Myth:
Immunizations are completely safe.
Fact: There is an extensive body of information on
the sometimes serious after-effects of vaccinations. Congress has recognized that serious
injuries can occur by passing the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act.
Recent figures from the Vaccine
Adverse Effect Reporting System (VAERS) operated by the FDA show 17,221
reported adverse reactions including 260 deaths nationwide following childhood vaccination
over a 20 month period between 1990 and 1992. As of November 1993, 394.9 million federal
compensation dollars have been awarded to vaccine-injured children's families. These
figures include 62 claims and 10 deaths originating in the state of Missouri.Myth: Immunizations are
completely effective.
Fact: Immunizations generally
have a lower effectiveness rate than the public realizes. A recent epidemic of 17 cases of
whooping cough in St. Louis showed that 11 of them were vaccinated (St. Louis Post
Dispatch, 9-4-93, p. B-1). Of the 178 reported cases of measles in Missouri during 1987,
only 51 (28.7%) occurred in unvaccinated individuals (Source: Missouri Epidemiologist).
Other epidemics of "vaccine-preventable illness" have included high proportions
of fully vaccinated individuals.
Myth:
Missouri's children are grossly undervaccinated.
Fact: Surveys by the Missouri
Health Dept. of private and public schools for the 91/92 and 92/93 school years have shown
adequate DPT, Polio and measles immunizations for over 96% of pupils. This was with the
old personal exemption still in place. Fewer than 1% of parents took exemptions. While
some statistics show that only about 60% of Missouri's two-year-olds have had their
"age-appropriate vaccinations", immunizations levels by school entry approach
100%. These figures make no allowance for vaccinations delayed for non-frivolous reasons
such as a child's illness.
Myth: Measles
and whooping cough are major health risks for Missouri's children.
Fact: There were no measles
cases in Missouri in 1992. Of the 120 cases of whooping cough, 48% were fully vaccinated.
No deaths occured (Mo. Heath Dept.).
Myth: One
dollar spent on immunization will save ten dollars in health care expenses later.
Fact: Such statements are
based on older statistics that do not take into account compensation money paid to
vaccine-injured families, nor do they consider long-term adverse effects of vaccines which
are largely unknown.
Myth: The
decrease in incidence of the so-called "vaccine-preventable illnesses" since the
early 1900's is due to mass immunization programs.
Fact: Notable scientists have
presented evidence that for many of these illnesses, death and incidence rates were
already declining prior to the introduction of vaccines owing largely to improved public
sanitation and the cyclical nature of epidemics (Source: Vaccines: Are They Really
Safe and Effective? by Neil Z. Miller, New Atlantean Press, 1992).
Myth: All
"civilized" countries have mandatory immunization programs.
Fact: The west European
countries have generous personal and religious exemptions from vaccination programs.
Pertussis (Whooping cough) vaccine generally is not used because of safety concerns and
participation in measles-mumps-rubella vaccination campaigns has remained voluntary.
Myth:
Non-vaccinating parents are irresponsible and neglectful of their children's health.
Fact: Many have conducted
extensive research to arrive at a balanced view of what is best for their child.
Myth: The
religious exemption is only open to members of certain organized groups such as Christian
Scientists.
Fact: Courts have repeatedly
held that children can be exempted because of sincerely held personal (ie. non-organized)
religious beliefs and that it is unconstitutional for State Legislatures and Health
Departments to limit religious exemption to organized religions ((1) Sherr and Levy -v.-
Northport-East Northport Union Free School District, 672 F. Supp. 81, (E.D.N.Y. 1987); (2)
Allanson -v.- Clinton Central School District, No. CV 84-174, 5, (N.D.N.Y. May 10, 1984).
(3) Mason -v.- General Brown Central School district, 86-CV-209 (N.D.N.Y)). |
