Have you ever wondered how anti-vaccine do their vaccine research?
While they used to have to rely on Google University for their vaccine research, they now have folks making them ready made binders chock full of misinformation!
Misusing Vaccine Studies
As with their misuse of Google and Pubmed, a lot of the problems with these binders is that anti-vaccine folks cherry pick studies that support what they want to hear.
And in many cases, they read things into studies, thinking they support their views against vaccines, when they really don’t.
Is this 1995 study, Detection of Measles Virus RNA in Urine Specimens from Vaccine Recipients, a warning about shedding?
Anti-vaccine folks would sure like you to think so, but the thing is, measles is a respiratory illness.
“In this systematic review, we have determined that there have been no confirmed cases of human-to-human transmission of the measles vaccine virus.”
Greenwood et al on A systematic review of human-to-human transmission of measles vaccine virus
Detecting vaccine strain measles in urine isn’t something to be concerned about because it can’t lead to an infection.
Anyway, you’re not going to get measles from shedding after someone was vaccinated. If you do, you will be the first!
Misusing MTHFR Tests
Have you wondered why anti-vaccine are so concerned about their MTHFR test results?
“In conclusion, the invalid interpretation that the determination of the MTFHR variant is an acceptable reason for vaccine exemptions is not based on the precepts of replication and rigorous clinical testing. It is unfortunate that the loose application of our exploratory report has been misinterpreted and used to inappropriately justify exemption of children from medically indicated vaccines.”
David M Reif, Ph.D. on the Inappropriate Citation of Vaccine Article
Turns out it is because a few anti-vaccine doctors misinterpretated an old study about the smallpox vaccine.
Now that the author of that study has called them out, will they stop?
Other Vaccine Studies That Are Misused
Of course, there are more…
Remember when anti-vaccine folks thought that the polio vaccine was causing outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease?
“Well, that’s actually totally backwards. Our article suggests that FAILURE to get vaccinated with polio vaccine might set you up for Hand Food Mouth disease (EV71).”
It wasn’t…
And then there is the study that had anti-vaccine folks thinking that 38% of the kids in the Disneyland measles outbreak were vaccinated.
The study was about new ways to detect measles vaccine reactions.
“During measles outbreak investigations, rapid detection of measles vaccine reactions is necessary to avoid unnecessary public health interventions.”
Roy et al on Rapid Identification of Measles VirusVaccine Genotype by Real-Time PCR
These are folks with a fever and a rash after their MMR vaccine.
This is not people with vaccine-associated measles.
Misusing Scientific Research
Remember when they thought that the study, Deaths Reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, United States, 1997–2013, reported that 79% of deaths in VAERS occurred on the day a child received a vaccine?
That’s not what the study said…
The study simply said that “For child death reports, 79.4% received >1 vaccine on the same day.”
It wasn’t the same day they died though.
“No concerning pattern was noted among death reports submitted to VAERS during 1997–2013.”
Moro et al on Deaths Reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
In fact, the study “did not detect any concerning patterns that would suggest causal relationships between vaccination and deaths.”
What about when anti-vaccine folks say that only 1% of vaccine side effects are reported to VAERS? That has to be true, right?
Not exactly.
That claim is based on an old study about drug reactions and was not specific to vaccines.
“To counter the propaganda by anti-vaccine activists, the research and public health communities have to adjust their communication.”
Stephan Guttinger on The anti-vaccination debate and the microbiome
Does any of this surprise you?
Can we counter this type of anti-vaccine propaganda and keep it from scaring parents away from vaccinating and protecting their kids?
Sure.
But first we all have to recognize that they are doing it!
More on Misusing Vaccine Studies
- Using Google University to Research Vaccines
- Using Pubmed to Do Research About Vaccines
- How Do Anti-Vaccine Folks Think?
- Hierarchy of Evidence and Vaccine Papers
- What Are the Signs of MTHFR Mutations?
- Inappropriate Citation of Vaccine Article
- Why Anti-vax Doctors Are Ordering 23andMe Tests
- Anti-vaxxers misusing new scientific breakthroughs on beneficial microbes
- Using NVICP cases to prove vaccine-autism link – anti-vaxxers get it wrong
- Study – The anti-vaccination debate and the microbiome: How paradigm shifts in the life sciences create new challenges for the vaccination debate.
- Study – Detection of measles virus RNA in urine specimens from vaccine
- Study – Lack of Evidence of Measles Virus Shedding in People with Inapparent Measles Virus Infections
- Study – A systematic review of human-to-human transmission of measles vaccine virus.
- Study – Exploring the Link between Polio Vaccination and Hand Foot Mouth Disease
- Study – Rapid Identification of Measles VirusVaccine Genotype by Real-Time PCR
- Study – Vaccine Rejection and Hesitancy: A Review and Call to Action
- Ethical Issues and Vaccines
- Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Usefulness and Limitations