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Vaccination Myths
© by Alan Phillips
www.unc.edu/~aphillip/www/vaccine/dvm1.htm
Contradictions between Medical Science and Immunization Policy
When my son began his routine vaccination
series at age 2 months, I did not know there were any risks associated with
immunizations. But the clinic's literature contained a contradiction: the
chances of a serious adverse reaction to the DPT vaccine were 1 in 1750,
while his chances of dying from pertussis each year were 1 in several
million. When I pointed this out to the physician, he angrily disagreed, and
stormed out of the room mumbling, "I guess I should read that
sometime..."
Soon thereafter I learned of a child who
had been permanently disabled by a vaccine, so I decided to investigate for
myself. My findings have so alarmed me that I feel compelled to share them;
hence, this report.
Health authorities credit vaccines for
disease declines, and assure us of their safety and effectiveness. Yet these
seemingly rock-solid assumptions are directly contradicted by government
statistics, medical studies, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers
for Disease Control (CDC) reports, and reputable research scientists from
around the world.
In fact, infectious diseases
declined steadily for decades prior to vaccinations, U.S. doctors report
thousands of serious vaccine reactions each year including hundreds of deaths
and permanent disabilities, fully vaccinated populations have experienced
epidemics, and researchers attribute dozens of chronic immunological and
neurological conditions to mass immunization programs.
There are hundreds of published medical
studies documenting vaccine failure and adverse effects, and dozens of books
written by doctors, researchers, and independent investigators that reveal
serious flaws in immunization theory and practice. Ironically, most
pediatricians and parents are completely unaware of these findings. However,
this has begun to change in recent years, as a growing number of parents and
healthcare providers around the world are becoming aware of the problems and
starting to question the use of widespread, mandatory vaccinations.
My point is not to tell anyone whether or
not to vaccinate, but rather, with the utmost urgency, to point out some very
good reasons why everyone should examine the facts before deciding whether or
not to submit to the procedure. As a new parent, I was shocked to discover
the absence of a legal mandate or professional ethic requiring pediatricians
to be fully informed, and to see first-hand the prevalence of physicians who
are applying practices based on incomplete--and in some cases, outright
mis-information.
Though only a brief introduction, this
report contains sufficient evidence to warrant further investigation by all
concerned, which I highly recommend. You will find that this is the only way
to get an objective view, as the controversy is a highly emotional one.
A note of caution: Be careful trying to
discuss this subject with a pediatrician. Most have staked their identities
and reputations on the presumed safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and
thus have difficulty acknowledging evidence to the contrary. The first
pediatrician I attempted to share my findings with yelled angrily at me when
I calmly brought up the subject. The misconceptions have very deep roots.
MYTH #1
"Vaccines are completely safe..."
...or are they?
(Numbers in brackets refer to references at the bottom of
this article)
The FDA's VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Effects
Reporting System) receives about 11,000 reports of serious adverse reactions
to vaccination annually, some 1% (112+) of which are deaths from vaccine
reactions.[1]
The majority of these reports are made by
doctors, and the majority of deaths are attributed to the pertussis (whooping
cough) vaccine, the "P" in DPT. This figure alone is alarming, yet
it is only the "tip of the iceberg." The FDA estimates that only
about 10% of adverse reactions are reported, [2] a figure supported by two
National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) investigations. [3]
In fact, the NVIC reported that "In
New York, only one out of 40 doctor's offices [2.5%] confirmed that they
report a death or injury following vaccination," -- 97.5% of vaccine
related deaths and disabilities go unreported there. Implications about the
integrity of medical professionals aside (doctors are legally required
to report serious adverse events), these findings suggest that vaccine deaths
actually occurring each year may be well over 1,000.
With pertussis, the number of
vaccine-related deaths dwarfs the number of disease deaths, which have been
about 10 annually for recent years according to the CDC, and only 8 in 1993,
the last peak-incidence year (pertussis runs in 3-4 year cycles, though
vaccination certainly doesn't). Simply put, the vaccine is 100 times more
deadly than the disease.
Given the many instances in which highly
vaccinated populations have contracted disease (see Myth #2), and the fact
that the vast majority of disease decline this century occurred before
compulsory vaccinations (pertussis deaths declined 79% prior to vaccines; see
Myth #3), this comparison is a valid one--and this enormous number of vaccine
casualities can hardly be considered a necessary sacrifice for the benefit of
a disease-free society.
Unfortunately, the vaccine-related-deaths
story doesn't end here. Both national and international studies have shown
vaccination to be a cause of SIDS[4,5] (SIDS is "Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome," a "catch-all" diagnosis given when the specific
cause of death is unknown; estimates range from 5 - 10,000 cases each year in
the U.S.).
One study found the peak incidence of SIDS
occurred at the ages of 2 and 4 months in the U.S., precisely when the first
two routine immunizations are given,[4] while another found a clear pattern
of correlation extending three weeks after immunization. Another study found
that 3,000 children die within 4 days of vaccination each year in the U.S.
(amazingly, the authors reported no SIDS/vaccine relationship), while yet
another researcher's studies led to the conclusion that half of SIDS
cases--that would be 2500 to 5000 infant deaths in the U.S. each year--are
caused by vaccines.[4]
There are studies that claimed to find no
SIDS-vaccine relationship. However, many of these were invalidated by yet
another study which found that "confounding" had skewed their
results in favor of the vaccine.[6] Shouldn't we err on the side of caution?
Shouldn't any credible correlation between vaccines and infant deaths be just
cause for meticulous, widespread monitoring of the vaccination status of all
SIDS cases?
In the mid 70's Japan raised their
vaccination age from 2 months to 2 years; their incidence of SIDS dropped
dramatically. In spite of this, the U.S. medical community has chosen a
posture of denial. Coroners refuse to check the vaccination status of SIDS
victims, and unsuspecting families continue to pay the price, unaware of the
dangers and denied the right to make a choice.
Low adverse event reporting also suggests
that the total number of adverse reactions actually occurring each year may
be more than 100,000.
Due to doctors' failure to report, no one
knows how many of these are permanent disabilities, but statistics suggest
that it is several times the number of deaths (see "petitions"
below). This concern is reinforced by a study which revealed that 1 in 175
children who completed the full DPT series suffered "severe
reactions," [7] and a Dr.'s report for attorneys which found that 1 in
300 DPT immunizations resulted in seizures.[8]
England actually saw a drop in pertussis
deaths when vaccination rates dropped from 80% to 30% in the mid 70's.
Swedish epidemiologist B. Trollfors' study of pertussis vaccine efficacy and
toxicity around the world found that "pertussis-associated mortality is
currently very low in industrialised countries and no difference can be
discerned when countries with high, low, and zero immunisation rates were compared."
He also found that England, Wales, and West Germany had more pertussis
fatalities in 1970 when the immunization rate was high than during the last
half of 1980, when rates had fallen.[9]
Vaccinations cost us much more than just
the lives and health of our children. The U.S. Federal Government's National
Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP) has paid out over $724.4 million
to parents of vaccine injured and killed children, in taxpayer dollars. The
NVICP has received over 5000 petitions since 1988, including over 700 for
vaccine-related deaths, and there are still over 2800 total death and injury
cases pending that may take years to resolve.[10]
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical companies have a
captive market: vaccines are legally mandated in all 50 U.S. states (though
legally avoidable in most: (see Myth #9), yet yet
these same companies are "immune" from accountability for the
consequences of their products. Furthermore, they have been allowed to use
"gag orders" as a leverage tool in vaccine damage legal settlements
to prevent disclosure of information to the public about vaccination dangers.
Such arrangements are clearly unethical; they force a non-consenting American
public to pay for vaccine manufacturer's liabilities, while attempting to
ensure that this same public will remain ignorant of the dangers of their
products.
It is interesting to note that insurance
companies (who do the best liability studies) refuse to cover vaccine adverse
reactions. Profits appear to dictate both the pharmaceutical and insurance
companies' positions.
TRUTH #1
"Vaccination causes significant death and disability
at an astounding personal and financial cost to families and taxpayers."
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MYTH #2
"Vaccines are very effective..."
...or are they?
The medical literature has a surprising
number of studies documenting vaccine failure. Measles, mumps, small pox,
polio and Hib outbreaks have all occurred in vaccinated populations. [11, 12,
13, 14 ,15] In 1989 the CDC reported: "Among school-aged children,
[measles] outbreaks have occurred in schools with vaccination levels of
greater than 98 percent.[16] [They] have occurred in all parts of the
country, including areas that had not reported measles for years."[17]
The CDC even reported a measles outbreak in a documented 100 percent
vaccinated population. [18]
A study examining this phenomenon
concluded, "The apparent paradox is that as measles immunization
rates rise to high levels in a population, measles becomes a disease of
immunized persons."[19] A more recent study found that measles
vaccination "produces immune suppression which contributes to an
increased susceptibility to other infections."[19a]
These studies suggest that the goal of
complete immunization is actually counterproductive, a notion underscored by
instances in which epidemics followed complete immunization of entire
countries. Japan experienced yearly increases in small pox following the
introduction of compulsory vaccines in 1872. By 1892, there were 29,979
deaths, and all had been vaccinated. [20]
Early in this century, the Philippines
experienced their worst smallpox epidemic ever after 8 million people
received 24.5 million vaccine doses; the death rate quadrupled as a result.
[21] In 1989, the country of Oman experienced a widespread polio outbreak six
months after achieving complete vaccination.[22] In the U.S. in 1986, 90% of
1300 pertussis cases in Kansas were "adequately vaccinated."
[23] 72% of pertussis cases in the 1993 Chicago outbreak were fully up to
date with their vaccinations.[24]
TRUTH #2
"Evidence suggests that vaccination is an unreliable
means of preventing disease."
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MYTH #3
"Vaccines are the main reason for low disease rates
in the U.S. today..."
...or are they?
According to the British Association for
the Advancement of Science, childhood diseases decreased 90% between 1850 and
1940, paralleling improved sanitation and hygienic practices, well before
mandatory vaccination programs. Infectious disease deaths in the U.S. and
England declined steadily by an average of about 80% during this century
(measles mortality declined over 97%) prior to vaccinations.[25]
In Great Britain, the polio epidemics
peaked in 1950, and had declined 82% by the time the vaccine was introduced
there in 1956. Thus, at best, vaccinations can be credited with only a small
percentage of the overall decline in disease related deaths this century. Yet
even this small portion is questionable, as the rate of decline remained
virtually the same after vaccines were introduced.
Furthermore, European countries that
refused immunization for small pox and polio saw the epidemics end along with
those countries that mandated it. (In fact, both small pox and polio
immunization campaigns were followed initially by significant disease
incidence increases; during smallpox vaccination campaigns, other
infectious diseases continued their declines in the absence of vaccines. In
England and Wales, smallpox disease and vaccination rates eventually declined
simultaneously over a period of several decades.[26])
It is thus impossible to say whether or
not vaccinations contributed to the continuing decline in disease death
rates, or if the same forces which brought about the initial
declines--improved sanitation, hygiene, improvements in diet, natural disease
cycles--were simply unaffected by the vaccination programs. Underscoring this
conclusion was a recent World Health Organization report which found that the
disease and mortality rates in third world countries have no direct
correlation with immunization procedures or medical treatment, but are
closely related to the standard of hygiene and diet. [27] Credit given to
vaccinations for our current disease incidence has simply been grossly
exaggerated, if not outright misplaced.
Vaccine advocates point to incidence
statistics rather than mortality as proof of vaccine effectiveness. However,
statisticians tell us that mortality statistics can be a better measure of
incidence than the incidence figures themselves, for the simple reason that
the quality of reporting and record-keeping is much higher on fatalities.[28]
For instance, a recent survey in New York
City revealed that only 3.2% of pediatricians were actually reporting measles
cases to the health department. In 1974, the CDC determined that there were
36 cases of measles in Georgia, while the Georgia State Surveillance System
reported 660 cases.[29]
In 1982, Maryland state health officials
blamed a pertussis epidemic on a television program, "D.P.T.--Vaccine
Roulette," which warned of the dangers of DPT; however, when former top
virologist for the U.S. Division of Biological Standards, Dr. J. Anthony
Morris, analyzed the 41 cases, only 5 were confirmed, and all had been
vaccinated. [30] Such instances as these demonstrate the fallacy of incidence
figures, yet vaccine advocates tend to rely on them indiscriminately.
TRUTH #3
"It is unclear what impact vaccines had on the
infectious disease declines that occurred throughout this century."
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MYTH #4
"Vaccination is based on sound immunization theory
and practice..."
...or is it?
The clinical evidence for vaccinations is
their ability to stimulate antibody production in the recipient, a fact which
is not disputed. What is not clear, however, is whether or not such antibody
production constitutes immunity. For example, agamma globulin-anemic children
are incapable of producing antibodies, yet they recover from infectious
diseases almost as quickly as other children.[31]
Furthermore, a study published by the
British Medical Council in 1950 during a diphtheria epidemic concluded that
there was no relationship between antibody count and disease incidence;
researchers found resistant people with extremely low antibody counts and
sick people with high counts. [32] Natural immunization is a complex
phenomenon involving many organs and systems; it cannot be fully replicated
by the artificial stimulation of antibody production.
Research also indicates that vaccination
commits immune cells to the specific antigens involved in the vaccine,
rendering them incapable of reacting to other infections. Our immunological
reserve may thus actually be reduced, causing a generally lowered resistance.
[33]
Another component of immunization theory
is "herd immunity," which states that when enough people in a
community are immunized, all are protected. As Myth #2 revealed, there are many
documented instances showing just the opposite--fully vaccinated populations
do contract diseases; with measles, this actually seems to be the direct
result of high vaccination rates.[19] A Minnesota state epidemiologist
concluded that the Hib vaccine increases the risk of illness when a study
revealed that vaccinated children were five times more likely to contract
meningitis than unvaccinated children.
Carefully selected epidemiological studies
are yet another justification for vaccination programs. However, many of
these may not be legitimate sources from which to draw conclusions about
vaccine effectiveness. For example, if 100 people are vaccinated and 5
contract the disease, the vaccine is declared to be 95% effective. But if
only 10 of the 100 were actually exposed to the disease, then the vaccine was
really only 50% effective. Since no one is willing to directly expose an
entire population to disease--even a fully vaccinated one--vaccine
effectiveness rates may not indicate a vaccine's true effectiveness.
Yet another surprising concern about
immunization practice is its assumption that all children, regardless of age,
are virtually the same. An 8 pound 2 month old receives the same dosage as a
40 pound five year old. Infants with immature, undeveloped immune systems may
receive five or more times the dosage (relative to body weight) as older
children.
Furthermore, the number of
"units" within doses has been found upon random testing to range
from 1/2 to 3 times what the label indicates; manufacturing quality controls
appear to tolerate a rather large margin of error. "Hot
Lots"--vaccine lots with disproportionately high death and disability
rates--have been identified repeatedly by the NVIC, but the FDA refuses to
intervene to prevent further unnecessary injury and deaths. In fact, they
have never recalled a vaccine lot due to adverse reactions. Some would call
this infanticide.
Finally, vaccination practice assumes that
all recipients, regardless of race, culture, diet, geographic location, or
any other circumstances, will respond the same. This was perhaps never more
dramatically disproved than an instance a few years ago in Australia's
Northern Territory, where stepped-up immunization campaigns resulted in an incredible
*50%* infant mortality rate in the native aborigines.[34]
Researcher A. Kalokerinos, M.D. discovered
that the aborigine's vitamin C deficient "junk food" diet (imposed
on them by white society) was a critical factor (studies had already shown
that vaccination depletes vitamin C reserves; children in shock or collapse
often recovered in a matter of minutes when given vitamin C injections). He
considered it amazing that as many survived as did. One must wonder about the
lives of the survivors, though, for if half died, surely the other half did
not escape unaffected.
Almost as troubling was a very recent
study in the New England Journal of Medicine which revealed that a
substantial number of Romanian children were contracting polio from the
vaccine, a less common phenomena in most developed countries. Correlations
with injections of antibiotics were found: a single injection within one
month of vaccination raised the risk of polio 8 times, 2 to 9 injections
raised the risk 27-fold, and 10 or more injections raised the risk 182 times
[Washington Post, February 22, 1995].
What other factors not accounted for in
vaccination theory will surface unexpectedly to reveal unforeseen or
previously overlooked consequences? We will not begin to fully comprehend the
scope of this danger until researchers begin looking and reporting in
earnest. In the meantime, entire countries' populations are unwitting
gamblers in a game that many might very well choose not to play if they were
given all the "rules" in advance.
TRUTH #4
"Many of the assumptions upon which immunization
theory and practice are based have been proven false in their
application."
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MYTH #5
"Childhood diseases are extremely dangerous..."
...or are they, really?
Most childhood infectious diseases have
few serious consequences in today's modern world. Even conservative CDC
statistics for pertussis during 1992-94 indicate a 99.8% recovery rate. In
fact, when hundreds of pertussis cases occurred in Ohio and Chicago in the
fall 1993 outbreak, an infectious disease expert from Cincinnati Children's
Hospital said, "The disease was very mild, no one died, and no one went
to the intensive care unit."
The vast majority of the time, childhood
infectious diseases are benign and self-limiting. They may also impart
lifelong immunity, whereas vaccine-induced immunity is only temporary. In
fact, the temporary nature of vaccine immunity can create a more dangerous
situation in a child's future. For example, the new chicken pox vaccine has
an effectiveness estimated at 6 - 10 years. If effective, it will postpone
the child's vulnerability until adulthood, when death from the disease is 20
times more likely.
About half of measles cases in the late
1980's resurgence were in adolescents and adults, most of whom were
vaccinated as children,[35] and the recommended booster shots may provide
protection for less than 6 months.[36] Furthermore, some healthcare
professionals are concerned that the virus from the chicken pox vaccine may
"reactivate later in life in the form of herpes zoster (shingles) or
other immune system disorders."[37]
Dr. A. Lavin of the Dept. of Pediatrics,
St. Luke's Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, strongly opposed licensing the
new vaccine, "Until we actually know...the risks involved in injecting
mutated DNA [herpes virus] into the host genome [children]."[38] The
truth is, *no one* knows, but the vaccine is now licensed and
recommended by health authorities.
Not only are most infectious diseases
rarely dangerous, but they can actually play a vital role in the development
of a strong, healthy immune system. Persons who have not had measles have a
higher incidence of certain skin diseases, degenerative diseases of bone and
cartilage, and certain tumors, while absence of mumps has been linked to
higher risks of ovarian cancer.
TRUTH #5
"Dangers of childhood diseases are greatly
exaggerated in order to scare parents into compliance with a questionable but
profitable procedure."
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MYTH #6
"Polio was one of the clearly great vaccination
success stories..."
...or was it?
Six New England states reported increases
in polio one year after the Salk vaccine was introduced, ranging from more
than doubling in Vermont to Massachusetts' astounding increase of 642%. In
1959, 77.5% of Massachusetts' paralytic cases had received 3 doses of IPV
(injected polio vaccine). During 1962 U.S. Congressional hearings, Dr.
Bernard Greenberg, head of the Dept. of Biostatistics for the University of
North Carolina School of Public Health, testified that not only did the cases
of polio increase substantially after mandatory vaccinations (50% increase
from 1957 to 1958, 80% increase from 1958 to 1959), but that the statistics
were manipulated by the Public Health Service to give the opposite
impression.[39]
According to researcher-author Dr. Viera
Scheibner, 90% of polio cases were eliminated from statistics by health
authorities' redefinition of the disease when the vaccine was introduced,
while in reality the Salk vaccine was continuing to cause paralytic polio in
several countries at a time when there were no epidemics being caused by the
wild virus.
For example, in the U.S., thousands of
cases of viral and aseptic meningitis are reported each year--these were
routinely diagnosed as polio before the Saulk vaccine; the number of cases
needed to declare an epidemic was raised from 20 to 35; and the requirement for
inclusion in paralysis statistics was changed from symptoms for 24 hours to
symptoms for 60 days; it is no wonder that polio decreased radically after
vaccines--at least on paper.
In 1985, the CDC reported that 87% of the
cases of polio in the U.S. between 1973 and 1983 were caused by the vaccine,
and later declared that all but a few imported cases since were caused by the
vaccine--and most of the imported cases occurred in fully immunized
individuals.
Jonas Salk, inventor of the IPV, testified
before a Senate subcommittee that nearly all polio outbreaks since 1961 were
caused by the oral polio vaccine. At a workshop on polio vaccines sponsored
by the Institute of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Dr. Samuel Katz of Duke University cited the estimated 8-10
annual U.S. cases of vaccine-associated paralytic polio (VAPP) in people who
have taken the oral polio vaccine, and the [four year] absence of wild polio
from the western hemisphere.
Jessica Scheer of the National
Rehabilitation Hospital Research Center in Washington, D.C., pointed out that
most parents are unaware that polio vaccination in this country entails
"a small number of human sacrifices each year." Compounding this
contradiction are low adverse event reporting and the NVIC's experiences with
confirming and correcting misdiagnoses of vaccine reactions, which suggest
that the actual number of VAPP "sacrifices" may be many times
higher than the number cited by the CDC.
TRUTH #6
"Vaccines caused substantial increases in polio after
years of steady declines, and they are the sole cause of polio in the U.S.
today."
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MYTH #7
"My child had no short-term reaction to vaccination,
so there is nothing to worry about..."
...or is there?
The documented long term adverse effects
of vaccines include chronic immunological and neurological disorders such as
autism, hyperactivity, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, allergies,
cancer, and other conditions, many of which barely existed 30 years ago
before mass vaccination programs. Vaccine components include known
carcinogens such as thimersol, aluminum phosphate, and formaldehyde (the
Poisons Information Centre in Australia claims there is no acceptable safe
amount of formaldehyde which can be injected into a living human body).
Medical historian, researcher and author
Harris Coulter, Ph.D. explained that his extensive research revealed
childhood immunization to be "...causing a low-grade encephalitis in
infants on a much wider scale than public health authorities were willing to
admit, about 15-20% of all children." He points out that the sequelae
[conditions known to result from a disease] of encephalitis [inflammation of
the brain, a known side-effect of vaccination]: autism, learning
disabilities, minimal and not-so-minimal brain damage, seizures, epilepsy,
sleeping and eating disorders, sexual disorders, asthma, crib death,
diabetes, obesity, and impulsive violence are precisely the disorders which
afflict contemporary society.
Many of these conditions were
formerly relatively rare, but they have become more common as childhood
vaccination programs have expanded. Coulter also points out that "...pertussis
toxoid is used to create encephalitis in lab animals."
A German study found correlations between
vaccinations and 22 neurological conditions including attention deficit and
epilepsy. The dilemma is that viral elements in vaccines may persist and
mutate in the human body for years, with unknown consequences. Millions of
children are partaking in an enormous, crude experiment; and no sincere,
organized effort is being made by the medical community to track the negative
side-effects or to determine the long term consequences.
TRUTH #7
"The long term adverse effects of vaccinations have
been virtually ignored, in spite of direct correlations with many chronic
conditions."
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MYTH #8
"Vaccines are the only disease prevention option
available..."
...or are they?
Most parents feel compelled to take some
disease-preventing action for their children. While there is no 100%
guarantee anywhere, there are viable alternatives. Historically, homeopathy
has been more effective than "mainstream" allopathic medicine in
treating and preventing disease. In a U.S. cholera outbreak in 1849,
allopathic medicine saw a 48-60% death rate, while homeopathic hospitals had
a documented death rate of only 3%.[40] Roughly similar statistics still hold
true for cholera today.[41] Recent epidemiological studies show homeopathic
remedies as equaling or surpassing standard vaccinations in preventing
disease. There are reports in which populations that were treated
homeopathically after exposure had a 100% success rate--none of the treated
caught the disease.[42]
There are homeopathic kits available for
disease prevention. [43] Homeopathic remedies can also be taken only during
times of increased risk (outbreaks, traveling, etc.), and have proven highly
effective in such instances. And since these remedies have no toxic
components, they have no side effects. In addition, homeopathy has been
effective in reversing some of the disability caused by vaccine reactions, as
well as many other chronic conditions with which allopathic medicine has had
little success.
TRUTH #8
"Documented safe and effective alternatives to
vaccination have been available for decades but suppressed by the medical
establishment."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MYTH #9
"Vaccinations are legally mandated, and thus
unavoidable..."
...or are they?
There are three exemption possibilities in
the U.S.:
1) Medical Exemption: All 50
states in the U.S. allow for a medical exemption. A few states allow licensed
naturopathic or chiropractic doctors to issue medical exemptions in addition
to medical doctors. However, few pediatricians check for indications of
increased risk before administering vaccines, so it is advisable for parents
to research this matter for themselves. Epilepsy, severe allergies, and
siblings' previous adverse reactions are but a few of the many conditions in
child or family history which may increase the chances of an adverse
reaction, and thus qualify for a medical exemption;
2) Religious Exemption:
Nearly all states allow for a religious exemption. This may or may not
require membership in an established religious organization, as individual
state laws vary; and
3) Philosophical or Personal
Exemption: An increasing number of states allow one of these exemptions,
in recognition of the controversy and/or violation of freedom that mandated
vaccination laws impose.
Generally, exempted children may not be
banned from attending public schools and colleges except during local
outbreaks. It is best to contact local school officials in advance to
determine their particular procedure for handling exemptions.
The best source for a copy of your state's
vaccination laws is state health officials or our public library. A phone
call to the state Department of Epidemiology may be all that it takes to get
a copy mailed to you.
TRUTH #9
"Legal exemptions from vaccinations are obtainable
for most - but not all - US citizens."
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MYTH #10
"Public health officials always place health above
all other concerns..."
...or do they?
Vaccination history is riddled with
documented instances of deceit designed to portray vaccines as mighty disease
conquerors, when in fact many times they have actually delayed and even
reversed disease declines. The United Kingdom's Department of Health admitted
that vaccination status determined the diagnosis of subsequent diseases:
Those found in vaccinated patients received alternate diagnoses; hospital
records and death certificates were falsified. Today, many doctors are still
reluctant to diagnose diseases in vaccinated children, and so the
"Myth" about vaccine success continues.
However, individual doctors may not be
wholly to blame. As medical students, few have reason to question the
information taught (which does not address the information presented in this report).
Ironically, medicine is a field which demands conformity; there is little
tolerance for opinions opposing the status quo.
Doctors cannot warn you about what they
themselves do not know, and with little time for further education once they
begin practice, they are, in a sense, held captive by a system which
discourages them from acquiring information independently and forming their
own opinions. Those few that dare to question the status quo are frequently
ostracized, and in any case, they are still legally bound to adhere to the
system's legal mandates.
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SUMMARY
In the December 1994 Medical Post,
Canadian author of the best-seller Medical Mafia, Guylaine Lanctot, M.D. stated,
"The medical authorities keep lying. Vaccination has been a disaster
on the immune system. It actually causes a lot of illnesses. We are actually
changing our genetic code through vaccination...10 years from now we will
know that the biggest crime against humanity was vaccines."
After an extensive study of the medical
literature on vaccination, Dr. Viera Scheibner concluded that "there is
no evidence whatsoever of the ability of vaccines to prevent any diseases. To
the contrary, there is a great wealth of evidence that they cause serious
side effects."
John B. Classen, M.D., M.B.A. has stated,
"My data proves that the studies used to support immunization are so
flawed that it is impossible to say if immunization provides a net benefit to
anyone or to society in general. This question can only be determined by
proper studies which have never been performed. The flaw of previous studies
is that there was no long term follow up and chronic toxicity was not looked
at. The American Society of Microbiology has promotedmy research...and thus
acknowledges the need for proper studies."
To some these may seem like radical
positions, but they are not unfounded. The continued denial of the evidence
against vaccines only perpetuates the "Myths" and their negative
consequences on our children and society. Aggressive and comprehensive
scientific investigation is clearly warranted, yet immunization programs
continue to expand in the absence of such research. Manufacturer profits are
guaranteed, while accountability for the negative effects is conspicuously
absent. This is especially sad given the readily available safe and effective
alternatives.
Meanwhile, the race is on. According to
the NVIC, there are over 250 new vaccines being developed for everything from
earaches to birth control to diarrhea, with about 100 of these already in
clinical trials. Researchers are working on vaccine delivery through nasal
sprays, mosquitoes (yes, mosquitoes), and the fruits of
"transgenic" plants in which vaccine viruses are grown.
With every child (and adult, for that
matter) on the planet a potential required recipient of multiple doses, and
every healthcare system and government a potential buyer, it is little wonder
that countless millions of dollars are spent nurturing the growing multi-billion
dollar vaccine industry. Without public outcry, we will see more and more new
vaccines required of us and our children. And while profits are readily
calculable, the real human costs are being ignored.
Whatever your personal vaccination decision,
make it an informed one; you have that right and responsibility. It is a
difficult issue, but there is more than enough at stake to justify whatever
time and energy it takes.
Do
not use this report alone to make your vaccination decision:
Find out for yourself!
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About the Author
Alan Phillips is an independent
investigator and writer on vaccine risks and alternatives. This report
appeared in the April 1996 edition of "Wildfire Magazine," as well
as numerous newsletters in the U.S. and around the world. It is being used by
the Sheffield School of Homeopathy, UK. Alan has written to the Australian
Minister for Human Services and Health for the Immunisation Investigation
Group and the Campaign Against Fraudulent Medical Research in NSW Australia.
Alan is also the founder of Human
Development Services, Inc., an international nonprofit conducting training
and research in psychorientology; the designer of a national children's
literacy program and materials; and a singer-songwriter and composer with
albums of original songs and music in over two dozen countries on six
continents. His academic achievements include a B.A. Magna Cum Laude, and
election to the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society and The National Dean's
List.
For Further Information visit his website
at http://www.unc.edu/~aphillip/www/vaccine/informed.htm
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