Argument: Multiple vaccines cause no harm

Despite fears to the contrary, multiple vaccines cause no harm. Being given immunization in many cases means that people receive a weakened virus. Many believe that because of this they will have a weakened immune system and also suffer from long term body harm. The evidence suggests this is not the case, and that combined vaccinations cause no adverse harm in the vast majority of cases.

A University of Louisiana study, in which more than 1,000 children underwent in-depth neuropsychological tests after receiving a series of vaccinations, found that ‘there was no evidence of neurodevelopmental delays or deficits associated with on-time vaccination’. [1]

Further, multiple vaccinations, which ensure not only that children get their vaccinations but that they do so as quickly as possible, are associated with ‘improved performance’ compared with a control group that received the vaccinations individually and therefore more slowly [2] . Therefore, not only are multiple vaccines harmless, they are a better choice for parents hoping to ensure their children are inoculated from certain diseases.

This is nothing but scare-mongering by the press. No evidence exists that there is a link between MMR or any multiple vaccine and the development of autism. Pseudo-experts are exploiting the pain of families that have children which have this unfortunate disease. They should be ashamed of themselves.

[1] KevinMd.com, Multiple vaccines in infants are harmful, a theory disproved http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/06/multiple-vaccines-infants-harmful-theory-disproved.html , accessed 06/13/2011

[2] KevinMd.com, Multiple vaccines in infants are harmful, a theory disproved http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2010/06/multiple-vaccines-infants-harmful-theory-disproved.html , accessed 06/13/2011

Candidate 1: "While multiple vaccines serve many, there are great concerns for individual members of society. This is why the United States government, for example, has established the “Vaccine Injury Compensation Funds”. The mission of these funds is that: “The VICP was established to ensure an adequate supply of vaccines, stabilize vaccine costs, and establish and maintain an accessible and efficient forum for individuals found to be injured by certain vaccines.” [1]

The compensations are given, according to the HRSA to victims of the following vaccinations:

“Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP, DTaP, Tdap, DT, Td, or TT), Haemophilus nfluenza type b (Hib), Hepatitis A (HAV), Hepatitis B (HBV), Human papillomavirus (HPV), Influenza (TIV, LAIV) [given each year during the flu season], Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR, MR, M, R), Meningococcal (MCV4, MPSV4), Polio (OPV or IPV), Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV), Rotavirus (RV), Varicella (VZV), Any combination of the vaccines above, Additional vaccines may be added in the future.” [2]

Many of the vaccinations listed above are multiple vaccines. From this we can conclude, that many of them are not safe for each individual that gets vaccine.

[1] Health Resources and Service Administration, IVCP program, http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/ , accessed 06/11/2011

[2] Health Resources and Service Administration, IVCP program, http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/covered_vaccines.htm , accessed 06/11/2011"
Candidate 2: "Even though major science research has shown that there is no link between syndromes such as autism and multiple vaccinations, a major aspect proponents of the theory claim is the ingredient “Mercury”, that may cause many of the problems for brain cells and other behavioral functions. For example according to a study, Mercury that is present in MMR “readily crosses the blood-brain barrier, preferentially targets nerve cells and nerve fiber and degrades them”. [1]

[1] David Thower, A review of evidence between Vaccination and regressive autism, NTL World http://www.nccn.net/~wwithin/MMR_VaccineTHROWER.pdf , accessed 06/13/2011"
Candidate 3: "The problem with current testing is that, while they provide some control groups usually those with rare reactions are not included in trials (because it may represent even less than 1 % of the population in a country). So even though there is deliberate screening for rare reactions, it is very likely that such events do not even get detected. The policy is that if serious reactions are found when the vaccine is in widespread use, the vaccine may be withdrawn. But by then it has made already damage and endangered human lives.

Further on, due to ethical concerns vaccine trials may deliberately exclude members of high risk groups and so prevent conclusive consequences for those groups. So while vaccines may be safe for the general population, they represent a high risk for parts of the population for which trials have not been done due to different reasons. [1]

[1] Why it is important to monitor vaccine safety, Center for disease control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccine_monitoring/Index.html , accessed 07/10/2011"
Candidate 4: "The problem with studies that claim to prove there is no harm with multiple vaccines, are that they are studies that are firstly based on ethical restrictions. A test that would conclusively prove the harm of multiple vaccines would require deliberately denying certain children inoculation. Secondly, they monitor only the general population (in preliminary studies they exclude certain risk groups) and in studies after the administration of vaccines usually contribute some of the negative results to other environmental factors.

Studies are therefore in no way conclusive and do not disprove fully the claim that there is no harm connected with multiple vaccines."
Candidate 5: "Cases prove that vaccines have bad consequences for children’s health

Human bodies are different and react to drugs differently. Especially when there is not just one foreign substance, but let us say 24 of them given to a human body over a period of time, there is increased risk that at least one of the substances may cause damage to the body. The drugs can damage an individual for life.

The case of Robert Fletcher can be used as an example (reported by the Telegraph): “The seizure occurred ten days after the vaccination. Robert is severely disabled as a result of vaccination. Mrs Fletcher said: “Robert is nearly 19 but mentally he is like a 14-month-old toddler. He can’t stand unaided and he is doubly incontinent. He can’t speak except to say ‘Hi, Mum’ or ‘Hi, Daddy’.” [1]

Robert Fletcher is not the only one with such severe symptoms and worse is that physicians never can be sure what the outcome will be. So multiple vaccines are dangerous, as they have no predicted outcome (because people’s response to vaccinations are varied) but, in a minority of cases, they present with very severe consequences.

[1] Heidi Blake, Man disabled by MMR vaccine awarded 90 000 after 13-year fight, 08/30/2010 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7970315/Man-disabled-by-MMR-vaccine-awarded-90000-after-13-year-fight.html , accessed 05/31/2011"
Candidate 6: "Pharmaceutical companies want people to believe it’s safe

The vaccination market is large and very profitable; as such, pharmaceutical companies have an interest in and the clout required to ensure that vaccines that are harmful are not reported as such. Up to the year 2003 manufacturers' profits on vaccinations have risen as the average cost to fully immunize a child at a private physician's office has climbed 243% since 1986, from $107 to $367. The most prominent beneficiaries have been the two producers who dominate the U.S. market for DPT and polio vaccines, Connaught Laboratories ($300 million in U.S. sales last year) and Wyeth-Lederle Vaccines &amp; Pediatrics ($350 million). U.S. revenues for both companies have increased 300% since 1986, estimates David Molowa, international pharmaceutical analyst at the Wall Street investment firm Bear Stearns. In the same time only a few people have been compensated for the loss or impairment of their children due to vaccines. [1]

Further on in the document: “Vaccines get the full story”: The same people who make rules and recommendations about vaccination profit from vaccine sales. For example, Dr. Julie Gerberding, who was in charge of the CDC for eight years, is now the President of Merck Vaccines. Dr. Paul Offit, a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP), developed and patented his own vaccine. [2]

These organizations and beneficiaries have a vested interest in ensuring that their vaccinations appear publicly as safe and harmless.

[1] Whale Magazine, The lethal dangers of billion-dollar vaccine business with government approval, drug companies sell vaccines that leave your child brain damaged, can spread polio from your baby to you and can even kill, http://www.whale.to/vaccines/money_mag.html accessed 06/13/2011

[2] International Medical Council on Vaccination, Vaccines get the full story, http://www.naturalnews.com/SpecialReports/VaccinesFullStory/v1/VaccineReport-EN.pdf , accessed 06/13/2011"
Candidate 7: "More vaccines together destroy the immune system

Giving just one vaccination shot to a body means injecting in it a virus. The subsequent process is justified as follows, using the example of a polio vaccination: “The vaccine is a clear, colorless sterile suspension for subcutaneous injection. IPV contains strains of the 3 types of polioviruses (Types 1, 2, and 3). After some time has passed, produces protective antibodies in the blood (serum immunity)” as stated by Brown University. [1] So by this logic, the more vaccines are combined and given together the more viruses are induced to the body of a child. This could potentially cause a weakened immune system if the antibodies did not form as expected.

Dr. Neustaeder Randal states that in 1996 a study (published in the New England Journal of Medicine) found out that the tetanus vaccine, for example, disables the immune system in HIV patients. Tetanus vaccination produced a drop in T cells (cells which should protect the body from any dieseases) in 10 of 13 patients, a classic sign of immune deficiency. HIV viral replication increased dramatically in response to tetanus vaccine. Finally, white blood cells from 7 of 10 uninfected individuals became more susceptible to HIV infection following tetanus vaccination. [2]

This demonstrates, for some, a connection between a weakened immune system and vaccination. This connection would only be exacerbated with multiple vaccinations.

[1] Vaccine Strategies, Brown University http://www.brown.edu/Courses/Bio_160/Projects1999/polio/vac.html , accessed 06/03/2011

[2] Neustaedter Randal, Do vaccines disable the immune system ?, http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Do_Vaccines_Disable_the_Immune_System/539 , accessed 06/03/2011"

The problem with studies that claim to prove there is no harm with multiple vaccines, are that they are studies that are firstly based on ethical restrictions. A test that would conclusively prove the harm of multiple vaccines would require deliberately denying certain children inoculation. Secondly, they monitor only the general population (in preliminary studies they exclude certain risk groups) and in studies after the administration of vaccines usually contribute some of the negative results to other environmental factors.

Studies are therefore in no way conclusive and do not disprove fully the claim that there is no harm connected with multiple vaccines.
