Later this summer, I plan on spending a long weekend with an old friend I haven’t seen in a while. She’s always been pretty heavy into pretty foofy naturopathic stuff, and while I don’t buy an ounce of it, the miracle cures she’s experienced make for some interesting stories. Lately however, she’s been “researching” a lot of anti-vaccination information.
Most of the time, we just relax and have a good time, and don’t talk about big issues. But, I don’t know if I can just smile and nod on this one. Trouble is, as I was thinking about it, I realized that I really have no evidence for either side, other than my general “Oh, come on.” attitude. I’d like to think myself slightly more informed than someone who gets my medical advice from Jenny McCarthy, but when it comes down to it, I’m not. This makes me sad.
So, can anyone point me in the direction of some pretty generally accepted studies showing that vaccinating is safe and positive? And, just for the fun of it, so I can know what the other side is saying, are there any studies out there that DO suggest that vaccines are teh evil? What is the best evidence? Is it all anecdotal?
Not sure if this is heated enough for Great Debates.
Turns out that Wakefield came up with a theory first, and then went looking for evidence to support it. He has a very interesting take on medical ethics and research.
I attempted to argue with an anti-vaccination chap on another message board, eventually becoming too irritated to carry on. He was quoting large chunks from this website - http://www.wddty.com/ - seemingly swallowing anything they had to say wholesale, while simultaneously rejecting such conspiracies as peer-reviewed research. He was claiming not only that vaccination itself was hazardous and ineffective but also that the mercury-based preservative used in some vaccines (this stuff: Thiomersal - Wikipedia ) was nothing but an evil poison spitefully doled out to the unsuspecting by ‘Big Pharm’.
There are various reports easily available to dispute this - if you visit the website for the Center for Disease Control there are some good ones. They acknowledge the potential adverse health effects of both vaccines and Thimerosal (which has been discontinued in vaccines for the very young as a precaution) but come to the conclusion that on balance, the lives saved by vaccines - and the longevity of these vaccines due to the preservative - outweigh the damage they do.
I prdict if you dispute your friend she will grow angry with you. She has the right to her opinion, but you don’t. Her identity is tied up with her beliefs. She feels special because she is one of the people in the know.
ETA: But, in terms of facts, you will find the following: Autism rose when the diagnostic criteria for it was broadened. Thiamersol was removed from vaccinations in many countries and reports of Autism continued to rise. All recent scientiic studies, in a variety of countries, have shown NO link betweem autism and vaccinations. I wait the ranting to begin.
Be forewarned though - someone who’s heavily into naturopathy is probably not going to be receptive to evidence-based thinking on health issues, and may well dismiss the science as being a Big Pharma/Medical Establishment put-up job.
In fact, thimerosal preservative has been out of all U.S. vaccines (with the exception of some flu vaccine) since 2002, and in other countries vaccines have been thimerosal free for much longer. The change has had no effect on autism rates.
The rare serious side effects from vaccines do not begin to compare with the numbers of deaths and serious injuries that used to be routine consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Note that the anti-vaxers’ latest tactic, now that thimerosal fades away, is to complain about unspecified “toxins” in vaccines. It has the virtue of being so meaningless that it’s difficult to argue against.
For a quick overview of evidence to debunk anti-vax arguments, look up the blogs Respectful Insolence (on Scienceblogs) and A Photon In The Darkness.
Honestly, if I were you, I would specifically avoid any discussion of vaccination, on the grounds that you want to enjoy your weekend.
This whole anti-vaccination movement uses classic Conspiracy Theory logic. No matter how many holes you shoot in the theory, the tattered remains are always still good enough.
The study that helped kick off this concern was fraudulent… doesn’t matter the vaccines are still dangerous, even if dozens of followup studies showed they aren’t.
Thimerosal causes autism, but autism rates didn’t drop when thimerosal was removed from vaccines… doesn’t matter, it must have been something else in the vaccine.
Why? Because they WANT to believe, they don’t need proof to believe it, they just need someone to tell them it’s OK to believe it.
Yeah, you’re right. We’re both past the age where we’re getting many vaccinations, and she doesn’t have children, so I suppose it’s a moot point. It’s just that sometimes . . . it just burns my soul.