I'm sure you've seen the stories. I certainly have. I've been emailed, anonymously told on this blog, and I also read the news. It would be hard to miss. Wondering what I'm talking about? Take a look at this cnn.com news story:
Measles Outbreak May be Linked to Vaccine Fears
In this article, they take many shots at families who choose not to vaccinate. Those families, families like my own, are having the finger pointed at them because of the current measles outbreaks (which, in the big scheme of things, there is NO epidemic). Funny thing is, if you read the very first sentence in this news story you see something a little (ok, a lot) contradictory. Let me show you:
"Measles cases in the U.S. are at the highest level in more than a decade, with nearly half of those involving children whose parents rejected vaccination, health officials reported Thursday."
Did you catch what I caught when you read the opening sentence? If not, let me show you what caught my eye.
"...with nearly half of those involving children who parents rejected vaccination..."
Nearly half. Not the total group, not half, nearly half.
Webster's dictionary defines "nearly" this way: 1: in a close manner or relationship, 2 a: almost but not quite.
So, based on Webster's definition and the article on cnn.com, almost, but not quite half of the measles cases came from unvaccinated children. NOT QUITE HALF. So that means that the other half, or actually slightly more than half, came from VACCINATED children. Funny how the news and the CDC can spin things, huh?
Seems to me, the CDC should be examining why the half who were vaccinated got the measles. The story even goes on to say that some of the unvaccinated children were too young for the vaccine. That is why they had not received it. See again, the families who choose not to vaccinate are being blamed for those numbers too. Somehow they got grouped in with the rest of us. Fair? No. Accurate? No.
Later, the article flips and gives a higher number for unvaccinated children. Honestly, the article is filled with inconsistencies. Regardless, I'm going to share with you what I shared with a friend who sent me this article:
While I certainly wouldn't like to see my boys get the measles, I trust that they would survive if they got it. Based on the facts that they are healthy, well-adjusted, and have good nutritional habits, I think they would get through measles and would then develop a life long immunity to it, just as they will chicken pox.
Like any parent who loves their children, I hate to see my kids suffer. I would feel terrible for them if they were to contract measles; however, I am much more willing to watch them conquer the measles than to suffer a disabling side effect from the MMR vaccine.
Not only have I see a lot of research on the dangerous ingredients in the vaccine, I have also read testimony after testimony of parents who had totally normal children pre-vaccine, and literally hours after receiving the MMR vaccine, they had zombies.
Also, as a Christian, I absolutely disagree with the choice of using human diploid cells from aborted fetal tissues in the vaccine (as listed in the MMR vaccine packet). Abortion is wrong, so why is it ok to use aborted fetal tissues? Because they're dead anyway? It's wrong. I don't want my children to have any part of that.
In the MMR pamphlet, there is a section under "Warnings":
They tell anyone currently with or who has a family history of convulsions, cerebral injury, or any other condition in which stress due to fever should be avoided.
My aunt has epilesy and convulsions.
The pamphlet also says, "As for any vaccine, vaccination with the MMR II may not result in protection in 100% of vaccines."
So it may not protect my kids from an illness that nearly all kids in America would be able to recover from, but may cause permanent disability? For me and our family, we find the risk to outweigh the benefits.
As for this big measles outbreak among the unvaccinated, history has shown many outbreaks among the vaccinated. However, with more parents opting out of vaccines, of course the CDC wants to highlight today's unvaccinated spreading measles. Of course.
Here is a super informative article that highlights even more information on the MMR vaccine. Check it out:
The MMR Vaccine: What the Manufacturer's Insert Tells Us
The CNN article also says:
"Pediatricians are frustrated, saying they are having to spend more time convincing parents that the shot is safe."
"This year, we certainly have had parents asking more questions," said Dr. Ari Brown, an Austin, Texas, physician who is a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics."
I'm sorry, what? Pediatricians are frustrated because they are having to calm parents fears? They are frustrated because they're having to answer questions about the safety of vaccines? Because parents want to be informed BEFORE they put potentially dangerous chemicals into their most precious cargo, their children? Really, pediatricians? That is frustrating to you? For those parents who are questioning your child's healthcare, I APPLAUD you! You are doing your job as a parent. Keep up the good work! Oh, and there are great pediatricians out there who are eager to answer the questions you have. I encourage you to find one of those. Don't settle for someone who gets irritated because you want to know what you're doing to your kids before you do it.Here are more interesting articles:
Just How Protected Against the Measles Are We Anyway?
Measles Vaccines Undeniably Linked to Autism
Finnish Study Attempts to Confirm MMR Safety
5 comments:
Annie, first of all, let me explain something about the "nearly half" comment. The reason why nearly half was pointed out was because the other near-half were children and some adults who did not qualify to be vaccinated due to prior medical conditions and/or food allergies. So they had no choice but to be unvaccinated. As for the ones who chose not to be vaccinated, this really is a problem. Measles is not the only preventable condition making a comeback. And there is no peer-reviewed evidence (evidence that stands up to scrutiny) that links vaccines to anything. The anecdotal evidence is based on what we call recall bias. For example, if you eat something today, and it makes you sick in two hours, you will remember eating it because you got sick. If it doesn't make you sick, I can ask you in a week and you may not remember it.
You come across as a fundamentalist Christian. So my question is why you are quoting scientific studies to try to back up your argument? Either the evidence for your beliefs is there, is tangible, or it's not. Now, if you opt-out of vaccines for reasonable reasons (at this point, I'll take any religious reasons), that is perfectly fine. But remember that we are to live for our Faith, and die for it not die because of it.If you opt-out on fear... Well, fear never really got us anywhere.
Hi, Ren! Thanks for stopping by.
I will address a couple of your points.
"fear never really got us anywhere."
Great point. So why is it that the CDC and pharmaceutical companies use fear to force parents to give their children vaccines? Do you not think it's scare tactics they're using when you see headlines like "Measles Outbreak May be Linked to Fears"? And then they go on and on about how "measles, best known for a red skin rash, is a potentially deadly, highly infectious virus that spreads through contact with a sneezing, coughing, infected person." The story itself said that of the 131 cases, there have been NO fatalities.
Yes, in the past measles may have caused deaths, but these days, with the improvement of living conditions, nutrition, and hygiene, it's rare for people to die of the measles.
Another case of scaring people into vaccines came from someone who just posted a comment yesterday. She said that she and her husband had remained pure until marriage, they had never slept with anyone else, yet her doctor recommended that she receive the Gardasil vaccine (which has been shown to have MANY dangerous side effects) "just in case she was raped or sexually molested". What?! Are you serious?! Talk about living in fear. I mean, the roof of any building could cave in on my head. Should I start walking around with a helmet on? It's the same thing.
"at this point, I'll take any religious reasons"
Based on the MMR's manufacturer's drug insert, the Rubella part of the vaccine is grown in human diploid lung fibroblasts. Translation: aborted human embryo tissue.
RIGHT there is a HUGE reason NOT to get this vaccine. They are using aborted human embryo tissue. Based on my Christian beliefs, abortion is wrong. So why is it that so many Christians are ok with injecting their children with vaccines made from aborted fetuses? I think it's because they don't know.
Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you...". It's wrong.
"And there is no peer-reviewed evidence (evidence that stands up to scrutiny) that links vaccines to anything."
The funny thing is, people keep stepping out and telling that they were forced to hide dangerous side effects. Don't forget about Hannah Poling. I believe her case is the first of many.
"According to the leaked document posted online, the government’s Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation concluded that five shots Hannah received in July 2000, when she was 19 months old, “significantly aggravated an underlying mitochondrial disorder” and resulted in a brain disorder “with features of autism spectrum disorder.”"
http://www.autismvox.com/the-case-of-hannah-poling/
You say there's no evidence that links vaccines to anything, well I could say the opposite is true as well. There is no evidence that shows that vaccines do not cause anything.
Annieck, first and foremost, let me thank you for picking up the discussion and countering is such a well thought-out way. And I don't just write that tongue-in-cheek.
Fear. When I say that fear has not gotten us anywhere, I am not condoning anyone from using it, CDC, WHO, and Pharma included. It's not a good strategy because it leads to resentment. Also, people do not like being talked down to.
Deaths. Deaths do not occur in the US precisely because of the reasons you stipulated AND because there is now herd immunity (where enough of the population is immune to protect the rest). However, at the rate people are not vaccinating, we will lose herd immunity in about five years. I have been in the midst of a measles epidemic, and it's heartbreaking to know that a simple shot could have prevented it AND simple medicines could have countered the complications. Upwards of 250,000 people (90% children) die all over the world from measles.
Guardasil. Other than sexual encounters, HPV may be contracted from accidental and incidental contact with contaminated sources. Furthermore, it has been my experience in Public Health that, when someone says they have remained pure, they are most often than not (and I'm sad to say this) lying.
Fetuses. Not all of them. Many of these tissues come from unwanted embryos. I still believe they are humans, but they would otherwise be thrown away. So, do we throw them away or put them to good use? It's really a HUGE question that I am glad I don't have to answer. However, it would be a bigger sin to deny someone the vaccine when I know in my heart of hearts that it works. Which leads us to...
Evidence. All of the peer-reviewed evidence does point to the fact that vaccine prevent the diseases they are designed to prevent. But let us step away from the "big science" and just look at the evidence from history. As soon as vaccines were introduced, the incidence of cases dropped like a rock. And, in places where the vaccines have been taken away (or refused), the diseases make a comeback. And then there is Pasteur who experimented with children to cure rabies with a vaccine.
All in all. Listen, we are going to have to agree to disagree on this because we both feel very passionately about the subject. You're a mother who treasures her children, and you would not dare risk them being harmed by vaccines. (Why you risk them getting a disease like measles is for a discussion at a later time.) So I understand your point of view. Likewise, please understand where I am coming from. I am an epidemiologist with over ten years of clinical and field experience. I have been at ground-zero of outbreaks that never made it to the news, where no government official told me to shut up or hide the truth. I thank God for the knowledge and wisdom brought onto scientists who created these vaccines. And I thank Him just as much for the free will that allow you to make the choices you have made, whatever my point of view. Thanks for the space to air this out, God bless. Take care. And, if you still want to chat about all this, please feel free to visit my blog or drop me a line at rfnajera@gmail.com .
Ren, while I disagree on many of your points, I have a great deal of respect for you. THANK YOU for being diplomatic, kind, and for sharing your views in that way. That says a lot about the kind of person you are. :)
For now, we'll agree to disagree. Thank you for sharing your honest opinion, though. It's good to get people thinking about all sides. THAT is what I want most from people...to research every angle.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by and for not berating me for disagreeing with your opinions. :)
Blessings!
Annieck, if you find it, a book by Drs. C. Everett Koop and Timothy Johnson titled, "Let's Talk: An Honest Conversation on Critical Issues: Abortion, AIDS, Euthanasia, Healthcare". It is a set of letters back and forth between these two very intelligent and sensible men. The book really shows how a debate should be done with complete respect for both sides. Have a great Holiday weekend.
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