Vaccines -- What's the "Truth"?

We create our own reality, for what is real to each of us is dependent upon our beliefs.

And, what we believe is many times quite different for each of us.

Advertisers, politicians, special interest groups, lobbyists – anyone who has the money and time and access to the media knows this. What we read or are told, and indeed, what we are given access to read and hear, undoubtedly shapes our beliefs, and therefore, our reality.

The truth, to the extent there is such a thing, and that it can, in fact, be known, often is a casualty of self-promotion, advertising and advocacy.

Why start this blog so philosophically? Just a note about vaccinations.

I always was hesitant to weigh in on this subject. The fact is, I am not anti-vaccination. I am, however, deeply disturbed by the lack of candor and caution and humility of the pharmaceutical industry, and to a lesser extent, the medical industry.

The truth, as far as I know it, is that thimerosal is not safe, vaccines can be made a lot safer, and it has not been indisputably proven that there is no relationship between our vaccination programs and the rise in the incidence of, among other things, autism spectrum disorders (“ASD's”).

Quite frankly, I really didn't want to get into this. But, recent articles about the Swine Flu vaccine, thimerosal, and autism prompts this particular blog.
I would like to believe that vaccines are perfectly safe. And, there is no doubt that government and pharmaceutical companies are doing everything possible to convince us that vaccines are safe and an absolutely necessity. (Did anyone catch the “Private Practice” episode that showed a mother watch her unvaccinated child die right before her eyes of measles? See the part where one doctor physically restrains the mother while the pediatrician gives a measles vaccination to the mom's other son against her wishes? Lovely scare tactics, don't you think?)

Sure, there have been studies. But, what are those studies? NONE of the government studies actually tests thimerosal or vaccines as administered in the lab. The “studies” are epidemiological – that is, statistical surveys that, even assuming 100% accuracy and no bias, shows only that there is no statistically significant association between vaccines and the rise in ASD's. But, these studies do not take into consideration anyone who may be more susceptible to the vaccines, many do not compare apples to apples (e.g., the frequency, timing, and administration of vaccines as performed here in the United States), and are flawed in terms of their methodology. Statistics are, unfortunately, subject to manipulation. Change a definition, e.g., do you count “speech and language delays” as “ASD”? Do so, and the numbers go up; don't and the numbers go down. What age groups do you include in your study? Pre-three, and the numbers go down. Post-three, and the numbers go up. Did the study group get shots on the day of birth like we do here? Did the study group get multiple shots in one “well visit” to the doctor? Did you take other factors into account, including, but not limited to breast-feeding (affects immune system development), diet (same), and timing of shots (immune systems tend to develop later, so the later the administration of a vaccine, the more chance the body has of dealing with it).

I think you get the idea.

At the risk of oversimplification, there are four causal theories underlying the hypothesis that vaccines and autism are related.

The first rests on the proposition that all vaccines are harmful because they weaken the immune system and “seed” the body with “pro-virus” material. For example, though rare, the oral polio vaccine can cause polio; the Urabe AM9 mumps vaccine has been linked to meningitis; genetic material from the measles virus has been found in the cerebrospinal fluid of children who reportedly experienced “autistic regression” after receiving the Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine (“MMR”); and the vaccine Menactra (bacterial meningitis protection) was under investigation after 5 teenagers who received the vaccine came down with Guillain Barre syndrome (a neurological disorder).

The second theory is that certain vaccines such as the diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus (“DPT”) vaccine (in particular, pertussis) and the MMR, are harmful. The DPT has been arguably linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, convulsions, autism and death.  The MMR is argued to cause major gastrointestinal disorders, immune dysfunction, convulsions and autism. Some believe the three components of the MMR interfere with each other, such that administration of the MMR as a whole, or even as separate components – if not spaced far enough apart (some researchers suggest a one year separation) -- could result in a suppressed immune system. Noting a high prevalence of recurrent medical problems in autistic children, including ear infections, sinus problems and upper respiratory illness, some researchers theorize that these children’s “immune abnormalities” predispose them to adversely react to a variety of environmental insults with autism being a possible result.

The next argument is that components of vaccines, especially, thimerosal -- a preservative used in the manufacture of vaccines since the 1930’s -- cause ASD’s.
Thimerosal is 49.6% MERCURY by weight -- one of the most dangerous neurotoxins known. In the body, thimerosal breaks down into ethylmercury. (Methylmercury is the form we worry about in fish.)

Finally, there is the theory that the aggregate effect of multiple vaccines results in harm with thimerosal and the MMR acting as a “one-two punch.”  The body’s immune system is severely compromised by exposure to mercury. Once weakened, the system cannot handle the introduction of the MMR’s hefty combination of live viruses specifically designed to actively stimulate the immune system.  The child’s systems break down under the stress, and so begins the downward spiral in health.

Truth (there's that word again) be told, there really is another side to the vaccine story. Here are some FACTS that the government, the media, and the doctors never seem to discuss:

1. Russia, Denmark, Austria, Japan, Great Britain and all Scandinavian countries banned thimerosal’s use.
2. In 1982, the FDA proposed banning thimerosal in over-the-counter products – a ban that went into effect in 1998. In 1991, thimerosal was banned from use in animal injections.
3. In 1999, recognizing (a) that thimerosal might harm infants and (b) the importance of avoiding any type of mercury exposure, both the United States Public Health Services (“USPHS”) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (“AAP”) called for the removal of thimerosal-containing vaccines “as soon as possible.”
4. Single dose vials of vaccine do not require a preservative.  Thus, thimerosal is NOT essential. Moreover, thimerosal is not 100% effective (Chiron’s Fluvirin vaccine, contaminated with serratia bacteria during 2004, used thimerosal).
5. Ethylmercury crosses the blood-brain barrier and stays in the brain longer than methylmercury, and “the mechanism” and low dose toxicity of ethyl- and methylmercury are “similar.”
7. Many infants received mercury via injection in amounts tens, if not hundreds, of times in excess of federal limits for such exposure, before the age of two – the most critical period of neurological development.
8. Certain symptoms associated with autism are similar to symptoms experienced by individuals who suffered mercury poisoning.
9. The incidence of ASD’s has risen dramatically during, and in proportion to, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (“CDC”) addition of more and more thimerosal-containing vaccines to the mandatory vaccination list.
10. An early study by a member of the CDC seemed to indicate a link between the administration of thimerosal-containing vaccines and the incidence of ASD’s. Certain subsequent studies also purportedly found such a link.
11. Many autistic children are deficient in natural “chelators” that clear the body of heavy metals.
12. Testosterone inhibits the effectiveness of natural chelators while estrogen enhances it, thus, providing a possible explanation for why ASD’s tend to appear more in boys.
13. Mice with autoimmune sensitivity treated with thimerosal in amounts equivalent to that given to human infants through vaccinations and administered at developmental stages that coincided with the development stages at which infants received such vaccinations, experienced “significant” physical and behavioral changes.
14. The CDC only asked U.S. manufacturers to voluntarily stop using thimerosal in children’s vaccines in 2001.
15. With no recall, thimerosal is still in vaccines shipped overseas, may still be in vaccines on doctors’ shelves, and is still used in Rhogam shots and flu vaccines.
16. Vaccines also contain a myriad of other potentially dangerous ingredients.  Among other things, aluminum compounds and/or Squalene are used as “adjuvants” designed to heighten the vaccine’s capacity to produce antibodies. Even formaldehyde is listed as a popular ingredient. There is no dispute that such materials can be poisonous.
17. When is just a little bit of poison okay? Especially when it is injected directly into the body of an infant, thereby bypassing one of the biggest defenses the body has of protecting itself from toxins – that is, the digestive system?
18. Expose a nerve cell to thimerosal in the lab and watch it disintegrate before your very eyes.

I must imagine that the reason no one has proven what causes autism is because there is probably no, one single cause. Genetics must certainly play a role. There are other toxins in the environment that can compromise the immune system – just read one that shows a link between household pesticides and autoimmune disease.

Sociological factors also may play a role (too much video/computers/television, electromagnetic radiation, dietary habits, sleep patterns, early sensory development have all been mentioned as contributing factors).

Here's my question. If there is even a chance that vaccines contributed to this mess, why, oh why, hasn't the government stepped in to make the whole process safer? (No one expects to get into a car accident, yet you take the precaution of putting on a seat belt. Cars have a myriad of safety features built in “just in case.”) Why is the government forcing/scaring people into vaccination? Why is there such a push for more and more vaccinations?

And, please, stop telling us how safe everything is. The “truth” is that no one knows for sure. How many supposedly safe medicines have been recalled? How many supposedly safe procedures have been abandoned? How many times are current medical practices going to be revised in light of “new findings?”

We need to be a bit more humble, a bit more cautious, and a bit more honest about our motivations.