Vaccinations Not Immune From Critics

Despite Societal Benefits, Vaccines Are Stirring Concern About Alleged Side Effects

(CBS)  Eleanor and Mark Tremblay have trouble looking at their son, Oliver, who is 8 years old and severely autistic, without saying to themselves, "if only...."

As they play the videos showing how Ollie was before, they think, if only they could just rewind their lives; if only they could skip that shot: the measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations they believe caused their son's autism, although there is no conclusive evidence.

Dr. James Dale, a professor of medicine at the University of Tennessee's health science center in Memphis, has spent more than 30 years working to perfect a vaccine to prevent streptococcus, the infection that causes strep throat and, in its more virulent forms, so-called flesh-eating disease and rheumatic fever.

"There is risk with vaccines, but the benefits far, far outweigh the risks," Dr. Dale told Sunday Morning correspondent Martha Teichner. "If we can reduce the incidence of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease by half in the world, that's where the real personal payoff would come."

On one side you have Dr. Dale, determined to save millions of children - and on the other, the Tremblays, heartbroken over the fate of one boy. Between them you have the story of vaccines: The greater good versus the risk, no matter how small, to the individual.

It's a debate that began in this country nearly three hundred years ago over smallpox.

"It was a disease that would sweep through cities and infect, you know, tens of thousands of people at a time, and it would kill 20, 30, 50 percent of them," said journalist Arthur Allen, the author of "Vaccine, the Controversial Story of Medicine's Greatest Lifesaver."

"The first form of smallpox vaccine came from China and India where it was used for centuries and it entered the U.S. in 1721. Cotton Mather actually brought it to the United States."

Mather was a hellfire and brimstone Puritan preacher from Boston. His house was firebombed when he urged Bostonians to try scratching live smallpox infection into their skin.

In 1796, British country doctor Edward Jenner confirmed that milkmaids, exposed to a much milder cowpox virus, were immune to smallpox. Millions of people finally dared to be vaccinated with Jenner's cowpox serum. The term vaccinate comes from the Latin word for cow, vacca.

"Confidence in vaccines and mistrust in vaccines goes in waves," Allen said. "And also, another element is really the seriousness of the disease. I mean, when the polio vaccine came out in 1955, it came into a country that was petrified of polio."

The conquest of polio became a national crusade.

"Millions of Americans participated in the March of Dimes," Allen said. "They literally sent their dimes to the White House."

In 1955, the announcement was made that Jonas Salk's polio vaccine worked. The fact that 200 people were paralyzed after getting the shot and ten died, was overlooked.

"Jonas Salk, you know, was a god," Allen said. "Church bells were ringing around the country. People were embracing in the street. It was a moment of unmitigated jubilation around the country."

Now they're protesting. Last month, there was a rally in Washington against the new human papilloma virus vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.

[chrisnefi]

I don't believe that we should continue to vaccinate.I have children who have asthma.I decided not to vaccinate the rest of my children and they are perfectly healthy.I feel their is definely a connection to all theses disease and vaccines.We stopped the natural process of the immune system.

[aware4autism]

I challenge DR John Andrus's statement,

"Polio is a very good example; the last three outbreaks of polio in the U.S. were all due to importations."

Where are the facts behind this? From the research I have done, the only cases of polio in our country in the last 15 yrs have been caused BY the vaccine being administered to children with immune deficiencies.

Look up VAPP, aka "Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis" or VDPV-aka " vaccine-derived polioviruses "

In fact, the CDC made a switch to an inactivated virus for the polio vaccine, because of this problem. In 2001, we switched from the OPV- oral polio vaccine (live virus vaccine) to the IPV- inactivated polio vaccine.

Parents of vaccine injured children were fundamental in the US switching to the inactivated vaccine.

[aware4autism]

Look up "Primary Immune Deficiency", people with this disorder are told "No live virus vaccines" by the CDC itself!. Soon, maybe the CDC will actually say that some kids with immune problems simply can't handle 4 live viruses at once! Even their own vaccine information statement for the MMR and chicken pox vaccines both state;
"Some people should check with their doctor about whether they should get MMR/ chickenpox vaccine, including anyone who:
- Has HIV/AIDS, or another disease that affects the immune system"

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-mmr.pdf

http://www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/VIS/vis-varicella.pdf

With the mounting evidence of immune dysfunction in relation to autism, it is plain stupid that we are giving both of these vaccines at once, without knowing the status of immune function in these children!

We have the science to create an effective inactivated measles vaccine, one has already been developed. We need to start using it.

[chirokids17]

Has anyone seen the new commercial for CELEBREX...this is what we are up against- 2-3 minutes...Pharmaceutical companies with million if not billions of dollars, brainwashing Americans into thinking it's o.k. to take Celebrex, just because it hasn't been taken off the market, but in the commercial it says the drug can cause death---GO FIGURE!!!!. If you do your homework, the top 5 pain killers in the USA... Vioxx, Celbrex, Bextra, etc..all cause increased chances of heart disease and strokes...I know this is aside from the vaccines...but it really isn't, because these are the same people who make the vaccines.

Do your homework before vaccinating your child, his or her life depends on it!

Look up what's actually in the vaccines and i promise you, you will never even think about vaccinating your child- and like one other person has posted...spend a day with an AUTISTIC CHILD- and see firsthand what vaccines can do to innocent miracles of GOD.

[chirokids17]

littlemamma 2...
there are eexemptions to having your children vaccinated in every state...??
go to www.nvic.org
The National Vaccine Information Center- runned by Barbara Loe Fisher....in Vienna , Va...

You absolutely DO NOT HAVE TO VACCINATE YOUR CHILDREN- IF YOU WISH NOT TOO!!!

[rubynellie]

Parents--do NOT feel pressured to vaccinate your children. ALL states, except Mississippi and West Virginia, have medical and religious exemptions. You do NOT have to belong to a religious organization to claim a religious exemption. However, with a religious exemption, you CANNOT pick and choose vaccines--it's all or nothing.

Furthermore, with a philosophical exemption, you can pick and choose. Sixteen states allow these, which mean you can just plain not want them.

Here is a link to these state laws: http://www.nvic.org/state-site/state-exemptions.htm

Also, mandated vaccinations for day care/school entry does not mean going by CDC/pediatricians recommendations for babies and toddlers.

You just need to get the number of vaccines required before enrollment (some vaccines need to be spaced.

However, unless you file an exemption--and good luck getting a medical one--you have to get all vaccines required by your state law. Not all states have the same laws, and the laws are not always what is "recommended."

Do not feel pressured. Do your research. Do not rely on one-sided propaganda, especially prepared by those who financially benefit from your compliance.

[teya50]

The bottom line - knowledge is power. When an issue is presented, both sides should be equally
acknowledged. Can we really expect and trust that a television network, owned and operated by corporations, that are controlled and funded by pharmaceuticals, will provide unbiased and educational information. Watching this program, if anything, hopefully will provide fuel for all, to continue one's personal search for the truth. Do not blindly subject your child to a vaccination which ingredients (whatever they may be) will be injected into your child's bloodstream and within minutes affect every organ including their brain. There are other, less invasive means to support the immune system, Homeopathy being one of them. Google it and find out for yourself. Remember..Knowledge is power, for yourself and your child.

[elainadodd]

Thank you for showing the American public that there are two sides to this vaccine story. The dark side, was not featured as broadly as it could have been, but that can come in time. Parents are tired of lives being ruined after one or multiple vaccines completely alter their childrens' lives.
We must ALWAYS have the option not to vaccinate our children. If the government takes away that right, American society will no longer be the land of the brave and the home of the free. We will have a feeble population (autism, ADD, ADHD, autoimmune diseases resulting from vaccinations) and a government who takes our health decisions into it's own hands. For God's sake, Give me liberty of give me death!
My greatest wish is that those who believe autism is genetic could find the time to educate themselves. How embarassing to suggest that a parent's genes are defective! Does the author of that comment know every component of each vaccine on the market? Perhaps once s/he does, she'll retract his simple-minded remark posted to this site earlier.

[elainadodd]

Thank you for showing the American public that there are two sides to this vaccine story. The dark side, was not featured as broadly as it could have been, but that can come in time. Parents are tired of lives being ruined after one or multiple vaccines completely alter their childrens' lives.
We must ALWAYS have the option not to vaccinate our children. If the government takes away that right, American society will no longer be the land of the brave and the home of the free. We will have a feeble population (autism, ADD, ADHD, autoimmune diseases resulting from vaccinations) and a government who takes our health decisions into it's own hands. For God's sake, Give me liberty of give me death!
My greatest wish is that those who believe autism is genetic could find the time to educate themselves. How embarassing to suggest that a parent's genes are defective! Does the author of that comment know every component of each vaccine on the market? Perhaps once s/he does, she'll retract his simple-minded remark posted to this site earlier.
It's a shame that we're maming our children in the U.S. But money is money so until the public forces the U.S. and state governments to stop mandating vaccinations, we will, as a country, continue to grow sicker and sicker.
Wake up Congress. Wake up A.M.A. Everyone stop trying to cover up your tracks and let us go back to suing a pharmaceutical company when one of our children dies from a vaccine reaction!

[snaye]

gottagit your ignorance can not be ignored for saying that parents of children with autism have a genetic defect. Why would pharmaceutical companies use preservatives that are highly toxic to be injected in the bloodstream of children? In the name of major profit of course. For people who say parents and some organizations are anti-vaccine that is not true we are anti-toxin! we want vaccines that are safe with no side effects, are very mild side effects, not ingredients in vaccines that causes neurological disorders, serious health problems and death!

[littlemamma2]

I think vaccines are a good way to protect our children. I also belive a 2 month old child should not be forced to take 5 vaccines at once. My son was 2 months old I took him down to the Doctors office to get his shots. When we got home I gave him some tylonal for his fever. 5 hour later a perfectly healthy baby boy laid in my moms bed dead. They told me that he did not die from sids or anything eles. They said there was no reason for this baby to be dead. One of the understudies that lost his job told me that since Texas tech gavehim the shots and Texas Tech did the otopsie that they were covering thereselves so they did not have to addmet to anything wrong. The otopsi report Itself Is all Doctored up. Nothing in it matches the doctor reports, Not even the places and how many shots he got. Now this understudy told me that it was the shots that killed him and the other techs refused to put it in the reports. Now I'm told if my other children don't get these shots that they can't go to school, and if they can't go to school CPS will take them away from me so what am I supposed to do. I can't get a lawer to help so I'll give my kids these shots and pray for the grace of god not to take them away like there brother.

[drjjp1]

Pro-vaccine drug pushers are beneath contempt. They'll never admit the many ways how their supposed safety studies were set up to hide reactions. Like instead of comparing vaccinated to unvaccinated children, the unvaccinated kids have been injected with some other toxic chemical that will make their latest poison look comparatively good. Latest example is the HPV. These vaccine "scientists" need to go back to work for the Tobacco Institute where they can churn out more research showing that smoking cigarettes is good for you.

[chirokids17]

Gottagit....You gotta get a clue...Your ignorance shines when you say things like it the parents genetic defects that are the cause of autism. So God is all of a sudden creating genetically defective genes in parents, and God has decided to create an enormous amount of AUTISTIC CHILDREN, going from 1/10/000- 1990 to 1/150 in 2007, and as a practicing Chiropractor, we know the numbers of neurologically impaired children from vaccines may be as high as 1/10 children, but this will never be published. VACCINES ARE BIG BUSINESS, remember MERCK is the compnay that produced VIOXX, and to make up for that disaster, they've created the HEP B VACCINE....which is now administered to every child born in AMERICA...what an utter disgrace and such an act of control, to think that every single human child created by God needs a HEP B VACCINE at birth, then again at 2 months, we're not done then again at 4 months. The root word pharmakia- means witchcraft. This whole thing is spiritual, and the the people behind trying to figure out how we can get more vaccines- loaded with mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, monkey kidney tissue, aborted fetal tissue, MSG, etc...as preservatives are EVIL- they will pay one day. It's not God and defective genes that are causing the modern scourges of AUTSIM, ADD/ADHD, ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, LEARNING DISABILITIES, EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS in or AMERICAN KIDS- it's the greed of MAN.

[chirokids17]

Gottagit....You gotta get a clue...Your ignorance shines when you say things like it the parents genetic defects that are the cause of autism. So God is all of a sudden creating genetically defective genes in parents, and God has decided to create an enormous amount of AUTISTIC CHILDREN, going from 1/10/000- 1990 to 1/150 in 2007, and as a practicing Chiropractor, we know the numbers of neurologically impaired children from vaccines may be as high as 1/10 children, but this will never be published. VACCINES ARE BIG BUSINESS, remember MERCK is the compnay that produced VIOXX, and to make up for that disaster, they've created the HEP B VACCINE....which is now administered to every child born in AMERICA...what an utter disgrace and such an act of control, to think that every single human child created by God needs a HEP B VACCINE at birth, then again at 2 months, we're not done then again at 4 months. The root word pharmakia- means witchcraft. This whole thing is spiritual, and the the people behind trying to figure out how we can get more vaccines- loaded with mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde, monkey kidney tissue, aborted fetal tissue, MSG, etc...as preservatives are EVIL- they will pay one day. It's not God and defective genes that are causing the modern scourges of AUTSIM, ADD/ADHD, ALLERGIES, ASTHMA, LEARNING DISABILITIES, EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS in or AMERICAN KIDS- it's the greed of MAN.

[ida8812]

People ought to have the right to simply choose not or not choose to take a vaccine - whether anyone else agrees with them or not.

Vaccines are not all bad or all good. Unfortunately, we don't know the true extent to which vaccines cause injury and death. As a scientist, I was shocked to learn how little was really understood about the biological mechanisms by which some children experience severe and sometimes fatal, adverse events. I was also shocked to find out that there was no solid evidence of efficacy or safety when vaccines are simultaneously administered. Yet, everytime there's is a new vaccine licensed for use in the pediatric population, the CDC inserts it into the recommended schedule.

Clearly, there are risks to vaccines and people in a free society must have the right to fully informed consent and then be free to choose to take these medications or not. That being said, the pharmaceutical companies would work a lot harder to improve vaccines and figure out how to minimize harm if they knew that normal free market conditions applied and products that ended up causing unnecessary injury and death would be consumed by a smaller market. Ignoring of course, that they can't easily be sued for making products that cause injury and death.

This is really a remarkable story that touches on many parts of our society. Congratulations to CBS for trying to present a balanced story. It desperately needs to be told if there is any hope of improving the system.

[ida8812]

People ought to have the right to simply choose not or not choose to take a vaccine - whether anyone else agrees with them or not.

Vaccines are not all bad or all good. Unfortunately, we don't know the true extent to which vaccines cause injury and death. As a scientist, I was shocked to learn how little was really understood about the biological mechanisms by which some children experience severe and sometimes fatal, adverse events. I was also shocked to find out that there was no solid evidence of efficacy or safety when vaccines are simultaneously administered. Yet, everytime there's is a new vaccine licensed for use in the pediatric population, the CDC inserts it into the recommended schedule.

Clearly, there are risks to vaccines and people in a free society must have the right to fully informed consent and then be free to choose to take these medications or not. That being said, the pharmaceutical companies would work a lot harder to improve vaccines and figure out how to minimize harm if they knew that normal free market conditions applied and products that ended up causing unnecessary injury and death would be consumed by a smaller market. Ignoring of course, that they can't easily be sued for making products that cause injury and death.

This is really a remarkable story that touches on many parts of our society. Congratulations to CBS for trying to present a balanced story. It desperately needs to be told if there is any hope of improving the system.

[teabug511]

I am the mother of a 5 year old autistic boy. I am convinced that vaccinations played a role in his autism. He did have a serious reaction to the DTaP at 6 months, and the doctors did not take it seriously. I stopped his immunizations at age 2 once the autistic symptoms became noticeable. I also have a 3 year old daughter that was born 3 months premature. She has never been vaccinated and she is extremely healthy and not autistic. Can I prove that vaccines made the difference? NO. But when you already have 1 autistic child, the risk of damage to your family is 100%. After many years of research on vaccines, I no longer believe that they are either safe or effective. They are just weakening the immune systems of our children and guaranteeing the big pharmaceuticals big profits. My children will not be the collateral damage of the vaccine program. Parents deserve the right to informed consent. Isn't this a democracy?

[drinuk]

What is going on here, it is difficult to comprehend that anyone could go unpunished for poisoning, maiming and killing folks...WorldWide !! Not just in American, this vaccination genocide is carried out all over the world by nasty, evil corrupt men and women, for MONEY. Big Pharma, FDA, Politicians should be behind bars, it cannot go on like this any longer. Everything they touch is evil, they must be stopped NOW

[schmook1]

As a Mother of 2, my ONLY goal in life is to raise them as healthy as I possibly can. I question every single thing that is done to/for them. It is OUR RESPONSIBILITY to research EVERYTHING that is put into their bodies!! Why are we like SHEEP?? Allowing others to LEAD US- Why don't parents do the research BEFORE we inject them?? Why don't we worry about what foods they eat?? We are blindly poisoning our children and thinking that EVERYONE will protect us/them- WHY?? We must unite and make it OUR CHOICE on whether we vaccinate or what we vaccinate for!! We should have to ASK for a vaccination, not be FORCED INTO IT!! PLEASE- Get some backbone and DEMAND that we CONTROL our own FATES!! Or else, we will loose any choice we have as AMERICANS!! Remember the old saying "TODAYS WONDER DRUG- IS TOMORROWS BLUNDER DRUG'

[toxicfreemom]

I am stunned at the secrecy, cover-up and outright lies that are taking place when it comes to vaccinations. People are seeing what appears to be a healthier nation, but in all reality the United States has some of the sickest kids and our rate of infant deaths is higher than any other developed country! These shots are doing damage and if you really don't see or believe that take a look at the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and the BILLIONS of dollars the government has paid out to vaccine-injured families. When we are taking healthy children in to get a shot they often times do not need and days or even hours later they have developed autism THAT is an outrage!! Here is the familiar process the big guns use: spend millions of dollars on commercials convincing us that we need to fear something such as chicken pox, or the latest cervical cancer from HPV...then...put in place policies that say we have to get our kids these shots and make us feel guilty, fearful or like the worst parent ever if we do not! One thing rarely made clear to parents is that they DO have a choice and CAN get waivers or exemptions (specific ones depend on the state you live in) Visit the National Vaccine Information Center (www.909shot.com) to find out specifics. Another thing is that there is more than one way of preventing disease! We choose a natural, non-invasive, healthy way vs. the synthetic, toxic, poisonous, possibly fatal way the government has implemented!