Should Thyroid Patients Get a Smallpox Vaccination?

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Should Thyroid Patients Get a Smallpox Vaccination?

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With the news the smallpox vaccinations for healthcare workers and members of the military were already beginning, I had to wonder if I at some point would need to consider being vaccinated.

I asked my own physician, who told me that she was telling her patients that she is totally opposed to smallpox vaccinations except for those who are directly exposed to the virus. She said she even though she was in the healthcare profession, she was also not in favor of getting vaccinated herself unless smallpox were confirmed in our area or she were directly exposed.

But many readers have been contacting me to ask questions regarding the smallpox vaccination. Is it safe for thyroid patients? Is it only a concern for people taking immunosuppressant drugs, or should everyone with autoimmune diseases be concerned? Should you only be vaccinated if you are exposed to smallpox?

I posed the question regarding thyroid patients to Richard Shames, MD, author of Thyroid Power, and a specialist in immune conditions and hormone balance. Here is his response.

Dear Mary:

Thank you for offering me the chance to tell your readers my views on the possibility of vaccinating the American populace against smallpox. Basically I believe this is a very bad idea which runs counter to the mainstream of medical thought in this country. In particular, it may be a very bad idea for thyroid sufferers.

The vaccine uses an attenuated live virus, which means a certain amount of risk of morbidity and mortality. It is generally thought to make most sense to quarantine the person who gets the illness and vaccinate those who were in immediate contact with the person. In other words, the vaccine should be used only in case of an outbreak, and along with accepted medical procedures of isolation and quarantine.

In particular, thyroid sufferers have an immune problem that is likely to be made worse by injectible vaccinations. A person with high or low thyroid has an immune system that is TH2 predominant (T-Helper Cell Type 2). All vaccinations given by injection further stimulate this particular out-of-balance situation and thus have the potential of making the autoimmune response and the resultant thyroid situation worse.

For instance, in the Gulf War, soldiers received multiple vaccinations in a short space of time, which switched their immune systems from TH1 predominate to TH2 predominant. These individuals are now much more susceptible to viral infection and possibly further immune aberration due to toxic chemical exposures.

We certainly wouldn't want large numbers of people having to add a type of Gulf War Syndrome on top of their thyroid problems.

It's not just thyroid sufferers who should be extremely cautious of vaccinations. Almost any autoimmune sufferers would be in the same boat. People with dysfunctional immune systems might best be quite wary of the advice to be immunized.

In fact, Mary, I totally agree with your personal physician who says she is not advising smallpox vaccinations for anyone—only if there were direct exposure. In addition, I am further discouraging any one with thyroid or other autoimmune problems to submit themselves to this very questionable policy.

Best wishes to you and your readers in the New Year!

Richard Shames, MD

Dr. Richard Shames has practiced for over 30 years, written and lectured widely on thyroid, immune system, and hormonal health issues, and is considered an expert in the field. In addition to co-authoring a popular book, Thyroid Power, with his wife Karilee Shames, RN, PhD, he is a regular contributor to my thyroid websites, and provides a service offering thyroid coaching education sessions to consumers nationwide by telephone. For more information regarding telephone coaching, call 866 468-4979, or see the website, www.Thyroidpower.com.

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ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR LEGAL ADVICE.  THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.