Which is Greater Threat, Measles or Autism ?
by Jeffrey Dach MD
 There has been an increase in reported cases of measles from 42 to 131 which has prompted a New York Times editorial warning of re-emergence of many diseases if vaccination rates drop. "If confidence in all vaccines were to drop precipitously, many diseases would re-emerge and cause far more harm than could possibly result from vaccination."
Confidence in Vaccines Has Been Lost
Unfortunately, confidence in vaccines has alreadybeen lost according to Shona Hilton in her article,"Who do parents believe about MMR?" According to Shona Hilton, young parents are mistrustful of the media and the pediatricians who have financial incentives to push vaccines.
What is the Evidence for an Autism/ Vaccine Link?
In the case of Hannah Poling, the federal vaccine court has agreed to compensate Poling's family, conceding that her autism was caused by vaccination. The federal court has already paid out more than $1.5 billion for vaccine related injury or death.
According to Bernadine Healy MD, Director of the National Institute of Health (NIH) in 1991, there is credible published, peer-reviewed scientific studies that support the idea of an association between autism and vaccines. Rather than oppose all vaccinations, Dr Healy suggests modifying the vaccination schedule to make them safer.
How to Make the Vaccine Schedule Safer?
Don Miller MD in this article on Lew Rockwell, provides a safer vaccination schedule. For example, the vaccination schedule can be made safer by waiting until child's immune system is better developed after age 2, by moving from the combined MMR shot to individual doses, avoiding thimerosol, and avoiding the live vaccines.
Which is the Greater Threat Autism or Measles?
While the number of measles cases is decreasing, autism cases are increasing.
Chart Below Shows Increasing Autism
Measles Mortality
Mortality from measles decreased from 1900 to 1963 even before first vaccines were introduced in 1963. (see below chart).
Don Miller MD writes, "Since the measles vaccine came into widespread use in this country this disease has virtually disappeared, and it has prevented 100 deaths a year. But now, instead, several thousand normally developing children become autistic after receiving their MMR shot. Termed "regressive autism," it accounts for about 30 percent of the 10,000 to 20,000 children who are diagnosed with autism in this country each year."
Chart below shows declining mortality from measles.
Introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963 was successful. The measles vaccine (live virus) reduced the number of measles cases, and prevented about 100 deaths per year. Prior to 1963, mortality from measles had already dropped to low levels from improved living standards, better nutrition, and and sanitary measures.
A User Friendly Vaccine Schedule from Don Miller MD:
1) avoid vaccines containing thimerosal, which is 50 percent mercury.
2) avoid vaccines that contain live viruses. This includes the combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine; chickenpox (varicella) vaccine, and the live-virus polio (Sabin) vaccine. 3) Wait until age of two to start, then vaccinate no more than once every six months, one at a time, in order to allow the immune system sufficient time to recover and stabilize between shots.
Conclusion
Clearly, there is a trade off in terms of benefits and risks of vaccines. Rather than deny the adverse effects of vaccines, we should be openly discussing how to make the vaccine schedule safer, as Don Miller MD and Bernadine Healy MD suggest. For more information on this topic, see my previous articles:
Parents Avoid Measles Vaccine Fearing Autism Link by Jeffrey Dach MD
John McCain Links Autism with Vaccines by Jeffrey Dach MD
Autism, Vaccines, and Robert F Kennedy Jr. by Jeffrey Dach MD
Update Feb 3, 2004
Andrew Wakefield was found guilty of unethical conduct by the GMC relating to the 1998 study published in Lancet, and Lancet then retracted the article.
See the following links for more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/health/research/03lancet.html
Journal Retracts 1998 Paper Linking Autism to Vaccines
By GARDINER HARRIS NY Times Published: February 2, 2010
http://lizditz.typepad.com/i_speak_of_dreams/2010/01/andrew-wakefield-dishonesty-misleading-conduct-and-serious-professional-misconduct.html
Andrew Wakefield: Dishonesty, Misleading Conduct, and Serious Professional Misconduct: Blog Posts Critical of Verdict; Blog Posts Approving of Verdict
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AutismNews/autism-british-doctor-andrew-wakefield-started-autism-vaccine-debate-ethics-debacle/story?id=9713197
Doctor Who Started Vaccine, Autism Debate in Ethics Row
Doctor's Critics and Parent Supporters Say Ethics Debate Is Irrelevant to Science
By LAUREN COX ABC News Medical Unit Feb. 1, 2010
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1245518/Judgement-day-MMR-rebel-investigation-blighted-doctors-life-12-years-finally-approaches-conclusion.html
Judgement day for MMR rebel: an investigation that has blighted doctor's life for 12 years finally approaches conclusion By Sally Beck 23rd January 2010
Jeffrey Dach MD
4700 Sheridan Suite T
Hollywood Fl 33021
954-983-1443
www.jeffreydach.com
www.drdach.com
www.naturalmedicine101.com
www.truemedmd.com
References and Links
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/08/21/us-measles-cases-highest_n_120493.html
Measles Cases Highest In A Decade Due To Vaccination Fears
http://www.healthsentinel.com/graphs.php?id=20&event=graphs_print_list_item
This graph shows the decline in deaths from measles from 1900 to 1987. What is striking is the decline in mortality rate from a high of 14.3 per 100,000 to .2 per 100,000 in 1963.
http://www.vaclib.org/basic/measlesvac.htm
Measles Vaccine : The Facts !
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/opinion/24sun2.html
Editorial Measles Returns August 24, 2008
Bernadine Healy MD
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/brain-and-behavior/2008/04/10/fighting-the-autism-vaccine-war.html
Fighting the Autism-Vaccine War By Bernadine Healy M.D. Posted April 10, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernadine_Healy
Bernadine Patricia Healy (b. August 4, 1944) is a cardiologist and a former head of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Red Cross. She is a senior writer for US News & World Report. Healy is a life-long Republican. Appointed in 1991 by President George H. W. Bush to be the first female head of the NIH, institutes. Left when another director was appointed after the election of President Bill Clinton in 1993. Healy is the best-known “mainstream” American physician to speak out in opposition to the academicians and officials who either deny the existence of a pandemic or any chance of a link to vaccines. She asks why, over the past decade, the government hasn’t compared the autism/ADD rate of unvaccinated children with that of vaccinated children. And why do some in government treat vaccines as an all-or-nothing proposition? Either everybody gets vaccinated at the same time with the same vaccines, or nobody will get vaccinated and long-gone deadly diseases will re-emerge. “Personalized medicine” is done in virtually all areas of medicine today—except with vaccines,
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/05/12/couricandco/entry4090144.shtml
May 12, 2008, The "Open Question" On Vaccines and Autism
Posted by Sharyl Attkisson| Interview with Dr Healy Video
According to Healy, when she began researching autism and vaccines she found credible published, peer-reviewed scientific studies that support the idea of an association.
http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller15.html
A User-Friendly Vaccination Schedule by Donald W. Miller, Jr., MD
Fair Use Notice:
The material on this site is provided for educational and informational purposes. It may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. It is being made available in an effort to advance the understanding of scientific, environmental, economic, social justice and human rights issues etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have an interest in using the included information for research and educational purposes. The information on this site does not constitute legal, medical or technical advice.
Disclaimer click here: http://www.drdach.com/wst_page20.html
The reader is advised to discuss the comments on these pages with his/her personal physicians and to only act upon the advice of his/her personal physician Also note that concerning an answer which appears as an electronically posted question, I am NOT creating a physician -- patient relationship. Although identities will remain confidential as much as possible, as I can not control the media, I can not take responsibility for any breaches of confidentiality that may occur.
Link to this article:
http://jeffreydach.com/2008/08/24/which-is-greater-threat-measles-or-autism-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx
This article may be reproduced on the internet without permission, provided there is a link to this page and proper credit is given.
copyright (c) 2007,2008,2009,2010 all rights reserved jeffrey dach md
__________________________________________________________________________
Jeffrey Dach MD www.drdach.com disclaimer |
my son was fully vaccinated with mmr and now has measles in his small intestine (3 years of 3x a day explosive diahhrea from the day of the mmr forward) and brain inflammation. He also is diagnosed as PDD-NOS. If only he could have just had the measles.
Reply to this