Percieved danger in Vaccines.

[matthewwolff]

I've talked about Vaccination here before, and how dangerous I think it is that many unknowing mothers have been persuaded not to vaccinate their children due to perceived dangers in vaccines. I find this perception of danger to be largely non-rational. I also blame public figures, such as Jenny McCarthy, with perpetuating unsubstantiated claims

Comments

[gregmce]

Do you listen to This American Life on NPR?

A few weeks ago there was an episode (#370, "Ruining It For The Rest Of Us") about what happened when an unvaccinated child caught measles while abroad and then brought it back into San Diego. It's actually a rather chilling story when you think about how an event like this can (and most likely will) become more and more common as parents continue to not have their children vaccinated - especially because children under the age of 1 usually haven't had their shots even if the parents are planning on it, and how susceptable they are.

Well worth listening to on the web site if you haven't already! (And the other stories on that episode are pretty great, too.)

[matthewwolff]

I listen to This American Life sporadically, but I haven't heard that episode. Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out.

A few years ago I caught Pertussis. Yep, that's whooping cough. Of course, like most people, I was vaccinated from it years ago. Still, a virulent strain cultivated from a certain percentage of the population who had not been vaccinated spread throughout Maryland, effecting some who had been vaccinated as children.

[nanbolein]

Regardless of the dangers that may or may not exist with Gardasil, I wish it had been around so that I could have had it. I would rather have taken the risk than have HPV and have to worry about cervical cancer.

[matthewwolff]

I think it ought to be among the mandatory vaccinations required for attending public school, at least by Middle school. Then again, so should the Hep vaccine, and I don't think that was when we were growing up. Also, I wish they would approve of the use of the Gardasil vaccine in men. Apart from curtailing the spread of HPV, gay men also have risk in developing cancer from the HPV, to a degree not yet fully understood.