At first I wasn't going to write this post since I believe that a film that appears to be (at least in part) based on thoroughly discredited, fear-mongering nonsense should get as little attention as possible.
Then after browsing several anti-vaccine and conspiracist websites I found as I suspected, that this has already exploded and whatever I write here won't make matters any worse.
The film 'Vaxxed' is directed by Mr Andrew Wakefield, a former physician who lost his medical license after research that he had authored, was found fraudulent (containing as I understand it, both methodological and ethical flaws).
Just watching the trailer for this film elevated my BP into dangerous territory. How is it that this man keeps promoting the same debunked data to this day? Hasn't it caused enough harm already?
It seems that anti-vaccine proponents span the entire spectrum from sadly misinformed to clearly unhinged. However, no matter what their individual motivation happens to be, they are in my opinion dangerous. We have fought a hard battle against diseases that today are vaccine-preventable. Millions of children have died in the past and some still do, to this day. We don't see much of it in first-world countries due to the success of vaccines. Anti-vaccine proponents seem to believe that the "olden days" were better. I think it's deeply worrisome.
In my escapades around the internet, I've found all sorts of scary blogs, clips and opinions relating to childhood vaccines.
This YouTube clip rather amusingly (in a sad way) has 90 likes and zero (!) dislikes (probably because no rational person would even click on it in the first place). (I'm not sure what this says about me)
Anyway this women thinks that nagalese (an enzyme) is added on purpose to vaccines in order to induce autism, cancer and type 2 diabetes in vaccine recipients. And the doctors who discovered this were subsequently murdered to cover this up. This vaccine tampering seems to be a part of some nefarious population control plot.
(It seems that alpha-N-acetylgalactoseaminidase (referred to as nagalese in the YouTube clip) can deglycosylate vitamin D binding protein (DBP) and DBP plays a role in the immune cascade response. So it seems that alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase can interfere with the immune response. While some cancer cells can release alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, I've found no proof that injecting them into humans induces cancers, never mind autism and DMII. I will however admit that I didn't spend an inordinate amount of time researching her theory).
I admit that this last video is a bit extreme. But this woman and other "anti-vaxxers" have one thing on common. They are willing to accept something as true, even when there is no supporting evidence available.
Serious questions:
* Why are some people so vulnerable/susceptible to flawed logic and poor research?
* What can we as nurses/healthcare professionals do to ensure that our patients base their decisions on sound evidence-based facts or at least have the opportunity to do so? Or should we just reconcile ourselves with the fact that a portion of the population will base their decisions on questionable or outright false information, misconceptions and fear?
You wrote: "Oh, so you've gotten all your vaccines, but are urging others not to get theirs. I see.", BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE!
I got a smallpox vaccination as a child, and polio vaccine. Once I got a tetorifice shot, in defiance of my GP (General Practitioner) doc, many years ago, who warned me of the dangers of adverse reactions to vaccines.
It took me years to learn about the dangers of vaccines, so yes, I have evolved on this issue.
If anyone knows of a free way to view the film "VAXXED", let me know! I may not agree with the film, but I can't know this, before I view it.
Farawyn, you "assumed" that I got "all my shots". Vaccinations were not required, for nurses, when I was a nurse.
And you "assume" that I'm telling others NOT to get their shots. Nope. All I'm saying, like the group "Nurses Against Forced Vaccinations" says, is that no one should be FORCED to take any meds, including vaccines.
If they came up with a really good vaccination against Ebola, and an outbreak occurred within your community, would you agree with forced vaccinations then?
Anti-Vaxxers are either not old enough to remember when people regularly contracted polio or meningitis or measles or conveniently forget. I use to know a man who contract meningitis as a child in the early 70s and it was so severe that it caused enough brain damage to put him in a wheelchair. He now suffers daily seizures among other many complications. The meningococcal vaccine wasn't approved for use until 1978. Too late for him. His life might of ended up so different.
No one forces anyone. If you do not get them now, as a nurse, you will not have a job. That is your choice.
If you do not get your child vaccinated, he/she may not attend my school. That is your choice.
If you do not get your child vaccinated he/she is more at risk for catching preventable communicable life threatening disease. That is your choice.
Where did you work that you were not required to show immunization, or rather, I should ask, how long ago did you retire? Because this immunization thing? It is not new.
ETA: And the term you are looking for is "devolved" not "evolved."
And so many families lost children to polio in the early 1900s. Those that survived were often severely disabled. The advent of the polio vaccine was a godsend. Who would want those pre-vaccine days back?
No one forces anyone. If you do not get them now, as a nurse, you will not have a job. That is your choice.
If you do not get your child vaccinated, he/she may not attend my school. That is your choice.
If you do not get your child vaccinated he/she is more at risk for catching preventable communicable life threatening disease. That is your choice.
Where did you work that you were not required to show immunization, or rather, I should ask, how long ago did you retire? Because this immunization thing? It is not new.
ETA: And the term you are looking for is "devolved" not "evolved."
We will not see children in my practice who are not immunized. A significant portion of my patient population has immune deficiency of one type or another. No way am I putting those kids and adults at risk because of someone's "choice". Plus, its just plain irresponsible and abusive, in my eyes, not to immunize children who have asthma. They already have issues which leave them vulnerable if they contract an infectious disease-not immunizing them is like putting them in lion's den and saying "hey, hope you can run fast" instead of putting up a fence to keep the lions at a distance.
Obviously when I'm discussing this with family members or patients, I'm respectful.
But here on AN, we can come to vent about how frustrating it is to show people the science behind the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and get nowhere. Also, to vent about being advised that using bleach enemas will cure autism and essential oils will cure cancer and on and on.
Andrew Wakefield's so-called study was debunked and he was stripped of his license. He should have NO credibility.
OF COURSE, you have to look at who stripped him, exactly what was the process? Why would a man throw away his career, his life over an issue if he didn't really believe in it? Was he mentally ill?
Anti-Vaxxers are either not old enough to remember when people regularly contracted polio or meningitis or measles or conveniently forget. I use to know a man who contract meningitis as a child in the early 70s and it was so severe that it caused enough brain damage to put him in a wheelchair. He now suffers daily seizures among other many complications. The meningococcal vaccine wasn't approved for use until 1978. Too late for him. His life might of ended up so different.
Some people react this way to vaccines, too.
We should have, by now, a test to see who might react badly to each vaccine. They could skip those vax to which they react badly or get lower, slower doses.
OF COURSE, you have to look at who stripped him, exactly what was the process? Why would a man throw away his career, his life over an issue if he didn't really believe in it? Was he mentally ill?
He can "believe" what he wants. He was a dangerous doctor who did not base his teaching in science.
OF COURSE, you have to look at who stripped him, exactly what was the process? Why would a man throw away his career, his life over an issue if he didn't really believe in it? Was he mentally ill?
The entire, seedy story is freely available. He did it because he stood to make money from the results of the study (he got paid by a law firm that was planning to sue vaccine manufacturers) and, like everyone else who commits fraud, he didn't think he'd get caught.
I know of many parents whose children were harmed (autism, etc.) by vaccine ingredients, plus predisposing conditions (genetic, etc.)
I won't subject those parents, at this time, to the ignorant and sadistic ridicule, that they might face, if they came onto this thread. They have suffered enough, learning the hard lesson of why they won't ever subject the rest of their children to dangerous vaccines.
What might change some stubborn minds here, is when one or more children of nurses posting here, are harmed by vaccines, and I really hate to see that happen, as a terrible wake up call. And, in some cases, there would be "denial" that it was vaccines, that harmed their children. This is unfortunate, but is sometimes a natural reaction.
I'll never forget seeing a doctor on a TV show, several years ago, whose son was made autistic by vaccines, administered by the doctor (dad). The doctor's wife said to her husband: "You broke him. You fix him!" Her words were chilling.
Let's compare impressions, when we each see the film "VAXXED". I hope you're brave enough to view the film. I may or may not agree with what's in the film, but I'm willing to see it.
So how many is "many parents?"
I call shenanigans. Sorry. Again, 15 years of experience teaching little guys, many with autism. Never met one parent. And believe me, parents of preschoolers with autism, so new to the diagnosis, to the school system, are often smack dab in the grieving process. Never heard or saw a one fall to the ground and bemoan a vaccine. Believe me, parents can be very outspoken.
With your lack of supporting evidence-based research and dramatic visualization of all the "many" parents you know, your "debate" holds no credibility.
We should have, by now, a test to see who might react badly to each vaccine. They could skip those vax to which they react badly or get lower, slower doses.
Which is extremely rare. Suffering from brain damage from a severe case of meningitis pre-vax was much more common in the 70s and in some cases deadly. Adverse reactions happen, but are very rare compared to the overwhelming majority who don't have reactions. I have never met anyone who have had an adverse reaction. That's how rare it is. Granted I'm sure when I'm done with nursing school and working in a hospital, I might meet someone who has, but in my everyday, personal life... no. I've met more people who have suffered without them. Hell... people have adverse reactions to antibiotics. I know more people who go into anaphylactic shock after one dose of penicillin. We don't tell them NOT to take an antibiotic, we just find them a different one that their system CAN handle. Why? Because it will make them better. I've also had people comment on the difference of flu with and without the flu shot and they soooo prefer the flu with the flu shot. They bounce back quicker and have less severe symptoms.
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to cover this up. This vaccine tampering seems to be a part of some nefarious population control plot.
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APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP
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If they came up with a really good vaccination against Ebola, and an outbreak occurred within your community, would you agree with forced vaccinations then?