis is a documented side effect of vaccination. It is, however, exceedingly rare and manageable. It’s more common to have such a reaction from eating peanuts. Should we then stop everyone else from eating peanuts?
As for this author attempting to link shaken baby syndrome with immunisation - this actually disgusts me.
5. This is perhaps the most tenuous point of the lot. And that’s saying something. Has it not occurred to you that maybe, just maybe, we didn’t have tests for these conditions in the days before mass immunisation? There is absolutely no evidence to link vaccination with any of the diseases mentioned.
6. Vaccines are not 100% effective. They don’t work the way they should in some people. This much is true. Herd immunity (where the population is immune to a disease, preventing outbreaks) is a vital part of infectious diseases control, and it is people like you, who believe the lies and claptrap of the anti-vaccine brigade, who commit what in my opinion is child abuse by not immunising your children, who break down this herd immunity, which can cause outbreaks.
7. I’m sorry? When did it become “unethical” for doctors to get paid to do their jobs? When did it become unethical for doctors to give out lifesaving treatments that are of vital public health importance?
Meanwhile, no mention of what the anti-vaccine brigade stands to gain with their (thankfully diminishing) supporters. I saw mention from someone about homeopathic treatments for tetanus. Hmm, how much do these snake oil remedies cost?
To paraphrase:
People no longer trust that their homepaths will recommend that they use snake oil simply because it is the best thing for their child rather than the best thing for the homeopath’s bottom line.
8. Meanwhile, homeopathic remedies, which have absolutely no research behind them whatsoever…
9. Probably because most of the reactions that occur (e.g. rash at the injection site) are so minimal that they are never discussed with said doctor, and not worthy of reporting anyway. Such reactions are well documented.
10. Hoo, boy. Give your kids measles? No, I’d rather not kill my children or send them deaf, thank you very much.
So long, suckers.
Aug 25th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Hi Heila,
Sure, that would be great! My email address is lauradg12@hotmail.com - maybe you could email me and we could arrange something?
Aug 26th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
The main thing that this handy little checklist omits, apart from any accurate science or proof for their claims, is the fact that before vaccinations were the norm, these diseases that we now vaccinate against were lethal.
Even with constant improvement in cures and preventions, some still are. Of course most unvaccinated kids turn out ok, because such a huge chunk of the population is still vaccinated. Mass epidemics cannot currently occur. The people who “jeopardise” their children with vaccinations are the ones protecting your dumb arses.
If organisations like AVN get their wish, that will no longer be the case. In most cases, the worst thing that happens after a vaccine is a temporary side effect. I fail to see how a temporary side effect (which we attribute to vaccinations just because they happen on or near the day of vaccination) or unproven, teniously linked long-term effects, could possible be worse than a child mangled by polio, or a child needing a liver transplant because of cirrhosis - or simply a dead child.
And why isn’t anyone alarmed by names like the Australian Vaccination Network? In terms of a red flag, it should be up there with the likes of the Australian Family Association. The focus is on misinformation and conforming to set values, presenting misleading propaganda-like information in an emotive, inviting package to conservative, silly people who are believers already. .
The likes of AVN are selling an agenda just as much as the pro-vaccination lobby, and they don’t want their motivations questioned either. Instead, they rely on people’s mistrust of governments and people’s innate belief in the truth and accuracy of their own feelings and intuitions as a basis for scientific decision-making. I feel, therefore it must be. No proof necessary.
Aug 26th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Suzanne:
Tetanus is an extremely rare disease in Australia. For example, in 2002, 0 new cases per 100,000 population were reported (Yohannes K, Roche P, Blumer C et al. 2004, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW).
The question is — why vaccinate for this disease at all?
If you or a loved one are incredibly unlucky and do contract Tetanus, it is entirely curable with a combination of ascorbic acid and para-aminobenzoic acid, see http://www.orthomed.com/klenner.htm
Aug 27th, 2008 at 9:43 am
The reason tetanus is rare in places like Australia and NZ is because there has been widespread vaccination. You need to look at the pre-vaccination rates for your area to assess risk. Also you should be able to find out if there is tetanus in the soil in your area - ask health authorities, and older locals who will remember the last time someone died of tetanus.
People not vaccinated against tetanus who then get an exposure can die. For me personally I take that risk against the risk of chronic or acute health problems from the vaccine. But I take other measures and am well use to managing my health. If you are not going to eat well and have other ways of healing then I think you probably should vaccinate (or accept the higher risk of not).
I’m pretty anti-vaccination myself. I’ve refused tetanus shots after puncture wounds from rusty metal in the garden. But if you are not vaccinated you need to be informed about the disease and its progression, and how to use preventative and actute treatment protocols. I work with herbs alot and trust them to deal with infection up to a point. I also work with diet and lifechoices that enhance immunity.
Peter, I’m sure there are a range of effective remedies that increase one’s chances of surviving a tetanus infection. However it’s not possible to say that there is a cure until that remedy has been tried on many people. The link you give talks about a case study, and in vitro research (i.e in the lab not, they haven’t tested it in people). That’s not evidence of cure.
My question to you is: if you believe 100% in the cure you linked to would you be willing to have tetanus injected into a deep wound to find out?
Aug 27th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Isn’t it funny how those people commenting FOR vaccination can’t present their arguements in non aggressive or personal manner.
Siiri - have you bothered to look at the historical data of all of these diseases? Most non vaccinators HAVE and what it shows is that these diseases were on a natural decline thanks to better living standards. In FACT 90% of the decline in incidence occurred BEFORE vaccination. Provaccinators conveniently drop that part of the graph… ie the 60 years prior, to help boost their own argeuments.
SnakeOil - Homeopathy has many 100’s of years research behind it than does conventional medicine. It’s very ethos is that you can not “own” or patent a remedy and therefore you stand to make very little… unlike the pharmaceuticals.. And if you are so sure of the convential approach to medicine than I guess you’d be happy back in the 60’s and 70’s to have thalidomide given to you for morning sickness.
I have studied this topic in many areas. Reputable medical journals, published by “non-quack” main stream doctors. I have followed the extensive work of studies done by professors at Sydney university and I have studied the Health Department’s own reports on disease incidence. I have read “whistle blower” reports by ex-researcher / developers working at pharmceutical companies. My own family doctor supports my decision… mind you only off the record as she would get in “trouble” by the AMA if she was seen to be outside their guidelines.
I have made the choice to be more informed about the topic than I guess the average parent would… as have most people that come to the conclusion that vaccination is unnecssary. Can you genuinely say the same? I bet not.
Aug 27th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Great post Tracy!
I did not vaccinate my daughter, chose to home birth for extra caution against pro vaccination, pro drugs doctors.
My daughter is so strong and one of the healthiest children I’ve every known.
Vaccines have killed babies and damaged other babies permenantly. Why would anyone gamble with vaccines when we can protect our children in line with nature and what’s natural. Even the site of a syringe freaks me out. Babies being jabbed at birth, what a frightening way of welcoming and showing love.
Im sure if the government hand out on vaccination concerns etc included all the real risks no one would choose to vaccinate. I chose NOT to possibly harm my child through vaccination. Its not possible to cause harm by NOT vaccinating as so many pro vaccinators keep saying.
Aug 28th, 2008 at 10:31 am
Tetanus Vaccination
This author has reached the opinion that vaccination does not necessarily confer immunity. Why? Simply because antibodies to a particular disease only indicate exposure to that disease, not any degree of immunity! Tetanus is an extraordinarily good example.
Unlike many other infectious diseases, exposure to tetanus doesn’t mean that you can’t get the disease again (and again and again). In other words, the body does not appear to form any kind of natural immunity from exposure. Nor does an individual create antibodies to the tetanus toxoid — the “standard” measure used by medical science to determine immunity status. It’s important to note that tetanus infections are seen in both vaccinated and unvaccinated populations in Australia.
So how do you protect yourself from this disease? As mentioned by other authors here, a strong immune system is important — but there’s more to it than that. The tetanus bacteria itself doesn’t appear to invade the blood stream; it’s the toxin produced by the bacteria that poisons the body. This means that by first removing all foreign matter from the wound, cleaning it thoroughly with a disinfectant (like hydrogen peroxide) prior to dressing/stitching will virtually eliminate the risk. Allowing the wound to (initially) bleed profusely is also reported to aid in deep disinfection. Crush, burn and puncture injuries are often subject to surgery to ensure complete cleanliness, but note that there is evidence that wound debridement may actually increase infection in some cases.
So what are your options if you’re incredibly unlucky and get the disease anyway? It is quite clear from years of REAL research that high-dose intravenous ascorbic acid can neutralise the effects of toxins (like tetanus) on the body. For those that can’t find a practitioner to administer this treatment or would rather stick with mainstream treatments, several antibiotics are found to be effective.
It’s instructive to note that a large percentage of infections in the third world are in infants, caused by the cutting of the umbilical cord with contaminated scissors. With a little reasoning, we can see that any reduction in infection rates in Australia were likely due to improvements in sanitation, access to medical resources (ie, antibiotics and wound treatment) and perhaps even changes in farming practices.
Australian vaccine researcher Dr Viera Scheibner estimates that there are only 12 cases of tetanus, on average, per year in Australia, about half of those occurring in fully vaccinated people. The risks of side effects of this vaccine are far greater than any perceived benefit. Statistically speaking, it’s more dangerous to cross the road than not to get the tetanus vaccine.
Don’t take my word for it — get searching and save your life :)
Aug 28th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Correction to my post (above): substitute “sodium ascorbate” for “ascorbic acid”.
Dec 27th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Vaccination
SO THIS IS WHAT GANDI HAD TO SAY…………
I have no doubt in my mind that vaccination is a filthy process, that is harmful in the end and that it is little short of taking beef. T-3-4 EPIGRAMS FROM GANDHIJI
http://www.mkgandhi.org/epigrams/v.htm
I did not vaccinate my daughter, and now she is 20 with no problems. Mine you she has never been to a doctor or hospital since birth. but my two older children both were vaccinated and are always dame sick. I can read between the lines.
How when I try to get on the web site for Australian Vaccination Network Inc. http://www.avn.org.au
My Computer Telstra bigpond server says - Your connection to this server has been blocked in the firewall. You need to contact your hosting provider with the following IP for further information.
wishing all a great 2009
Jun 2nd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Here’s the graph to show historical evidence of the natural decline in death rate to infectious diseases, before vaccination- http://www.whale.to/vaccines/graph.html
This is interesting, too (off whale.to) A single vaccine given to a six-pound newborn is the equivalent of giving a 180-pound adult 30 vaccinations on the same day! Include in this, the toxic effects of high levels of aluminum and formaldehyde contained in some vaccines, and the synergist toxicity could be increased to unknown levels. Further, it is very well known that infants do not produce significant levels of bile or have adult renal capacity for several months after birth. Bilary transport is the major biochemical route by which mercury is removed from the body, and infants cannot do this very well. They also do not possess the renal (kidney) capacity to remove aluminum. Additionally, mercury is a well-known inhibitor of kidney function.”–Boyd Haley Ph.D.
Jul 12th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Dont drag Scandinavian countrys into this. We are all vacinated against measels… And we have for a very long time. So please dont list that as reason number 10.
Jul 12th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
My comment is awaiting moderation?? So this is a censored debate… Weak man.. Very very weak…
Jul 14th, 2009 at 1:28 am
Klem, point number 10 doesn’t state that Scandinavian people are not vaccinated againts measels. I think you misunderstood the message of the argument. So did the message of “awaiting moderation”…
Oct 7th, 2009 at 12:09 am
Why don’t you present some of this “evidence?”. This article is little more than a series of allegations and claims. As these contradict every health department, teaching hospital and credible researcher on the planet you have the onus of backing your claims. On review, the few that I checked are patently and laughably ridiculous. You guys can do what you like with yourselves, however peddling this rubbish risks the lives of children - both those who will not be vaccinated because their parents believed you and even more tragically in the wider community when your disease-harbors infect and kill. Whilst the internet has generally been a boon to enlightened communication, sites like this are a sad exception to the rule.
Oct 7th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
Performing any level of research from legitimate sources will quickly refute every point that the AVN make here in their “list of FUD”.
Their claim in particular that doctors can’t be trusted as they get paid to vaccinate is particularly laughable. Would the same argument not apply to Homeopaths advocating ‘homeopathic vaccination”? (Which, incidentally is admitted by the Australian and UK Homeopathic organisations NOT to be an effective alternative to vaccination).
Anirta:
Seriously, whale.to is hardly a reliable source of information. If you check real statistics, you’ll find that while some diseases were declining slightly before vaccination, they all plummeted after vaccination. Polio is a prime example. The Australian death toll for Polio rose by 50% in the 10 years before vaccination, and dropped by 90% in the 10 years after. It should also be noted, that despite what the AVN say, Thiomersal (’mercury’) was removed from childhood vaccines in Australia in 1999-2000, making this a moot point. The adult vaccines that do still contain thiomersal actually contain about 1/13th of the amount of mercury contained in a single serve of tunafish.
There is not a single vaccine that contains ‘high levels’ of formaldehyde. In fact, no vaccines contain any formaldehyde as an ingredient. It is used during the manufacturing process, and if any remains after the removal filtering, then it is a miniscule amount and certainly not an issue any more than the trace amounts of ‘toxic’ gasses present in the air we breathe every day. For example, no vaccine contains more than 0.1mg of formaldehyde per dose. The ‘fatal’ dose of formaldehyde is about 270mg per kg of bodyweight, or about 1500mg for an average 2 month old. So a vaccine can contain a maximum of 0.0067% of the fatal dose. Compare this to Argon, which makes up about 1% of the air we breath every day. Argon is fatal (by asphyxiation) in concentrations of about 3%. So the air we breath every day effectively contains ~33% of the fatal dose of Argon.
The amount of aluminium in vaccines is considerably less than that contained in a single antacid tablet.
Peter:
The reason diseases like tetanus is rare in Australia is BECAUSE of widespread vaccination.
There is a more in-depth refute here:
http://www.australianimages.com.au/opinion/vaccination.php
Oct 12th, 2009 at 1:30 am
Peter,
Thankyou so much for your comment, because it caused me to research further into vaccination safety, & I came to the conclusion again that I made the right decision NOT to vaccinate our children.
First, I came across the story of the Hopewood children (which is excellent reading), proving that Real foods builds up the immune system, & protects against disease. These 86 children were adopted at birth (when their mothers couldn’t keep them) & raised on real natural foods, experiencing superior health. Sickness only came when some of the children swapped their lunches at school with other kids.
//www.vaclib.org/toc.htm#ingredients
//www.vaccinationdebate.com/articles.html (you’ll need to put the ‘http:’ in front of these)
This quote really made sense to me- “The body has its own methods of defense. These depend on the vitality of the body at the time. If it is vital enough, it will resist all infections; if it isn’t vital enough, it won’t, and you can’t change the vitality of the body for the better by introducing poison of any kind into it.” Dr William Howard Hay (1937).
Prevention IS always better than ‘the cure’.
Jan 30th, 2010 at 3:10 am
You non-vaccinators are incredibly selfish - you are putting other families at risk because you are too selfish to be good citizens and participate in herd immunity. I think the non-vaccinated should all move to an island together, away from the rest of us, because if I was a parent of an infant who died of measles because one of YOUR non-vaccinated children brought it to daycare, I would be hard-pressed not to commit a whole lot of mayhem. I suppose I might be able to limit my response to extremely aggressive litigation.
The non-vaccinated represent a risk to infants, the immune-suppressed, and the elderly. Life is full of risk, and you are not promised a perfect angel-child. I think the privileged of this world, who are used to the best cars, jobs, education, homes, lives, and health care, are absolutely incensed when their child turns out to be not perfect, and they’re looking for someone to blame. Choosing to put your child at risk for illnesses that were on the verge of disappearing is not a rational decision.
Also, jeez, are you really going to treat *tetanus* with homeopathy? That’s completely mad, and frankly constitutes child abuse.
Feb 4th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
According to the govt. most infant vaccines have been thimerisol free since 2000.
All vaccines on the current Australian Standard Vaccination Schedule (ASVS) for infants and children under the age of 8 years are now free of thiomersal. The exception is the one of the infant hepatitis B vaccines, Engerix-B paediatric formulation, which contains a greatly reduced amount of thiomersal (2 µg per dose). The following tables list the vaccines used in Australia that are thiomersal free and vaccines that contain thiomersal.
Table 1: Thiomersal-free vaccines available for use in infants and children in Australia
Vaccine
Trade Name
Manufacturer
Hepatitis B
H-B-VaxII* preservative-free paediatric formulation
CSL/Merck Sharpe & Dohme
DTPa
Infanrix and Tripacel
GlaxoSmithKline, CSL
DTPa-hepatitis B
Infanrix-Hep B
GlaxoSmithKline
DTPa-IPV
Infanrix-IPV
GlaxoSmithKline
DTPa-hepatitis B-IPV
Infanrix-Penta
GlaxoSmithKline
DTPa-hepatitis B-IPV-Hib B PRPT
Infanrix-Hexa
GlaxoSmithKline
Hepatitis B - Hib B PRP-OMP
Comvax
CSL
Haemophilus influenza B OMP
Liquid PedVaxHIB
Merck Sharpe & Dohme
Haemophilus influenzae B PRPT
ActHib)
Pasteur Mérieux
Haemophilus influenzae B HbOC
HibTITER
Lederle
Measles, mumps, rubella
MMR II, Priorix
CSL, GlaxoSmithKline
Meningococcal group C conjugate vaccines
Meningitec, Menjugate, NeisVac-C
Wyeth, CSL, Baxter
Oral polio vaccine
OPV
CSL
Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV)
IPOL
Aventis Pasteur
Polysaccharide pueumococcal vaccine
Pneumovax 23
Merck Sharpe & Dohme
7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
Prevenar
Lederle
Varicella vaccine
Varilrix
GlaxoSmithKline
Varicella vaccine
Varivax
CSL/Merck Sharpe & Dohme
Influenza vaccine
Vaxigrip, Fluvax
Aventis Pasteur,
CSL
Table 2: Vaccines available in Australia that contain thiomersal
Vaccine
Trade Name
Manufacturer
Dose of thiomersal
Combined diphtheria and tetanus vaccine
CDT
CSL
50 micrograms
Adult diphtheria and tetanus vaccine
ADT
CSL
50 micrograms
Diphtheria vaccine
CSL
50 micrograms
Hepatitis B
Engerix B Adult
GlaxoSmithKline
<2 micrograms
*Influenza vaccines
Fluarix, Influvac, Fluvax
GlaxoSmithKline, Solvay, CSL
50 micrograms
Japanese encephalitis vaccine
JE Vax
CSL
35 micrograms
Q fever vaccine
Q vax
CSL
50 micrograms