Truths about Vaccination, part IV

Myth: Children get too many vaccines – it’s dangerous to get so many.

Since vaccines work by stimulating the immune system, they aren’t the same as a by weight dosed medication, such as benydryl, which works by influencing biochemical pathways.  It takes the same amount of exposure for any individual to develop immunity, and more or less exposure doesn’t mean a different outcome.  For example, if I sneezed on a baby and a teenager each once, they both could get sick.  It doesn’t take one sneeze to make the baby sick and five sneezes to make the teen sick.  One sneeze does it for both.  Chemical additives, as previously discussed, are dose specific, and are added in much smaller quantities than is required for any kind of side effect. 

Myth: The diseases we vaccinate against aren’t a threat anymore

The only vaccine preventable disease that isn’t a threat is smallpox, which was eradicated in 1979.  As a result, we don’t vaccinate against it anymore.  However, the diseases we do vaccinate against are still a threat.  Mumps? 295 cases in Ohio in the past three months.  Measles? 1,219 cases in Swansea, Wales in 2013, with 80 hospitalizations.  Pertussis? 48,277 cases in 2012 (USA only), and 4,838 cases in 2014 (reported to CDC as of April 14), up 24% since last year in the same period.  These dieases aren’t gone, only held in check by vaccination, and most are only a plane ride away. In fact, many of these diseases are experiencing an increase in cases.  Why? Parents refusing to vaccinate their children.  Help us keep these diseases from reaching their previous death tolls by vaccinating your child.

Myth: Vaccines are a ploy to make doctors and pharmaceutical companies rich

Vaccines are a very low cost method of preventing disease.  DTaP costs about $20 for a 10 pack of immunizations, or $2/child.  By contrast, hospitalization, which is required in 50% of whopping cough cases (Pertussis, the P in DTaP), costs up to $8000 a day.  Hopsitalizations cost a lot more than vaccinations, therefore earning the doctors more of a profit.  Drug companies also make more from hospitalizations, as these stays often require complex interventions, including fluids, IV antibiotics and medical devices such as respirators.  It’s in their best profit interest to not vaccinate and get paid for hospitalizations.  Vaccines do not turn a large profit.  In fact, many areas require free vaccinations for children, so doctors don’t make any money giving them.