Tag: package inserts

Fact Checking an Anti-Vaccine Measles Outbreak Quiz

Anti-vaccine folks have gotten pretty good at pushing propaganda to keep you scared to vaccinate and protect your kids.

Now, they even have quizzes to help test how much of that misinformation you remember!

Fact Checking an Anti-Vaccine Measles Outbreak Quiz

A quiz about measles outbreaks by the ironically named Physicians for Informed Consent was recently promoted by Dr. Bob Sears.

How did Dr. Bob get 12 out of 12 correct if most of the answers are really wrong?
How did Dr. Bob get 12 out of 12 correct if most of the answers are really wrong?

Let’s take a look at some of the questions and the anti-vaccine answers…

There is only so much that better hygiene, sanitation, and nutrition can do, which is why about 400 to 500 people were dying of measles in the 1950s and early 1960s just before the first measles vaccines were developed.
There is only so much that better hygiene, sanitation, and nutrition can do, which is why about 400 to 500 people were dying of measles in the 1950s and early 1960s just before the first measles vaccines were developed.

While mortality rates did indeed decline for most diseases and conditions in the early part of the 20th century because of advancements in living conditions, nutrition, and health care, that effect had plateaued by the mid-1930s.

Being unvaccinated and unprotected is the main reason why people in underdeveloped countries die from measles, not low vitamin A…

It is true that vitamin A deficiency increases the risk for more severe complications and death from measles, which is why it can be more deadly in undeveloped countries where malnutrition is a big problem.

“Because of gaps in vaccination coverage, measles outbreaks occurred in all regions, while there were an estimated 110 000 deaths related to the disease.”

Measles cases spike globally due to gaps in vaccination coverage

Unfortunately, the other big problem in many of these countries is that these kids are unvaccinated because of a lack of access to vaccines.

This child doesn’t appear to have measles…

Immune globulin is a treatment option if you have been exposed to measles, but it is not actually a treatment once you have measles. And high dose vitamin A mainly benefits those with a vitamin A deficiency, which is unlikely in an industrial country, like the United States.

The only benefit of having measles, which you have to earn by having measles and surviving without complications, is that you will have developed immunity to measles.

In addition to having no other benefits, you will then be at risk for SSPE and may have wiped out your immune system for a few years.

While you are at risk for encephalitis and seizures after a natural infection, after getting a dose of MMR, one risk is a febrile seizure, which is typically thought to be benign.

The risk of having a febrile seizure after the first dose of the MMR vaccine is about 1 in 2,500 doses. There is also a small risk of having a febrile seizure if the flu vaccine is given at the same time as a Prevnar or DTaP vaccine.

It is important to note that vaccines are not the only reason that children have febrile seizures. Many infections, including vaccine preventable infections, can trigger febrile seizures, in addition to causing more serious types of non-febrile seizures.

This is not true.

It is very unlikely that any of the kids who develop febrile seizures after a vaccine will later develop epilepsy.

“Febrile seizures can be frightening, but nearly all children who have a febrile seizure recover quickly, are healthy afterwards, and do not have any permanent neurological damage. Febrile seizures do not make children more likely to develop epilepsy or any other seizure disorder.”

Febrile Seizures Following Childhood Vaccinations, Including Influenza Vaccination

Without any risk factors (parent or sibling with epilepsy, having complex febrile seizures, or abnormal development), a child with febrile seizures has the same risk of developing epilepsy has any other child.

Do anti-vaccine folks really read the inserts?

Like many other vaccines, the package insert for MMR does say that it has “has not been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or potential to impair fertility.” That doesn’t mean that it hasn’t undergone safety studies for its potential to cause cancer, genetic mutations, and impaired fertility though.

Wait, what? Yeah, all vaccines have preclinical toxicology studies, including single and/or repeat dose, reproductive and developmental, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, and safety pharmacology. If any issues are found, further studies are done.

The only way to think that a natural measles infection is safer than the MMR vaccine is if you believe that all reports to VAERS have been confirmed as being caused by the vaccine (they aren’t) and you don’t think about the fact that relatively few people get measles any more (so you don’t see or hear about many measles deaths) because most folks are vaccinated and protected!

How did you do on the quiz?

Did you easily spot all of the anti-vaccine propaganda?

More on Fact Checking an Anti-Vaccine Measles Outbreak Quiz

Dr. Baker Says to Stop Worrying About Measles!

Are you worried about measles?

Are you less worried because a chiropracter on the Internet told you to stop worrying?

Dr. Baker Says to Stop Worrying About Measles!

I have no idea who “Dr” Baker really is, but let’s take a look at his copypasta “evidence” for why you shouldn’t worry about measles.

What’s missing from his list?

All of the studies that say that vaccines aren’t associated with autism!

The study, Long-term measles-induced immunomodulation increases overall childhood infectious disease mortality, which found that measles had an affect on non-measles deaths (causing more of them) through “measles-induced immune damage.”

And lots of other evidence that says that the MMR vaccine is safe, effective, and necessary.

If you really don’t want to have to worry about measles, get your kids vaccinated and protected.

Unfortunately, some folks don’t have that option, as their kids might be too young to get vaccinated or might have a true medical contraindication to getting vaccinated.

They have to worry about measles, no matter what “Dr.” Baker says, mostly because of your unvaccinated kids…

More on Worrying about Measles

Show Me the Vaccine Insert!

Have you ever wondered why anti-vaccine folks always ask about vaccine inserts?

It will soon be obvious that anti-vaccine folks don't really read vaccine inserts...
It will soon be obvious that anti-vaccine folks don’t really read vaccine inserts…

Would they really be happy if we handed them the entire vaccine insert before every visit?

Would they read the entire vaccine insert?

Which part of the vaccine insert do anti-vaccine even read?
Which part of the vaccine insert do anti-vaccine folks even read?

Or would they continue to only believe the parts that they think justify their decisions to leave their kids unvaccinated, unprotected, and at risk for getting life-threatening diseases?

Show Me the Vaccine Insert!

Let’s see what’s really in these package inserts…

“Measles, mumps, and rubella are three common childhood diseases, caused by measles virus, mumps virus (paramyxoviruses), and rubella virus (togavirus), respectively, that may be associated with serious complications and/or death. For example, pneumonia and encephalitis are caused by measles. Mumps is associated with aseptic meningitis, deafness and orchitis; and rubella during pregnancy may cause congenital rubella syndrome in the infants of infected mothers”

MMR II Package Insert

Wait a second!

How can anti-vaccine folks say that measles is a mild disease if the vaccine insert says that it “may be associated with serious complications and/or death.”

Have they really read this thing?

“The impact of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination on the natural history of each disease in the United States can be quantified by comparing the maximum number of measles, mumps, and rubella cases reported in a given year prior to vaccine use to the number of cases of each disease reported in 1995. For measles, 894,134 cases reported in 1941 compared to 288 cases reported in 1995 resulted in a 99.97% decrease in reported cases; for mumps, 152,209 cases reported in 1968 compared to 840 cases reported in 1995 resulted in a 99.45% decrease in reported cases; and for rubella, 57,686 cases reported in 1969 compared to 200 cases reported in 1995 resulted in a 99.65% decrease”

MMR II Package Insert

Full stop!

How can they say vaccines don’t work when the package insert provides these stats showing it does and goes on to say that “M-M-R II is highly immunogenic and generally well tolerated.”

“The recommended age for primary vaccination is 12 to 15 months.”

MMR II Package Insert

Why are some of these folks delaying or skipping their child’s MMR vaccine? The package insert says to give it at 12 to 15 months!

“Individuals first vaccinated at 12 months of age or older should be revaccinated prior to elementary school entry.”

MMR II Package Insert

That’s the part of the package insert that says to give a second dose before kids enter kindergarten.

“There are no reports of transmission of live attenuated measles or mumps viruses from vaccinees to susceptible contacts.”

MMR II Package Insert

And that’s the part that says they can stop talking about shedding.

Maybe we should make anti-vaccine folks read these inserts…

“The following adverse reactions are listed in decreasing order of severity, without regard to causality, within each body system category and have been reported during clinical trials, with use of the marketed vaccine, or with use of monovalent or bivalent vaccine containing measles, mumps, or rubella:”

MMR II Package Insert

Do anti-vaccine folks understand that some of the things that are listed in the adverse reactions section of the package insert haven’t actually been proven to be caused by the vaccine? They are listed “without regard to causality.”

When you see them talk about SIDS and autism and package inserts, this is what they are talking about.

What about all of the “hidden” ingredients that are listed in the package insert?

Vaccine ingredients are not hard to find.

The ingredients that are so well hidden, they are listed right in the vaccine’s insert? Where does it mention all of the toxins that anti-vaccine folks are always talking about?

“…M-M-R II is highly immunogenic and generally well tolerated.”

MMR II Package Insert

The MMR vaccine works and it is safe.

It says so in the package insert.

Vaccinate your kids.

More on Vaccine Inserts

Diagnosing Vaccine Injuries

Vaccines are often described as one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.

That great benefit also leaves no doubt for most people that getting vaccinated and fully protected far outweighs the very small risks that vaccines might have.

Vaccine Injuries vs Vaccine Side Effects

Vaccines can certainly have side effects.

Fever, pain at the injection site, and redness and swelling where the shot was given are all common, mild problems that can be associated with almost any vaccine.

Some vaccines might also commonly cause fussiness, tiredness or poor appetite, and vomiting within 1 to 3 days of getting the vaccine. Others can cause a rash, headache, or muscle and joint pain for a few days.

Even syncope or fainting can commonly occur within 15 minutes of teens getting a vaccine.

Other vaccine side effects can include persistent crying, nodules at the injection site, limb swelling, and febrile seizures, etc.

These are well known vaccine side effects that are often minor and temporary though.

Is It a Vaccine Injury?

Although the term is typically associated with the anti-vaccine movement, as they tend to think everything is a vaccine injury, it is important to understand that vaccine injuries, although rare, are indeed real.

After all, vaccines are not 100% safe.

In addition to the milder side effects listed above, vaccines can very rarely cause more serious types of adverse events or injuries, including:

  • life threatening allergic reactions
  • brachial neuritis (shoulder pain and then weakness) following a tetanus containing vaccine
  • encephalopathy/encephalitis following a measles, mumps, or rubella, or pertussis containing vaccine
  • chronic arthritis following a rubella containing vaccine
  • thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) following a measles containing vaccine
  • vaccine-strain measles viral infection in an immunodeficient recipient following a measles containing vaccine
  • intussusception – following a rotavirus vaccine
  • shoulder injury related to vaccine administration – SIRVA

Keep in mind that some of these are just table injuries and are not necessarily proven as being caused by vaccines.

And while vaccines are associated with some serious adverse events, the research is clear that vaccines are not associated with autism, SIDS, and shaken baby syndrome, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, or other so-called vaccine induced diseases.

Or Is It Just a Coincidence?

Dr. Samuel Johnson once said that “It is incident to physicians, I am afraid, beyond all other men, to mistake subsequence for consequence.”

How does this apply to diagnosing vaccine injuries?

Too often we forget that just because one event is subsequent (happens after) another, it does not mean that it was a consequence (was caused by) the first event. It is another way of saying that correlation does not imply causation.

This is also highlighted by missed vaccine stories, events that would surely be blamed on a vaccine injury, except that a vaccine was never actually given for one reason or another.

Most pediatricians have these types of missed vaccine stories, such as:

  • an infant who begins vomiting on the way home from a well appointment and is diagnosed with intussusception (9 month old visit and didn’t get any vaccines)
  • a 4 year old who developed encephalitis just one week after his well check up (no vaccines – DTP had been deferred to his 5 year old visit)
  • a 2 month old who died of SIDS on the night of his scheduled well child visit (no vaccines as they had forgotten to go to the appointment)
  • a 4 month old who had a seizure at his well child visit (no vaccines were given yet as they were still being drawn up)

Or they have kids who begin to have symptoms or are diagnosed with a condition right around the time of a check up when they would routinely get one or more vaccines, but haven’t yet. From diabetes and POTS to transverse myelitis, some parents would have blamed their child’s vaccines if they had actually been vaccinated at that time and subsequently got diagnosed.

My own son started getting migraines when he was 12 years old and about to start 7th grade. Should I blame his headaches on his middle school booster shots? While it would be convenient, it is more likely that genetics are to blame. I started getting migraines at about the same age, and he began getting them just before he got his booster shots.

Diagnosing Vaccine Injuries

How do you know if your child had a true vaccine injury?

Does the reaction fit into the vaccine injury type AND “time period for first symptom or manifestation of onset or of significant aggravation after vaccine administration” as described in the NVICP vaccine injury tables?

That time period, also known as a risk interval, is when “individuals are considered at risk for the development of a certain adverse event following immunization (AEFI) potentially caused by the vaccine.”

For example, did your child develop an anaphylactic reaction within four hours of getting the DTaP vaccine? While a reaction 14 hours after the vaccine would be much less likely to be caused by the vaccine, if it occurred within 4 hours, that could certainly be a vaccine injury.

How about a child who developed thrombocytopenic purpura 90 days after getting his MMR vaccine? That is unlikely to be a vaccine injury, as the MMR vaccine typically causes TTP within 7 to 30 days.

If you think that your child has had a vaccine injury, be sure to talk to your pediatrician. You should also report any vaccine reaction to Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) and if you truly believe that your child has been injured by a vaccine, you can file a claim with the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

“You may file a claim if you received a vaccine covered by the VICP and believe that you have been injured by this vaccine.”

What You Need to Know About the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP)

How will your pediatrician figure out if it is a vaccine injury? Among the things that they will consider when evaluating a reaction after a vaccine will be the answers to some key questions, including:

  • Is there any evidence that something else caused the reaction? While getting a vaccine could cause an anaphylactic reaction, so could the fact that your child just eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
  • Is there a known causal association between the reaction and the vaccine?
  • Is there strong evidence against a causal association between the reaction and the vaccine?
  • Is there a laboratory test that implicates the vaccine as a cause of the reaction?
  • If the reaction is an infection, did it have a vaccine or wild type origin?

Your pediatrician will also consider other factors when making a decision, including whether other patients were affected (might implicate a contaminated vaccine), and will make sure that the original diagnosis is correct.

Being able to answer all of these questions often puts pediatricians in the unique position of correctly evaluating potential vaccine injuries. There is even a standardized algorithm that can help your pediatrician collect and interpret all of the data they will get when evaluating a possible vaccine injury.

Another algorithm can help evaluate and manage suspected allergic reactions, including immediate or type 1 hypersensitivity reactions and delayed type 3 hypersensitivity reactions. If the reaction is consistent with an allergic reaction and additional doses of the vaccine are still needed, possible next steps in this algorithm include serologic testing for immunity and skin testing with the vaccine or vaccine components.

For extra help, your pediatrician can consult an allergist or immunologist before considering giving your child another vaccine, if necessary. Experts at the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) are also available for consults about suspected vaccine injuries.

Over-Diagnosing Vaccine Injuries

In addition to vaccine side effects and vaccine injuries, it is much more common for children and adults to develop health problems and symptoms after getting a vaccine that have nothing to do with the vaccine. These are events, sometimes tragic, that would have happened even if they had not been vaccinated.

Anytime we see a post about vaccines and SIDS, we know what happened, an anti-vaccine Facebook group is taking advantage of a grieving family.
Anytime we see a post about vaccines and SIDS, we know what happened, an anti-vaccine Facebook group is taking advantage of a grieving family.

Despite the evidence against it, some parents may still think that their child has been injured or damaged by a vaccine, especially if they:

  • believe all of the vaccine injury stories they hear on the Internet
  • misuse vaccine package inserts
  • believe that VAERS reports have all been confirmed to be true
  • think that vaccine injuries can occur months or years after getting a vaccine
  • find a case report in PubMed and think that is convincing evidence of causality, even though it is really nothing more than a glorified anecdote
  • have found their way into a Facebook group where folks think vaccines always injure kids
  • go to a homeopath, chiropractor, or holistic practitioner who told them the child was injured

For example, studies have repeatedly shown that “vaccination does not increase the overall risk of sudden infant death (SIDS),” and that “the risk of SIDS in vaccinated cases and controls is neither increased nor reduced during the early post-vaccination period.”

What should you do if you really think that your child has a vaccine injury?
Just what a parent needs when their baby dies of SIDS, someone to reach out and tell them it was because they had him vaccinated… 

So a VAERS report of SIDS on the night that an infant received his 4 month vaccines, while tragic, would likely not end up being classified as a true vaccine injury.

Neither should a case report or package insert about SIDS influence your thinking about SIDS being associated with a vaccine injury.

Still, it is easy to understand why many like to blame vaccines.

Vaccines are an easy target, especially as most vaccine-preventable diseases are under fairly good control compared to the pre-vaccine era. And in some cases of SIDS, a new case of diabetes, or the sudden death of an older child, etc., it may happen soon after the child was vaccinated, and that correlation is hard to ignore for some folks.

At least it is hard to ignore and easy to be influenced by anti-vaccine folks if you don’t understand the background rate of these diseases – or the fact that a certain number of children will be affected no matter what, and because many kids get vaccinated, it is only a matter of chance that the two get correlated together. 

Vaccines are safe.

They don’t typically cause serious vaccine injuries.

If you do think that your child has a vaccine injury, talk to your pediatrician. Don’t get diagnosed in a Facebook forum…

More on Diagnosing Vaccine Injuries

Is AFM a Form of Transverse Myelitis?

Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM) is a form of acute flaccid paralysis.

“AFM can be difficult to diagnose because it shares many of the same symptoms as other neurologic diseases, like transverse myelitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome. With the help of testing and examinations, doctors can distinguish between AFM and other neurologic conditions.”

About Acute Flaccid Myelitis

AFM is not transverse myelitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), or Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) though, although anti-vaccine folks are trying hard to make a connection.

Is AFM a Form of Transverse Myelitis?

AFM is similar to transverse myelitis, in that they both affect a person’s spinal cord, but a big difference is that TM results from “an immune-mediated inflammatory attack of a person’s spinal cord.”

“This report and others indicate that AFM represents a unique subset of acute flaccid paralysis distinct from GBS and transverse myelitis. GBS typically presents with an ascending paralysis and can be associated with facial paralysis and sensory symptoms. Children with transverse myelitis have weakness and prominent sensory loss, often manifest as a spinal sensory level. By contrast, the majority of children with AFM have focal, poliomyelitis-like spinal cord paralysis with minimal or no sensory symptoms.”

Recognition and Management of Acute Flaccid Myelitis in Children

And AFM has different symptoms from both TM and GBS.

So why try to connect AFM with TM, GBS, and ADEM? Because they think that vaccines cause TM, GBS, and ADEM.

They don’t. Just like vaccines don’t cause AFM.

There is no proof in package inserts that vaccines cause AFM.
There is no proof in package inserts that vaccines cause AFM.

But can’t you find some of these things listed in the package insert for some vaccines?

Yes, but when mentioned in a vaccine’s package insert, like for autism, SIDS, or meningitis, it is in the section where it is clear that it is “without regard to causality.”

AFM is not transverse myelitis and neither are caused by vaccines.

We will hopefully learn what is causing the latest cases of AFM soon.

More on AFM and Transverse Myelitis

Why Do Some People Think That Vaccines Cause AFM?

So we know that vaccines don’t cause acute flaccid myelitis.

Consider a five-year-old in Maryland who recently came down with symptoms of AFM.

Was he recently vaccinated?

Nope. It had been some time since his four-year-old vaccines. Almost a year. And he had not gotten a flu vaccine yet.

What he did have were worsening symptoms about two weeks after he had seemed to get over a cold, something he has in common with most other kids with AFM.

“To try to pin a tragic yet uncommon neurological condition caused by enteroviruses on vaccines is dangerous and puts more kids at risk.”

Scott Krugman, MD

As with this case, the CDC reports no correlation with vaccines in the cases that they have investigated.

And remember, some of these kids have been unvaccinated!

That makes you wonder why some folks actually think that vaccines are associated with AFM, doesn’t it?

Why Do Some People Think That Vaccines Cause AFM?

That’s right, as you are likely suspecting, the usual suspects are pushing anti-vaccine propaganda and promoting the idea to scare parents away from vaccinating and protecting their kids.

“…there are many other reasons to suspect vaccine-related mechanisms of causation for AFM in the U.S., a primary one being that the scientific literature has documented paralysis as an adverse reaction to vaccination for decades!”

The Non-Polio Illness That “Looks Just Like Polio” by Lyn Redwood, RN, MSN, President, Children’s Health Defense

If any of these kids had recently gotten the oral polio vaccine, then sure, an adverse reaction to the vaccination would be at the top of the list of possible causes. After all, we know that VAPP can occur after OPV, but that vaccine hasn’t been used in the United States since 2000, when we switched to IPV.

Why do these folks think that they have it all figured out?

Vaccines are not causing AFM because of needle puncture wounds or tonsillectomies.
Vaccines are not causing AFM because of needle puncture wounds or tonsillectomies.

The AFM outbreaks happen at the beginning of the school year, when kids are all getting their shots, right?

Nope. They happen during the summer and early fall, peaking in August. And despite what some folks think, most parents don’t wait until the end of summer, just before school starts, to vaccinate their kids. Plus, most kids don’t even need vaccines before the start of the school year. Kids typically only get vaccines before starting kindergarten and middle school.

But the outbreaks do coincide with the when kids get their flu shots, right?

How many kids get flu shots in June and July?

If it was flu shots, the peak would be in October and November, when most kids get their flu shots and we would continue to see cases through December and January.

Many anti-vaccine websites and Facebook groups are pushing the idea that vaccines cause AFM.
Many anti-vaccine websites and Facebook groups are pushing the idea that vaccines cause AFM.

Of course, there is absolutely no evidence that flu vaccines, or any other vaccines, cause AFM.

What about the journal article that Brandy Vaughan posts as evidence?

“By reviewing vaccine-associated inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, this study describes the current knowledge on whether the safety signal was coincidental, as in the case of multiple sclerosis with several vaccines, or truly reflected a causal link, as in narcolepsy with cataplexy following pandemic H1N1 influenza virus vaccination.”

Vaccine-associated inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system: from signals to causation

Even if you just read the abstract, as many folks do, you get a good idea where they are going with the article. It talks about how the claims of an association between multiple sclerosis and vaccines were proven to be purely coincidental.

Remember, correlation does not imply causation.

With AFM, you don’t even have much correlation to imply causation though!

Most cases occur just before we start giving flu vaccines and they don’t occur every year or in every state.

But doesn’t the article mention myelitis?

“Most of the published associations are based on individual case reports or small series of patients.”

Vaccine-associated inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system: from signals to causation

It does mention myelitis, just like it mentions MS – where an association has been shown to be purely coincidental.

Remember, case reports are not good evidence.

“…there are many other reasons to suspect vaccine-related mechanisms of causation for AFM in the U.S., a primary one being that the scientific literature has documented paralysis as an adverse reaction to vaccination for decades!”

The Non-Polio Illness That “Looks Just Like Polio” by Lyn Redwood, RN, MSN, President, Children’s Health Defense

But isn’t acute flaccid myelitis listed as a possible side affect in the package inserts for our vaccines?

Uh, TRANSVERSE myelitis and ACUTE DISSEMINATED ENCEPHALOmyelitis are not the same as acute flaccid myeltitis.
Uh, TRANSVERSE myelitis and ACUTE DISSEMINATED ENCEPHALOmyelitis are not the same as acute flaccid myelitis.

While it should be clear that AFM isn’t the same as ADEM and TM, it is very important to understand that even when those other conditions are listed in a package insert, it is in the section that is marked “without regard to causality.”

This isn’t evidence that vaccines cause AFM!

But didn’t the BMJ publish a study about Vaccines and the U.S. Mystery of Acute Flaccid Myelitis?

BMJ seems to allow anyone to publish responses to their articles online...
BMJ seems to allow anyone to publish responses to their articles online…

Nope. What they did is let someone publish what is essentially an online letter to the editor. And anti-vaccine folks are spreading it around like it is an actual BMJ study…

Surprised?

You shouldn’t be.

This is how anti-vaccine propaganda works.

Why are vaccine injury lawyers talking about AFM?
Why are vaccine injury lawyers talking about AFM?

It’s no coincidence that anti-vaccine folks are trying so hard to associate the outbreaks of AFM with vaccines. What better way to scare folks and make them think that vaccines are dangerous?

AFM is all that anti-vaccine folks are talking about these days...
AFM is all that anti-vaccine folks are talking about these days…

How are ‘we’ working on a vaccine for AFM if we don’t even know what causes AFM???

But that’s how many anti-vaccine folks think. Everything is a vaccine injury. Everything is a conspiracy.

Don’t believe them. Vaccines are safe and necessary.

More on Anti-Vaccine Propaganda About AFM

 

Myths About Warnings and Adverse Reactions in the MMR Package Inserts

Have you heard that the MMR package insert “contains 42 paragraphs of warning and adverse reactions?”

And some of those warnings include “seizures, encephalitis, pneumonia, deafness, death and MEASLES?”

Measles? From the measles vaccine?

Myths About Warnings and Adverse Reactions in the MMR Package Inserts

Is that really in the MMR package insert?

Package inserts aren't so scary once you learn what's really in them.
Package inserts aren’t so scary once you learn what’s really in them.

Let’s see, 42 paragraphs of warning and adverse reactions???

Nope.

Anti-vaccine propaganda is not informed consent.
Anti-vaccine propaganda is not informed consent.

The Warning Section, which lists all adverse reactions and safety hazards that may occur after getting a vaccine and what you should do if they occur, actually only contains five paragraphs!

There are 23 more paragraphs in the Adverse Reactions section, but as most folks understand, this section includes clinical trials experience, postmarketing experience, and voluntary reports, so it is not always possible to establish a causal relationship to vaccination for the adverse effects listed here.

What does the MMR package insert say about seizures, encephalitis, hearing loss, and death?

“Measles is also known as rubeola. It is a serious illness. Measles virus can be passed to others if you have it. Measles can give you a high fever, cough, and a rash. The illness can last for 1 to 2 weeks. In rare cases, it can also cause an infection of the brain. This could lead to seizures, hearing loss, mental retardation, and even death.

Mumps can also be passed to others. This virus can cause fever and headache. It also makes the glands under your jaw swell and be painful. The illness often lasts for several days. Sometimes, mumps can make the testicles swell and be painful. In some cases, it can cause meningitis, which is a mild swelling of the coverings of the brain and spinal cord.

Rubella is also known as German measles. It is often a mild illness. Rubella virus can cause a mild fever swollen glands in the neck, pain and swelling in the joints, and a rash that lasts for a short time. It can be very dangerous if a pregnant woman catches it. Women who catch German measles when they are pregnant can have babies who are stillborn. Also, the babies may be blind or deaf, or have heart disease or mental retardation.”

So the package insert is telling folks to get vaccinated and protected to avoid seizures, encephalitis, and death. Why don’t anti-vaccine folks ever mention that part of the package insert?

Don’t listen to anti-vaccine propaganda about vaccine package inserts.

Learn the risk of misinformed consent and following bad advice – leaving your kids unvaccinated and unprotected.

More on Myths About Warnings and Adverse Reactions in the MMR Package Inserts