A bit of a rant.

[Bluetongue1]

I was brought up in the pre-vaccine era and pretty much everyone caught measles at some stage in their childhood or as a young adult. If you were one of the unlucky ones, the effects could be very nasty. I have used US data because theirs’ is more comprehensive. The basic effects and rates are the same for Australia.

The Effects of Measles
Measles is a serious disease caused by a highly contagious virus. It begins with fever followed by cough, runny nose and conjunctivitis. Infections of the middle ears, pneumonia, croup, and diarrhoea are common complications. Measles encephalitis (an infection of the brain) occurs in 1 per 1,000 cases of natural measles, frequently resulting in permanent brain damage in the survivors. Approximately 5% of children (500 out of 10,000) with measles will develop pneumonia. In addition, 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children who get measles in the United States dies from the disease.

Vaccination and Measles
The benefit of measles vaccination in preventing illness, disability, and death has been well documented. The first 20 years of licensed measles vaccination in the U.S. prevented an estimated 52 million cases of the disease, 17,400 cases of mental retardation, and 5,200 deaths.[11] During 1999–2004, a strategy led by the World Health Organization and UNICEF led to improvements in measles vaccination coverage that averted an estimated 1.4 million measles deaths worldwide.

Vaccination Side Effects
In very rare cases (far less than 1 child out of 10,000 given MMR), children have a serious reaction, such as lowered consciousness, coma, or hypersensitivity (anaphylaxis)—swelling inside the mouth, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, and rarely, shock. Even more rarely, children may have low blood platelets that can lead to a temporary bleeding problem that is described in more detail in the “Related Issues” section below. Since 1990, there have been 11 case reports of anaphylaxis in those who received the vaccine. Thirty to 40 million children were vaccinated during this time period. No children who experienced such a reaction died as a result.

 

[Bluetongue1]

The Wakefield Study
In 2002, Uhlmann, Wakefield and others published a study showing a higher rate of measles virus in the bowel of autistic children with bowel symptoms, compared with a group of children without autism. However, key information on the characteristics and the method of selection of the cases and control patients, on vaccination status, and on laboratory methods were not given, and the control subjects were not matched for gender or age. In 2004, 10 of the original 13 authors of Dr Wakefield’s 1998 study published a statement retracting the paper’s interpretation, stating that the data were insufficient to establish a causal link between MMR vaccine and autism. A large number of independent researchers from around the world, using many different techniques ranging from molecular biology studies to population-based epidemiology, have now shown that there is no evidence of a link between MMR vaccine and autism or IBD.

A list of some of the research summaries was provided and here are a few of those....
• In 1999, a large population-based study in England looked at the vaccination status of 498 children with autism and control subjects without autism and found no link between the timing of vaccination with MMR and the onset of autism.
• A study of more than 440,000 Danish children vaccinated in the 1990s compared with 96,000 unvaccinated children provided strong evidence against the hypothesis that MMR causes autism or autistic spectrum disorder.
• A large study in Finland followed almost 600,000 children for 20 years after MMR vaccination and found no evidence for MMR vaccine-associated autism or other neurological disorders.
• A study of the rates of IBD and autism among 6,100 French school-aged children found no association between MMR and these diseases.
• A study in Sweden in 1998 looking at the prevalence of autism over 10 years found no change after the introduction of MMR vaccine.
• At least three laboratory-based studies by different research groups, using technical methods similar to those in the Uhlmann study, found no evidence of measles virus in the bowel specimens of patients with IBD.

Further information can be obtained from the (Australian) National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance fact sheets.

 

[champagne]

Skittles, I'd be interested to know your definitions of open-minded and closed-minded.

I agree that scientists are constantly making breakthroughs and testing other scientists' results. Certainly, if a robust study demonstrates a link between vaccination and autism that is then replicated by other research groups, I am happy to say, "Yes, there is evidence that vaccination causes autism. Let's look at this." But in the 15 years since the publication of the Wakefield study - which was deeply flawed to begin with - no credible evidence has been found.

Speaking of major corporations and doctors benefitting from the vaccines, can I highlight again that Wakefield, champion of the link between the MMR vaccine and autism, was earning a substantial amount of money from a law firm that wanted to sue vaccine makers? He did not disclose this fact to the Lancet when he submitted his paper for publication. Additionally, and I quote from a Guardian article: "In June 1997, before the paper was published, he filed a patent as one of the inventors of a vaccine for the elimination of measles virus and for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease." You're also right that it's a good idea to see who's benefitting when evaluating evidence. It certainly looks like Wakefield was benefitting to me.

vaccine companies have been looking after their profits and trying to discredit for years, have a look what they have done to burzynski and have a look at the paper they published on his behalf. the truth is what ever the person with the bigger check book wants it to be. Burzynski: Cancer Is Serious Business | Watch Free Documentary Online

 

[Renenet]

Thanks for those posts, Blue. You've summarised the Wakefield paper much more succinctly than I could have, and the list of studies you've provided was one I didn't have time to put together myself.

 

[Ellannn]

It's a parents personal choice. I for one, have never been vaccinated in my life. And I am and always have been perfectly healthy.

 

[Rogue5861]

It's a parents personal choice. I for one, have never been vaccinated in my life. And I am and always have been perfectly healthy.

That does not mean that it will stay that way though (sorry to be a sadist).


Rick

 

[Ellannn]

That does not mean that it will stay that way though (sorry to be a sadist).


Rick

It may not stay that way but I've had a good run so far considering I am 23. But hey, Ill let you know if I get malaria or something.

 

[Skeptic]

It's a parents personal choice. I for one, have never been vaccinated in my life. And I am and always have been perfectly healthy.

That's thanks, in a large part, to those who have been vaccinated. It's called herd immunity. Look it up.

 

[lochie]

I am choosing to write thise after reading the fist post and give my two cents,

I am not anti-vaccination by any stretch on the imagination.

I come from an educated background with a mother whom has a has degree in pharmacology and drug design and a father with a degree in chemistry and am under taking a degree in IT myself with a background in electrical engineering.

With that being said I do have an above average knowledge on the topic.
Now there are some vaccines that I have chosen not to get in the recent future, swine flu being one of them
Many vaccines have proper testing and precautions, however when medical vaccinations are created and rushed through testing without proper precautions due to policital pressures from public opinon which is a direct result from the latest media frenzy (who's job is to basicaly insite hysteria and "sell" news)
I choose to steer clear due to the lack of testing and to the due lack of regard when it comes to protocol.

Apart from that one exception I support vaccination.

 

[Skeptic]

I am choosing to write thise after reading the fist post and give my two cents,

I am not anti-vaccination by any stretch on the imagination.

I come from an educated background with a mother whom has a has degree in pharmacology and drug design and a father with a degree in chemistry and am under taking a degree in IT myself with a background in electrical engineering.

With that being said I do have an above average knowledge on the topic.
Now there are some vaccines that I have chosen not to get in the recent future, swine flu being one of them
Many vaccines have proper testing and precautions, however when medical vaccinations are created and rushed through testing without proper precautions due to policital pressures from public opinon which is a direct result from the latest media frenzy (who's job is to basicaly insite hysteria and "sell" news)
I choose to steer clear due to the lack of testing and to the due lack of regard when it comes to protocol.

Apart from that one exception I support vaccination.

Your gamble I guess. My son had swine flu 2 years ago and I'd take the vaccine any day.

 

[junglepython2]

If you ever get a chance have a wander through an old cemetery and have a look at the ages of those on the tombstones the amount that are under 10 yrs old is staggering. Not to mention seeing numerous people of one family all die at around the same time. I'd hate to think how many more of those that died that young are in unmarked graves.

Vaccines are a victim of there own success, if people remembered what a world without vaccines was like there would be no debate on there use.