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Vaccination
Myths
©
by Alan Phillips
www.unc.edu/~aphillip/www/vaccine/dvm1.htm
Contradictions
between Medical Science and Immunization Policy
When
my son began his routine vaccination series at age 2 months, I did not
know there were any risks associated with immunizations. But the clinic's
literature contained a contradiction: the chances of a serious adverse
reaction to the DPT vaccine were 1 in 1750, while his chances of dying
from pertussis each year were 1 in several million. When I pointed this
out to the physician, he angrily disagreed, and stormed out of the room
mumbling, "I guess I should read that sometime..."
Soon
thereafter I learned of a child who had been permanently disabled by
a vaccine, so I decided to investigate for myself. My findings have
so alarmed me that I feel compelled to share them; hence, this report.
Health
authorities credit vaccines for disease declines, and assure us of their
safety and effectiveness. Yet these seemingly rock-solid assumptions
are directly contradicted by government statistics, medical studies,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
reports, and reputable research scientists from around the world.
In
fact, infectious diseases declined steadily for decades prior to vaccinations,
U.S. doctors report thousands of serious vaccine reactions each year
including hundreds of deaths and permanent disabilities, fully vaccinated
populations have experienced epidemics, and researchers attribute dozens
of chronic immunological and neurological conditions to mass immunization
programs.
There
are hundreds of published medical studies documenting vaccine failure
and adverse effects, and dozens of books written by doctors, researchers,
and independent investigators that reveal serious flaws in immunization
theory and practice. Ironically, most pediatricians and parents are
completely unaware of these findings. However, this has begun to change
in recent years, as a growing number of parents and healthcare providers
around the world are becoming aware of the problems and starting to
question the use of widespread, mandatory vaccinations.
My
point is not to tell anyone whether or not to vaccinate, but rather,
with the utmost urgency, to point out some very good reasons why everyone
should examine the facts before deciding whether or not to submit to
the procedure. As a new parent, I was shocked to discover the absence
of a legal mandate or professional ethic requiring pediatricians to
be fully informed, and to see first-hand the prevalence of physicians
who are applying practices based on incomplete--and in some cases, outright
mis-information.
Though
only a brief introduction, this report contains sufficient evidence
to warrant further investigation by all concerned, which I highly recommend.
You will find that this is the only way to get an objective view, as
the controversy is a highly emotional one.
A
note of caution: Be careful trying to discuss this subject with a pediatrician.
Most have staked their identities and reputations on the presumed safety
and effectiveness of vaccines, and thus have difficulty acknowledging
evidence to the contrary. The first pediatrician I attempted to share
my findings with yelled angrily at me when I calmly brought up the subject.
The misconceptions have very deep roots.
MYTH
#1
"Vaccines
are completely safe..."
...or
are they?
(Numbers
in brackets refer to references at the bottom of this article)
The
FDA's VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Effects Reporting System) receives about
11,000 reports of serious adverse reactions to vaccination annually,
some 1% (112+) of which are deaths from vaccine reactions.[1]
The
majority of these reports are made by doctors, and the majority of deaths
are attributed to the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine, the "P"
in DPT. This figure alone is alarming, yet it is only the "tip
of the iceberg." The FDA estimates that only about 10% of adverse
reactions are reported, [2] a figure supported by two National Vaccine
Information Center (NVIC) investigations. [3]
In
fact, the NVIC reported that "In New York, only one out of 40 doctor's
offices [2.5%] confirmed that they report a death or injury following
vaccination," -- 97.5% of vaccine related deaths and disabilities
go unreported there. Implications about the integrity of medical professionals
aside (doctors are legally required to report serious adverse
events), these findings suggest that vaccine deaths actually occurring
each year may be well over 1,000.
With
pertussis, the number of vaccine-related deaths dwarfs the number of
disease deaths, which have been about 10 annually for recent years according
to the CDC, and only 8 in 1993, the last peak-incidence year (pertussis
runs in 3-4 year cycles, though vaccination certainly doesn't). Simply
put, the vaccine is 100 times more deadly than the disease.
Given
the many instances in which highly vaccinated populations have contracted
disease (see Myth #2), and the fact that the vast majority of disease
decline this century occurred before compulsory vaccinations (pertussis
deaths declined 79% prior to vaccines; see Myth #3), this comparison
is a valid one--and this enormous number of vaccine casualities can
hardly be considered a necessary sacrifice for the benefit of a disease-free
society.
Unfortunately,
the vaccine-related-deaths story doesn't end here. Both national and
international studies have shown vaccination to be a cause of SIDS[4,5]
(SIDS is "Sudden Infant Death Syndrome," a "catch-all"
diagnosis given when the specific cause of death is unknown; estimates
range from 5 - 10,000 cases each year in the U.S.).
One
study found the peak incidence of SIDS occurred at the ages of 2 and
4 months in the U.S., precisely when the first two routine immunizations
are given,[4] while another found a clear pattern of correlation extending
three weeks after immunization. Another study found that 3,000 children
die within 4 days of vaccination each year in the U.S. (amazingly, the
authors reported no SIDS/vaccine relationship), while yet another researcher's
studies led to the conclusion that half of SIDS cases--that would be
2500 to 5000 infant deaths in the U.S. each year--are caused by vaccines.[4]
There
are studies that claimed to find no SIDS-vaccine relationship. However,
many of these were invalidated by yet another study which found that
"confounding" had skewed their results in favor of the vaccine.[6]
Shouldn't we err on the side of caution? Shouldn't any credible correlation
between vaccines and infant deaths be just cause for meticulous, widespread
monitoring of the vaccination status of all SIDS cases?
In
the mid 70's Japan raised their vaccination age from 2 months to 2 years;
their incidence of SIDS dropped dramatically. In spite of this, the
U.S. medical community has chosen a posture of denial. Coroners refuse
to check the vaccination status of SIDS victims, and unsuspecting families
continue to pay the price, unaware of the dangers and denied the right
to make a choice.
Low
adverse event reporting also suggests that the total number of adverse
reactions actually occurring each year may be more than 100,000.
Due
to doctors' failure to report, no one knows how many of these are permanent
disabilities, but statistics suggest that it is several times the number
of deaths (see "petitions" below). This concern is reinforced
by a study which revealed that 1 in 175 children who completed the full
DPT series suffered "severe reactions," [7] and a Dr.'s report
for attorneys which found that 1 in 300 DPT immunizations resulted in
seizures.[8]
England
actually saw a drop in pertussis deaths when vaccination rates dropped
from 80% to 30% in the mid 70's. Swedish epidemiologist B. Trollfors'
study of pertussis vaccine efficacy and toxicity around the world found
that "pertussis-associated mortality is currently very low in industrialised
countries and no difference can be discerned when countries with high,
low, and zero immunisation rates were compared." He also found
that England, Wales, and West Germany had more pertussis fatalities
in 1970 when the immunization rate was high than during the last half
of 1980, when rates had fallen.[9]
Vaccinations
cost us much more than just the lives and health of our children. The
U.S. Federal Government's National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
(NVICP) has paid out over $724.4 million to parents of vaccine injured
and killed children, in taxpayer dollars. The NVICP has received over
5000 petitions since 1988, including over 700 for vaccine-related deaths,
and there are still over 2800 total death and injury cases pending that
may take years to resolve.[10]
Meanwhile,
pharmaceutical companies have a captive market: vaccines are legally
mandated in all 50 U.S. states (though legally avoidable in most: (see
Myth #9), yet yet these same
companies are "immune" from accountability for the consequences
of their products. Furthermore, they have been allowed to use "gag
orders" as a leverage tool in vaccine damage legal settlements
to prevent disclosure of information to the public about vaccination
dangers. Such arrangements are clearly unethical; they force a non-consenting
American public to pay for vaccine manufacturer's liabilities, while
attempting to ensure that this same public will remain ignorant of the
dangers of their products.
It
is interesting to note that insurance companies (who do the best liability
studies) refuse to cover vaccine adverse reactions. Profits appear to
dictate both the pharmaceutical and insurance companies' positions.
TRUTH
#1
"Vaccination
causes significant death and disability at an astounding personal and
financial cost to families and taxpayers."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#2
"Vaccines
are very effective..."
...or
are they?
The
medical literature has a surprising number of studies documenting vaccine
failure. Measles, mumps, small pox, polio and Hib outbreaks have all
occurred in vaccinated populations. [11, 12, 13, 14 ,15] In 1989 the
CDC reported: "Among school-aged children, [measles] outbreaks
have occurred in schools with vaccination levels of greater than 98
percent.[16] [They] have occurred in all parts of the country, including
areas that had not reported measles for years."[17] The CDC even
reported a measles outbreak in a documented 100 percent vaccinated population.
[18]
A
study examining this phenomenon concluded, "The apparent
paradox is that as measles immunization rates rise to high levels in
a population, measles becomes a disease of immunized persons."[19]
A more recent study found that measles vaccination "produces
immune suppression which contributes to an increased susceptibility
to other infections."[19a]
These
studies suggest that the goal of complete immunization is actually counterproductive,
a notion underscored by instances in which epidemics followed complete
immunization of entire countries. Japan experienced yearly increases
in small pox following the introduction of compulsory vaccines in 1872.
By 1892, there were 29,979 deaths, and all had been vaccinated.
[20]
Early
in this century, the Philippines experienced their worst smallpox epidemic
ever after 8 million people received 24.5 million vaccine doses; the
death rate quadrupled as a result. [21] In 1989, the country of Oman
experienced a widespread polio outbreak six months after achieving complete
vaccination.[22] In the U.S. in 1986, 90% of 1300 pertussis cases in
Kansas were "adequately vaccinated." [23] 72% of pertussis
cases in the 1993 Chicago outbreak were fully up to date with their
vaccinations.[24]
TRUTH
#2
"Evidence
suggests that vaccination is an unreliable means of preventing disease."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#3
"Vaccines
are the main reason for low disease rates in the U.S. today..."
...or
are they?
According
to the British Association for the Advancement of Science, childhood
diseases decreased 90% between 1850 and 1940, paralleling improved sanitation
and hygienic practices, well before mandatory vaccination programs.
Infectious disease deaths in the U.S. and England declined steadily
by an average of about 80% during this century (measles mortality declined
over 97%) prior to vaccinations.[25]
In
Great Britain, the polio epidemics peaked in 1950, and had declined
82% by the time the vaccine was introduced there in 1956. Thus, at best,
vaccinations can be credited with only a small percentage of the overall
decline in disease related deaths this century. Yet even this small
portion is questionable, as the rate of decline remained virtually the
same after vaccines were introduced.
Furthermore,
European countries that refused immunization for small pox and polio
saw the epidemics end along with those countries that mandated it. (In
fact, both small pox and polio immunization campaigns were followed
initially by significant disease incidence increases; during
smallpox vaccination campaigns, other infectious diseases continued
their declines in the absence of vaccines. In England and Wales, smallpox
disease and vaccination rates eventually declined simultaneously over
a period of several decades.[26])
It
is thus impossible to say whether or not vaccinations contributed to
the continuing decline in disease death rates, or if the same forces
which brought about the initial declines--improved sanitation, hygiene,
improvements in diet, natural disease cycles--were simply unaffected
by the vaccination programs. Underscoring this conclusion was a recent
World Health Organization report which found that the disease and mortality
rates in third world countries have no direct correlation with immunization
procedures or medical treatment, but are closely related to the standard
of hygiene and diet.
[27] Credit given to vaccinations for our current disease incidence
has simply been grossly exaggerated, if not outright misplaced.
Vaccine
advocates point to incidence statistics rather than mortality as proof
of vaccine effectiveness. However, statisticians tell us that mortality
statistics can be a better measure of incidence than the incidence figures
themselves, for the simple reason that the quality of reporting and
record-keeping is much higher on fatalities.[28]
For
instance, a recent survey in New York City revealed that only 3.2% of
pediatricians were actually reporting measles cases to the health department.
In 1974, the CDC determined that there were 36 cases of measles in Georgia,
while the Georgia State Surveillance System reported 660 cases.[29]
In
1982, Maryland state health officials blamed a pertussis epidemic on
a television program, "D.P.T.--Vaccine Roulette," which warned
of the dangers of DPT; however, when former top virologist for the U.S.
Division of Biological Standards, Dr. J. Anthony Morris, analyzed the
41 cases, only 5 were confirmed, and all had been vaccinated. [30] Such
instances as these demonstrate the fallacy of incidence figures, yet
vaccine advocates tend to rely on them indiscriminately.
TRUTH
#3
"It
is unclear what impact vaccines had on the infectious disease declines
that occurred throughout this century."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#4
"Vaccination
is based on sound immunization theory and practice..."
...or
is it?
The
clinical evidence for vaccinations is their ability to stimulate antibody
production in the recipient, a fact which is not disputed. What is not
clear, however, is whether or not such antibody production constitutes
immunity. For example, agamma globulin-anemic children are incapable
of producing antibodies, yet they recover from infectious diseases almost
as quickly as other children.[31]
Furthermore,
a study published by the British Medical Council in 1950 during a diphtheria
epidemic concluded that there was no relationship between antibody count
and disease incidence; researchers found resistant people with extremely
low antibody counts and sick people with high counts. [32] Natural immunization
is a complex phenomenon involving many organs and systems; it cannot
be fully replicated by the artificial stimulation of antibody production.
Research
also indicates that vaccination commits immune cells to the specific
antigens involved in the vaccine, rendering them incapable of reacting
to other infections. Our immunological reserve may thus actually be
reduced, causing a generally lowered resistance. [33]
Another
component of immunization theory is "herd immunity," which
states that when enough people in a community are immunized, all are
protected. As Myth #2 revealed, there are many documented instances
showing just the opposite--fully vaccinated populations do contract
diseases; with measles, this actually seems to be the direct result
of high vaccination rates.[19] A Minnesota state epidemiologist concluded
that the Hib vaccine increases the risk of illness when a study revealed
that vaccinated children were five times more likely to contract meningitis
than unvaccinated children.
Carefully
selected epidemiological studies are yet another justification for vaccination
programs. However, many of these may not be legitimate sources from
which to draw conclusions about vaccine effectiveness. For example,
if 100 people are vaccinated and 5 contract the disease, the vaccine
is declared to be 95% effective. But if only 10 of the 100 were actually
exposed to the disease, then the vaccine was really only 50% effective.
Since no one is willing to directly expose an entire population to disease--even
a fully vaccinated one--vaccine effectiveness rates may not indicate
a vaccine's true effectiveness.
Yet
another surprising concern about immunization practice is its assumption
that all children, regardless of age, are virtually the same. An 8 pound
2 month old receives the same dosage as a 40 pound five year old. Infants
with immature, undeveloped immune systems may receive five or more times
the dosage (relative to body weight) as older children.
Furthermore,
the number of "units" within doses has been found upon random
testing to range from 1/2 to 3 times what the label indicates; manufacturing
quality controls appear to tolerate a rather large margin of error.
"Hot Lots"--vaccine lots with disproportionately high death
and disability rates--have been identified repeatedly by the NVIC, but
the FDA refuses to intervene to prevent further unnecessary injury and
deaths. In fact, they have never recalled a vaccine lot due to adverse
reactions. Some would call this infanticide.
Finally,
vaccination practice assumes that all recipients, regardless of race,
culture, diet, geographic location, or any other circumstances, will
respond the same. This was perhaps never more dramatically disproved
than an instance a few years ago in Australia's Northern Territory,
where stepped-up immunization campaigns resulted in an incredible
*50%* infant mortality rate in the native aborigines.[34]
Researcher
A. Kalokerinos, M.D. discovered that the aborigine's vitamin C deficient
"junk food" diet (imposed on them by white society) was a
critical factor (studies had already shown that vaccination depletes
vitamin C reserves; children in shock or collapse often recovered in
a matter of minutes when given vitamin C injections). He considered
it amazing that as many survived as did. One must wonder about the lives
of the survivors, though, for if half died, surely the other half did
not escape unaffected.
Almost
as troubling was a very recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine
which revealed that a substantial number of Romanian children were contracting
polio from the vaccine, a less common phenomena in most developed countries.
Correlations with injections of antibiotics were found: a single injection
within one month of vaccination raised the risk of polio 8 times, 2
to 9 injections raised the risk 27-fold, and 10 or more injections raised
the risk 182 times [Washington Post, February 22, 1995].
What
other factors not accounted for in vaccination theory will surface unexpectedly
to reveal unforeseen or previously overlooked consequences? We will
not begin to fully comprehend the scope of this danger until researchers
begin looking and reporting in earnest. In the meantime, entire countries'
populations are unwitting gamblers in a game that many might very well
choose not to play if they were given all the "rules" in advance.
TRUTH
#4
"Many
of the assumptions upon which immunization theory and practice are based
have been proven false in their application."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#5
"Childhood
diseases are extremely dangerous..."
...or
are they, really?
Most
childhood infectious diseases have few serious consequences in today's
modern world. Even conservative CDC statistics for pertussis during
1992-94 indicate a 99.8% recovery rate. In fact, when hundreds of pertussis
cases occurred in Ohio and Chicago in the fall 1993 outbreak, an infectious
disease expert from Cincinnati Children's Hospital said, "The disease
was very mild, no one died, and no one went to the intensive care unit."
The
vast majority of the time, childhood infectious diseases are benign
and self-limiting. They may also impart lifelong immunity, whereas vaccine-induced
immunity is only temporary. In fact, the temporary nature of vaccine
immunity can create a more dangerous situation in a child's future.
For example, the new chicken pox vaccine has an effectiveness estimated
at 6 - 10 years. If effective, it will postpone the child's vulnerability
until adulthood, when death from the disease is 20 times more likely.
About
half of measles cases in the late 1980's resurgence were in adolescents
and adults, most of whom were vaccinated as children,[35] and the recommended
booster shots may provide protection for less than 6 months.[36] Furthermore,
some healthcare professionals are concerned that the virus from the
chicken pox vaccine may "reactivate later in life in the form of
herpes zoster (shingles) or other immune system disorders."[37]
Dr.
A. Lavin of the Dept. of Pediatrics, St. Luke's Medical Center in Cleveland,
Ohio, strongly opposed licensing the new vaccine, "Until we actually
know...the risks involved in injecting mutated DNA [herpes virus] into
the host genome [children]."[38] The truth is, *no one*
knows, but the vaccine is now licensed and recommended by health authorities.
Not
only are most infectious diseases rarely dangerous, but they can actually
play a vital role in the development of a strong, healthy immune system.
Persons who have not had measles have a higher incidence of certain
skin diseases, degenerative diseases of bone and cartilage, and certain
tumors, while absence of mumps has been linked to higher risks of ovarian
cancer.
TRUTH
#5
"Dangers
of childhood diseases are greatly exaggerated in order to scare parents
into compliance with a questionable but profitable procedure."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#6
"Polio
was one of the clearly great vaccination success stories..."
...or
was it?
Six
New England states reported increases in polio one year after the Salk
vaccine was introduced, ranging from more than doubling in Vermont to
Massachusetts' astounding increase of 642%. In 1959, 77.5% of Massachusetts'
paralytic cases had received 3 doses of IPV (injected polio vaccine).
During 1962 U.S. Congressional hearings, Dr. Bernard Greenberg, head
of the Dept. of Biostatistics for the University of North Carolina School
of Public Health, testified that not only did the cases of polio increase
substantially after mandatory vaccinations (50% increase from 1957 to
1958, 80% increase from 1958 to 1959), but that the statistics were
manipulated by the Public Health Service to give the opposite impression.[39]
According
to researcher-author Dr. Viera Scheibner, 90% of polio cases were eliminated
from statistics by health authorities' redefinition of the disease when
the vaccine was introduced, while in reality the Salk vaccine was continuing
to cause paralytic polio in several countries at a time when there were
no epidemics being caused by the wild virus.
For
example, in the U.S., thousands of cases of viral and aseptic meningitis
are reported each year--these were routinely diagnosed as polio before
the Saulk vaccine; the number of cases needed to declare an epidemic
was raised from 20 to 35; and the requirement for inclusion in paralysis
statistics was changed from symptoms for 24 hours to symptoms for 60
days; it is no wonder that polio decreased radically after vaccines--at
least on paper.
In
1985, the CDC reported that 87% of the cases of polio in the U.S. between
1973 and 1983 were caused by the vaccine, and later declared that all
but a few imported cases since were caused by the vaccine--and most
of the imported cases occurred in fully immunized individuals.
Jonas
Salk, inventor of the IPV, testified before a Senate subcommittee that
nearly all polio outbreaks since 1961 were caused by the oral polio
vaccine. At a workshop on polio vaccines sponsored by the Institute
of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr.
Samuel Katz of Duke University cited the estimated 8-10 annual U.S.
cases of vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP) in people who have
taken the oral polio vaccine, and the [four year] absence of wild polio
from the western hemisphere.
Jessica
Scheer of the National Rehabilitation Hospital Research Center in Washington,
D.C., pointed out that most parents are unaware that polio vaccination
in this country entails "a small number of human sacrifices each
year." Compounding this contradiction are low adverse event reporting
and the NVIC's experiences with confirming and correcting misdiagnoses
of vaccine reactions, which suggest that the actual number of VAPP "sacrifices"
may be many times higher than the number cited by the CDC.
TRUTH
#6
"Vaccines
caused substantial increases in polio after years of steady declines,
and they are the sole cause of polio in the U.S. today."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#7
"My
child had no short-term reaction to vaccination, so there is nothing
to worry about..."
...or
is there?
The
documented long term adverse effects of vaccines include chronic immunological
and neurological disorders such as autism, hyperactivity, attention
deficit disorder, dyslexia, allergies, cancer, and other conditions,
many of which barely existed 30 years ago before mass vaccination programs.
Vaccine components include known carcinogens such as thimersol, aluminum
phosphate, and formaldehyde (the Poisons Information Centre in Australia
claims there is no acceptable safe amount of formaldehyde which can
be injected into a living human body).
Medical
historian, researcher and author Harris Coulter, Ph.D. explained that
his extensive research revealed childhood immunization to be "...causing
a low-grade encephalitis in infants on a much wider scale than public
health authorities were willing to admit, about 15-20% of all children."
He points out that the sequelae [conditions known to result from a disease]
of encephalitis [inflammation of the brain, a known side-effect of vaccination]:
autism, learning disabilities, minimal and not-so-minimal brain damage,
seizures, epilepsy, sleeping and eating disorders, sexual disorders,
asthma, crib death, diabetes, obesity, and impulsive violence are precisely
the disorders which afflict contemporary society.
Many
of these conditions were formerly relatively rare, but they have become
more common as childhood vaccination programs have expanded. Coulter
also points out that "...pertussis toxoid is used to create encephalitis
in lab animals."
A
German study found correlations between vaccinations and 22 neurological
conditions including attention deficit and epilepsy. The dilemma is
that viral elements in vaccines may persist and mutate in the human
body for years, with unknown consequences. Millions of children are
partaking in an enormous, crude experiment; and no sincere, organized
effort is being made by the medical community to track the negative
side-effects or to determine the long term consequences.
TRUTH
#7
"The
long term adverse effects of vaccinations have been virtually ignored,
in spite of direct correlations with many chronic conditions."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#8
"Vaccines
are the only disease prevention option available..."
...or
are they?
Most
parents feel compelled to take some disease-preventing action for their
children. While there is no 100% guarantee anywhere, there are viable
alternatives. Historically, homeopathy has been more effective than
"mainstream" allopathic medicine in treating and preventing
disease. In a U.S. cholera outbreak in 1849, allopathic medicine saw
a 48-60% death rate, while homeopathic hospitals had a documented death
rate of only 3%.[40] Roughly similar statistics still hold true for
cholera today.[41] Recent epidemiological studies show homeopathic remedies
as equaling or surpassing standard vaccinations in preventing disease.
There are reports in which populations that were treated homeopathically
after exposure had a 100% success rate--none of the treated caught the
disease.[42]
There
are homeopathic kits available for disease prevention. [43] Homeopathic
remedies can also be taken only during times of increased risk (outbreaks,
traveling, etc.), and have proven highly effective in such instances.
And since these remedies have no toxic components, they have no side
effects. In addition, homeopathy has been effective in reversing some
of the disability caused by vaccine reactions, as well as many other
chronic conditions with which allopathic medicine has had little success.
TRUTH
#8
"Documented
safe and effective alternatives to vaccination have been available for
decades but suppressed by the medical establishment."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#9
"Vaccinations
are legally mandated, and thus unavoidable..."
...or
are they?
There
are three exemption possibilities in the U.S.:
1)
Medical Exemption: All 50 states in the U.S. allow for a medical
exemption. A few states allow licensed naturopathic or chiropractic
doctors to issue medical exemptions in addition to medical doctors.
However, few pediatricians check for indications of increased risk before
administering vaccines, so it is advisable for parents to research this
matter for themselves. Epilepsy, severe allergies, and siblings' previous
adverse reactions are but a few of the many conditions in child or family
history which may increase the chances of an adverse reaction, and thus
qualify for a medical exemption;
2)
Religious Exemption: Nearly all states allow for a religious
exemption. This may or may not require membership in an established
religious organization, as individual state laws vary; and
3)
Philosophical or Personal Exemption: An increasing number of
states allow one of these exemptions, in recognition of the controversy
and/or violation of freedom that mandated vaccination laws impose.
Generally,
exempted children may not be banned from attending public schools and
colleges except during local outbreaks. It is best to contact local
school officials in advance to determine their particular procedure
for handling exemptions.
The
best source for a copy of your state's vaccination laws is state health
officials or our public library. A phone call to the state Department
of Epidemiology may be all that it takes to get a copy mailed to you.
TRUTH
#9
"Legal
exemptions from vaccinations are obtainable for most - but not all -
US citizens."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH
#10
"Public
health officials always place health above all other concerns..."
...or
do they?
Vaccination
history is riddled with documented instances of deceit designed to portray
vaccines as mighty disease conquerors, when in fact many times they
have actually delayed and even reversed disease declines. The United
Kingdom's Department of Health admitted that vaccination status determined
the diagnosis of subsequent diseases: Those found in vaccinated patients
received alternate diagnoses; hospital records and death certificates
were falsified. Today, many doctors are still reluctant to diagnose
diseases in vaccinated children, and so the "Myth" about vaccine
success continues.
However,
individual doctors may not be wholly to blame. As medical students,
few have reason to question the information taught (which does not address
the information presented in this report). Ironically, medicine is a
field which demands conformity; there is little tolerance for opinions
opposing the status quo.
Doctors
cannot warn you about what they themselves do not know, and with little
time for further education once they begin practice, they are, in a
sense, held captive by a system which discourages them from acquiring
information independently and forming their own opinions. Those few
that dare to question the status quo are frequently ostracized, and
in any case, they are still legally bound to adhere to the system's
legal mandates.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY
In
the December 1994 Medical Post, Canadian author of the best-seller Medical
Mafia, Guylaine Lanctot, M.D. stated, "The medical authorities
keep lying. Vaccination has been a disaster on the immune system. It
actually causes a lot of illnesses. We are actually changing our genetic
code through vaccination...10 years from now we will know that the biggest
crime against humanity was vaccines."
After
an extensive study of the medical literature on vaccination, Dr. Viera
Scheibner concluded that "there is no evidence whatsoever of the
ability of vaccines to prevent any diseases. To the contrary, there
is a great wealth of evidence that they cause serious side effects."
John
B. Classen, M.D., M.B.A. has stated, "My data proves that the studies
used to support immunization are so flawed that it is impossible to
say if immunization provides a net benefit to anyone or to society in
general. This question can only be determined by proper studies which
have never been performed. The flaw of previous studies is that there
was no long term follow up and chronic toxicity was not looked at. The
American Society of Microbiology has promotedmy research...and thus
acknowledges the need for proper studies."
To
some these may seem like radical positions, but they are not unfounded.
The continued denial of the evidence against vaccines only perpetuates
the "Myths" and their negative consequences on our children
and society. Aggressive and comprehensive scientific investigation is
clearly warranted, yet immunization programs continue to expand in the
absence of such research. Manufacturer profits are guaranteed, while
accountability for the negative effects is conspicuously absent. This
is especially sad given the readily available safe and effective alternatives.
Meanwhile,
the race is on. According to the NVIC, there are over 250 new vaccines
being developed for everything from earaches to birth control to diarrhea,
with about 100 of these already in clinical trials. Researchers are
working on vaccine delivery through nasal sprays, mosquitoes (yes, mosquitoes),
and the fruits of "transgenic" plants in which vaccine viruses
are grown.
With
every child (and adult, for that matter) on the planet a potential required
recipient of multiple doses, and every healthcare system and government
a potential buyer, it is little wonder that countless millions of dollars
are spent nurturing the growing multi-billion dollar vaccine industry.
Without public outcry, we will see more and more new vaccines required
of us and our children. And while profits are readily calculable, the
real human costs are being ignored.
Whatever
your personal vaccination decision, make it an informed one; you have
that right and responsibility. It is a difficult issue, but there is
more than enough at stake to justify whatever time and energy it takes.
Do
not use this report alone to make your vaccination decision:
Find
out for yourself!
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About
the Author
Alan
Phillips is an independent investigator and writer on vaccine risks
and alternatives. This report appeared in the April 1996 edition of
"Wildfire Magazine," as well as numerous newsletters in the
U.S. and around the world. It is being used by the Sheffield School
of Homeopathy, UK. Alan has written to the Australian Minister for Human
Services and Health for the Immunisation Investigation Group and the
Campaign Against Fraudulent Medical Research in NSW Australia.
Alan
is also the founder of Human Development Services, Inc., an international
nonprofit conducting training and research in psychorientology; the
designer of a national children's literacy program and materials; and
a singer-songwriter and composer with albums of original songs and music
in over two dozen countries on six continents. His academic achievements
include a B.A. Magna Cum Laude, and election to the Phi Kappa Phi National
Honor Society and The National Dean's List.
For
Further Information visit his website at
http://www.unc.edu/~aphillip/www/vaccine/informed.htm
NOTE
FROM THE EDITOR: At least two ingredients in vaccines
are incredibly dangerous. They are mercury
and formaldehyde, both used as preservaties. Even the Australian Cancer
Council says there is NO safe level of formaldehyide.
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