April 20, 2007
Dear Editor:
Your April 19th issue had an article in which vaccination is touted as
being necessary for a child's health.
Parents who decide against vaccinating their children are made to feel
guilty for putting others at risk of getting the disease that the
vaccine is supposed to prevent. If the vaccines were effective, the
vaccinated shouldn't have to worry. Pro-vaccinators say that we need to
vaccinate everyone to prevent the germs from infecting the few who
didn't receive immunity from vaccination.
Before you decide to give in on that basis, consider the following
facts:
Deaths from infectious diseases declined drastically before
vaccinations became mandatory. Harold E. Buttram, MD, said, "According
to the records of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, from 1911 to
1935 the four leading causes of childhood deaths from infectious
diseases in the U.S.A. were diphtheria, pertussis, scarlet fever, and
measles. However, by 1945 the combined death rates from these causes
had declined by 95% before the implementation of mass vaccine programs."
Buttram continued, "According to a report in Morbidity and Mortality
Weekly Report of July 30, 1999, improvements in sanitation, water
quality, hygiene, and the introduction of antibiotics have been the
most important factors in control of infectious disease in the past
century. Although vaccines were mentioned, they were not included among
the major factors."
Even though the US has the most highly vaccinated child population in
the world, we have infant mortality rates equal to third world
countries.
F. Edward Yazbak, pediatrician, said in 2005, "It is also safe to state
that in the last four decades, no other country has consistently
administered more vaccines to infants and children than the United
States." Dr. Yazbak isn't against vaccination but said he is
"pro-reasonable vaccination."
Vaccination and immunization are not synonymous. Even the Centers for
Disease Control admits this. Natural immunity is achieved through a
healthy diet of whole, unprocessed foods and an active, clean lifestyle.
Our youth are very ill compared to those in other countries.
Recent studies confirm the links between autism and vaccinations. One
in 150 children in the US is on the autism spectrum, but it is not like
this in countries with lower vaccination rates.
As the National Vaccine Information Center says, "Instead of epidemics
of infectious disease, there are now epidemics of chronic disease."
Parents need to be aware of the many toxins in vaccines. If they would
ask their medical providers for the vaccine package inserts, they could
see some of what their children are receiving, such as aluminum,
phenol, formaldehyde (formalin), and mercury (thimerosal).
They should know vaccines sometimes contain viruses or viral fragments
and are sometimes made using fetal cell lines from aborted babies.
Package inserts warn that vaccines have not been evaluated for their
potential to cause cancer and to be toxic to your DNA. If a vaccine is
toxic to DNA, it may cause mutations that may or may not lead to cancer
or birth defects. Many vaccines could affect the fertility of your
daughter. Look for the section of the insert saying, "Carcinogenesis,
Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility" to see that the studies just
haven't been done.
Parents should not be frightened into thinking their children are more
likely to be harmed by serious infectious diseases than by vaccination.
The Food and Drug Administration admits that serious adverse reactions
that are reported are a small fraction of those that actually occur.
Several inserts mention upper respiratory infections and earache
(otitis media) as reported adverse vaccine reactions.
Because we are trying to prevent chickenpox in young children, the
older population is starting to get it at a time of life when the death
rate is higher. The lower incidence of chickenpox resulting from
vaccination means adults are not having their immunity to it boosted,
thereby causing them to be susceptible to it and to shingles again.
In the past, if a healthy person got chickenpox, his immune system got
him safely through it and his immunity was boosted every time he was
exposed to the virus, thus keeping him protected from that disease and
from shingles. A vaccine may prevent a person from getting the disease
for a few years, but when the immunity wanes, he will wish he had
long-lasting natural immunity.
The article in the newspaper said it is important that parents be
informed. That is exactly right; they need to know the facts about both
sides.
Susan Pearce
Wyoming Vaccine Information Network
http://www.vaclib.org/chapter/wyhome.htm