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and the AAP (American Academy of Paediatrics) call for its immediate withdrawal from any vaccine product and which was withdrawn over two years ago in the USA from any over-the-counter medicines . It was also withdrawn from the American Hepatatis B vaccines, Engerix and HB Vax II, though their Australian counterparts which are still being injected into children here today,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just being made mercury free or mercury reduced (though the old, mercury-laced stocks will be used up rather than being withdrawn from use).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