I am more a layperson on this hot topic and far from an expert. I am quite happy to be educated if you feel like it. I have recently been asked my opinion.

Click here for an excellent review of the pros and cons of childhood vaccinations. It goes into the history of vaccines, its successes and some of the issues as well. It’s not obviously promoting one side of the arguments or the other. It doesn’t go into individual vaccines.

I think it’s generally agreed that the best immunity comes from having a disease, surviving it and fully recovering. There are some diseases I’d prefer not to develop immunity to this way, smallpox (now eliminated from the world except in labs apparently), polio, tetanus, diphtheria etc.; super unpleasant diseases to have. There is no doubt how effectively these diseases have been controlled.

There are other vaccines which I am less convinced by. Do western children really need to be vaccinated against rotavirus? The flu jab is another one which doesn’t impress me. Why do all infants need Hep B shots.

Vaccines largely do what they are designed to do. The harms are mainly minor barring anaphylaxis. The issue of serious long term side effects is where we find the major battles and disputes. It’s a minefield and way beyond my ability to handle. Parents fighting over this issue are ending up in court. States and countries are considering making vaccination programmes mandatory. It is mandatory in California. Here is the CDC info on possible side effects such as autism ADHD etc.

I have some concerns. I imagine the intention of drug companies is to develop as many vaccines as possible and then lobby for them to be added to various guidelines and schedules. Apparently there are many more vaccines in the pipeline. Will we need them all? I lack trust in drug companies for good reason. And the profit motive is a problem in the medical game. It’s also concerning that in the medical world there is a tendency to extend the use of any effective method and end up over using it.

The great unwashed seem to have had enough of corporate capitalism, political spin, selective reporting by mainstream media and general lack of transparency. They feel they are been brainwashed. Many feel we are being over medicated and vaccinated due to lobbying.

Drug companies have been protected from legal action over vaccine issues. The public needs reassurance re vaccine safety. Independent researchers, free from conflicts of interest, statisticians and methodologists, should be funded and given access to all vaccine company research information including raw experimental data. The public needs to know that public statement are not spin. I have no idea what can be done about the battle over autism, ADHD etc. It’s become religious.