Since then, many studies have proved these observations wrong. The
government has to balance the vaccine it recommends to protect the
larger population with the highest mortality and keeping in mind cost
effectiveness.
I was disturbed when an article in your paper on the safety of
vaccines gave the impression that the vaccine for mumps, measles and
rubella is dangerous and can cause autism (DN, May 18).
The writer also implied that vaccines not on
routine government schedule are given out by private health providers
with the sole aim of making profits. This is far from the truth, and the
benefit far outweighs any imagined or real side-effects.
A vaccine is an agent that resembles a disease-causing micro-organism, which is made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins or one of its surface proteins.
The agent stimulates the body’s immunity and “remembers” it so that the immune system can more easily recognise and destroy any of those micro-organisms it later encounters.
There is no shortage of vaccine haters, but what drives them baffles me. They have websites, some of which the writer copied and pasted.
These argue that there is no protection from vaccines, and quote anecdotes without scientific backing. They have posted the prevalence of diphtheria and tuberculosis showing reduction of these diseases long before the introduction of vaccines.
It is true that hygiene and other measures can reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases, but those who were around in the 1980s can remember the high mortality rate from measles before the government stepped up vaccination.
Small pox was the first disease eliminated through vaccination. Polio, a debilitating paralysing disease, is in the process of being eliminated. Only small pockets remain.
We have known for many years that the tuberculosis vaccine does not protect one from the common presentation of the disease, but the vaccine has been shown to protect one from severe forms such as tuberculosis meningitis.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of related brain disorders that affect a child’s behaviour, social, and communication skills.
Risk factors to autism
It has no known cure, but some children with ASD can progress developmentally and learn new skills. They may improve so much that they no longer meet the criteria for ASD.
The first signs of autism appear at 15-18 months of age, and MMR is given at that age, leading some people to erroneously link the two.
The risk factors to autism unrelated to vaccines are: children exposed to thalidomide during the first or early second trimester, congenital rubella syndrome, fragile X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis and the Angelman syndrome.
Evidence has also been found for structural brainstem abnormalities in children with autism. In videos taken by parents, it is clear many of these children had symptoms before the vaccines had been instituted.
Dr Wakefield published two papers associating MMR
vaccine with autism. In one study, he described 12 children with
neuro-developmental delay (eight with autism). All of these children had
gastrointestinal complaints and developed autism within a month of
receiving MMR.
Since then, many studies have proved these observations wrong. The government has to balance the vaccine it recommends to protect the larger population with the highest mortality and keeping in mind cost effectiveness.
It also has an obligation to protect its
population from unwarranted intervention, a function it plays so well on
conventional medicine. However, more needs to be done on alternative
medicine, where unsubstantiated claims are made.
Vaccines remains one of the most effective and safest of tools
to combat infectious diseases and some cancers, but remember to ask your
doctor/health care provider on the safety of all interventions.
Dr Amukoye is interim vice-chairman of the Association of Travel Medicine and Vaccines Society of Kenya and a researcher at the Kenya Medical and Research Institute.
Source : The Nation , 3rd June 2013
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