The Controversy with Vaccines Roselle Leone

What are they? Religion Individual liberty Financial motive Autism Macrophagic myofasciitis Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) Nut Allergies Gillian Barre Type 1 diabetes

The First Amendment “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Religion Christianity VS Small pox Religious opposition continues to this day

Individual Liberty Vaccine policies require you to get vaccinated Does the government have the right to tell you what medications to take? Where does it stop?

Financial Motive Vaccine Industry Misrepresentation of safety and effectiveness for final gain Recent spike in vaccine market: Prevnar, Guardasil, Pediarix: Over $1 Billion EACH in Lawyers Manipulation of information for financial gain (lawsuits)

The U.S. Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Federal no-fault system for vaccine-related injury or death. Established in 1980s after DTP vaccine scare Funded through $0.75 duty tax on vaccines A total of $1.7 billion paid out in court by 2008

Autism Autism increased 1000% since 1990 U.S. Study: children who received vaccines with thimerosol were 2x as likely to develop autism as those who didn’t –Thimerosol ~50% mercury –Mercury is a known neurotoxin.

Autism The immune system overload theory –Too many vaccines at once can overwhelm or weaken immune system –Evidence supporting and going against this theory

Macrophagic Myofasciitis Rare muscle disease identified in 1993 Microscopic muscle lesions Most often associated with aluminum used in the adjuvant of vaccines –Aluminum is a neurotoxin even in very small amounts

Peanut and Tree Nut Allergies Nut allergies affect ~1.1% Americans Nut allergies in children < 18 increased from 0.4% in 1997 to 0.8% in % increase in the number of immunizations since 1996

Peanut and Tree Nut Allergies Comparing Amish population in Lancester, PA to general population of U.S. –1 person out of 6,000 with peanut allergy Vashon-Ridgefield Case-Control Study –Vashon vaccination compliance rate of 80.2% and a peanut allergy rate of only 0.3%. –Ridgefield vaccination compliance rate > 99.9%, and a peanut allergy rate of 1.8% 6x larger than that of Vashon.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Diptheria- tatanus- pertussis (DTP) vaccine has been linked to SIDS U.S. administers at 2 months of age Walker, A.M., et al (1987) –Focusing on narrow time intervals following immunization –SIDS mortality rate 0-3 days following DTP 7.3x greater

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Sweden banned the vaccine in 1979 due to a major study finding a strong correlation Japan waits until 2 years of age because of this correlation Japan and Sweden attributed with lowest percentage of SIDS

Guillain-Barré syndrome Immune system attacks the nervous system One possible cause = immunization Studies have been done linking correlation of the following vaccines to Guillain- Barré syndrome: –H1N1 –Flu –Guardasil –Oral polio –Meningitis

Type 1 Diabetes

Physicians as early as 1949 have researched and provided evidence in the link between the DTP vaccine and type 1 diabetes “Pertussis toxin” over stimulates insulin production in islets of Langerhans Followed by exhaustion and destruction of islets

Keep in mind… This information is to inform you of some risks associated with vaccines Vaccines have eradicated diseases such as small pox which at one point killed 1 in 6 Europeans Vaccines can help prevent many acute and long term illnesses; however, it is important to understand the risks associated to make informed decisions