Charles says:

This is full of incorrect statements:

“Safe” childhood vaccines killed or injured 2,699 children last year in America, the USA government has admitted this week – and 101 children developed autism after vaccination, even though researchers continue to insist that no link exists”

the figure 2699 is from http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm. The report is of:

” The number of claims filed by vaccine as reported by petitioners in claims since the VICP began on October 1, 1988, which have been compensated or dismissed by the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (Court). Claims can be compensated by a settlement between parties or a decision by the Court.”

Thus article should read, “Over the past 23 years, there have been 2699 compensation payouts for adverse effects of vaccinations”.

This table: http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/table.htm lists why the compensation was paid. Most are for allergic reactions – occasionally for things like encephalitis.

There were a total of 838 (http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm) claims over the same 23 year period for vaccinations causing autism of which 1 was paid. And even that one was a special case. the HHS specifically say of that payment: “HHS has never concluded in any case that autism was caused by vaccination” http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm#Compensableautism

To continue:

“Japanese government halted its own vaccine programme after six children died following Hib (meningitis) and pneumococcal inoculations”

The Japanese government does seem to have ” suspended the pneumococcal and Hib vaccine programs after 4 children died shortly after vaccination. Despite its initial investigations that suggest the vaccines were not connected to the deaths, the Ministry has not yet reinstated these vaccines”. “[Neither] of the vaccines were new to the market; millions of doses of these vaccines have been given safely in many countries for many years”. http://www.chop.edu/service/vaccine-education-center/in-the-news/four-children-die-in-japan-following-vaccines.html

that is: the Japanese government has suspended two of its 9 standard vaccinations without good evidence that there was anything wrong with the vaccination putting at risk a large number of people from deadly diseases.

Just to put things into perspective, about 826,000 people die of pneumococcus each year and 386,000 die of Haemophilus influenzae type b (HIB). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccination_schedule

“During the year, the Program received submissions from 13,797 families who believed that a vaccine injured or killed their child; although most of the cases are still under review, 2,699 parents have so far been compensated and a link to a vaccine has been established. ”

Ooops – that 13,797 is again from 23 years of claims almost all of which have been reviewed as it generally take 2-3 years to go through the process.

Note also that just because compensation is paid doesn’t mean that there is any link to the vaccine. http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/table.htm lists the vaccine injury table. It means that if you develop specific diseases within a certain period after the vaccination they’ll pay compensation. Not that the vaccine has caused an injury or death (perhaps i’m being picky here, but I’m all about accuracy).

“The most dangerous of the vaccines is the DTP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis), which was the subject of 3,979 claims, including 696 deaths. And, despite the best efforts of researchers and doctors to disprove any link, the Program has accepted that 101 children’s autism was a direct result of a vaccine. In the past 23 years, the Program has recognised that 2,561 autism cases have been caused by vaccination.”

Over 20 years 1,267 DTP claims have been compensated for any of:
1 Anaphylaxis
2 Encephalopathy (or encephalitis)
3 Any acute complication or sequela (including death) of above events

The program has accepted that 0 children’s autism was a direct result of a vaccine (http://www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation/statistics_report.htm#Compensableautism)

As have the courts: http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/autism/Autism%20Update%201%2012%2011.pdf

Hang on – I just noticed in the above quote “in the past 23 years” – hey, the author did know the table was for 23 years of data. I thought they were just incompetent!

Anyway, in the past 23 years the program has recognized that 0 autism cases have been caused by vaccination.

I think it is particularly interesting that all the other numbers in the article are misquoted statistics from the national vaccine injury compensation program except for the last one – which is specifically the total number of non-autism compensated injuries over the 23 years. That is, the exact opposite of what they claim it is. I guess the other number (1*) was not big enough for them.

In case you’re wondering the * on the 1 above leads to the following statement: “HHS has never concluded in any case that autism was caused by vaccination”

Yet again, 15 minutes of research proves once again these sort of claims are completely bogus.

*sigh*

Charles says:

Hey – thanks for accepting my post especially when you disagree with what I’m saying.

Just to respond to your statements:

1. The table of claims that is the basis of your article is from parents not GPs. These are all the parents in the US who submit claims that their children have been damaged by a vaccine.

2. I agree vaccines are not 100% safe, and the data in the article would certainly show that as well.

3. I also agree that vaccines are not 100% effective – which is one of the main reasons that I’m very much in favor of universal vaccinations. That way any vaccination doesn’t need to be 100% effective – the so called herd immunity is enough to prevent outbreaks of deadly diseases.

4. I’m not sure that autism is in epidemic proportions in the US. The incidence of autism spectrum disorders in the US runs at about 6/1000 children. As far as I’m aware there is no agreement as to if this rate is increasing, decreasing or constant. (http://idea.library.drexel.edu/bitstream/1860/2632/1/2006175339.pdf for a review of the data)

5. Wikipedia is often far from reliable. Therefore I also looked up the source of the data for the link I provided. It is from the World Health Organization:
http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2004update_AnnexA.pdf

Unfortunately the tables are somewhat difficult to read, which is why I merely linked to the synopsis on wikipedia.

Again, thanks for allowing me a place to comment.

Charles

John Smith says:

Only one Truth needs to be said:
Vaccines are TOTALLY ineffective!
Good health is the only immunity

John Smith says:

I hear that all vaccines contain aspartame. Aspartame intensifies the toxicity of other poisons.
Do vaccines need sweetening?