Indian press admits that there are minor problems with vaccinations.

September 28, 2005

Anti Vaccination Lobby

--------------------------------

There is a lobby that pleads against vaccination. It does so on the following

grounds:

It has to be admitted that some vaccines are not 100% successful. A miniscule

proportion, however negligible statistically, can catch the infection due to

vaccine failure, faulty procedure or have some other complications in case of

personal sensitivities.

Testing on animals is considered unethical. For example, measles virus is

passed through chick embryos, poliovirus through monkey kidneys, and the rubella

virus through human diploid cells - the dissected organs of an aborted foetus.

The possible hazards caused by adjuvants (antibody boosters) used in the

preparation of vaccines. Some adjuvants like aluminium, formaldehyde, and

mercury are extremely toxic substances with a long history of documented

hazardous effects.

Faulty procedures may cause more harm than good.

The fear that animal infection may cross over to the vaccine during

preparation. There have been stray instances in the past when groups were

vaccinated and unexpected infection spread along with vaccination.

Suspicion that tampering with the immune system and taking vaccines prepared

in animal bodies could cause immune deficiency diseases acquired from animals

like AIDS

However, this lobby represents a small minority. In fact, some groups of this

lobby do not decry vaccination, but ask for greater awareness and greater

responsibility from the state or the body that administers or researches

vaccines.

In the view of the great success of vaccination worldwide, the medical

profession firmly supports vaccination, despite the voice of the

anti-vaccination lobby. Besides, the medical profession feels that some of this

lobby’s fears are ungrounded.

Source : Hindustan Times

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