Vaccine Fact and Fiction

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

22 Mar 2008 08:07 PM

Feeling hesitant about your own (or your child's) vaccinations? Only one of the following three popular beliefs about vaccinations is true.

• Mercury in vaccines can accumulate in the body.
• The flu vaccine can actually cause the flu.
• People can have allergic reactions to vaccines.

Do you know which one is true? It's the third one -- allergic reactions.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, out of one million vaccines given, only ONE vaccine will cause a severe allergic reaction or death. Mild allergic reactions are slightly more common. If you do experience a reaction to a vaccine, a doctor can administer a shot of an antihistamine (for mild reactions) or epinephrine (for severe reactions).

• If you are allergic to egg, you may have problems with the flu vaccine.
• If you are allergic to gelatin, you may have problems with the MMR -- measles, mumps, rubella -- vaccine.
• If you are allergic to yeast, you may have problems with the HPV -- human papillomavirus -- and hepatitis B vaccines.

Tell your doctor if you have any of the above allergies BEFORE you get your shots. And keep in mind that vaccines prevent many more deaths than they cause by preventing disease.

As for the other fears, the CDC is ready to put them to rest.

Researchers have raised concerns over mercury in some vaccines. Thimerosal is a vaccine preservative that contains ethyl mercury. Recent studies have shown that ethyl mercury does NOT build up in the body. While other forms of mercury can be toxic, this form of the metal is safe.

When it comes to the flu shot, there is NO live virus in the injection. The inhaled version of the flu vaccine -- FluMist -- does contain live virus, but the virus is so weak that it is incapable of causing an infection. CDC experts point out that exposure to the flu right before you are immunized can still cause an infection (and lead to the myth that the shot itself can make you sick).

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Sara Denomme (1063) 22 Apr 2008 06:15 AM

Have you heard of Mary Tocco and her seminars? I attended one last weekend. While I did not seem to glean any new information from her seminar as I have been researching vaccines for nearly ten years, I would recommend any person with an open mind to attend her talk. It's important to keep an eye on who conducts these studies that you reference. They may not be third parties. Everyone has an agenda these days . . .

Aimee Amodio (11995) 22 Apr 2008 01:23 PM

These studies were conducted by the CDC -- not by drug makers -- so I tend to trust these results and statistics. But I understand what you're saying -- a lot of research is sponsored by the pharmaceutical companies.