Pediatrician slams vaccine book

A report published Monday in the journal Pediatrics charges the author of a popular book for parents on childhood vaccines with stoking fears about vaccine safety and misrepresenting the science behind the nation's immunization policy. "The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child" was published last year by Dr. Robert Sears, son of the well-known Capistrano Beach pediatrician and author William Sears.

In a scathing critique not often seen in a pediatric journal, vaccine expert Paul A. Offit and coauthor Charlotte A. Moser say the book misrepresents science; supports delaying, withholding or spacing out vaccines; endorses the concept of natural immunity through such methods as chickenpox parties; does not distinguish between solid science and poorly conducted studies; and commits several errors of fact. "In an effort to protect children from harm, Sears' book will likely put more in harm's way," Offit and Moser write.

"He [Sears] believes that parents' fears should be indulged by offering alternative schedules, not countered by scientific studies, and he fails to explain that good science is the only way to determine whether a vaccine causes a particular adverse event. Instead, Sears alludes to evidence on both sides of any issue, failing to distinguish studies on the basis of their quality, internal consistency, or reproducibility and failing to distinguish those that are accepted by the scientific community from those that are not."

Sears issued a response in which he expresses surprise at the vitriol and says his position on childhood vaccination does not differ significantly from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Sears says he erred in the book by not distinguishing between good vaccine studies and poor ones but calls the Pediatrics paper "riddled with selective, misleading, and inaccurate quotes."

The biggest point of contention between the two papers, which can be found on their respective websites, Pediatrics and TheVaccineBook, is whether it's reasonable for parents who are worried about their individual child's safety to postpone or skip some vaccines. Offit and Moser call this strategy an invitation to more community outbreaks of measles, pertussis and mumps. But Sears defends the idea.

"Where my alternative schedule comes into play is for those parents who are still unsure about vaccines but they do want to fully vaccinate. I offer them an optional schedule that gets their child full vaccinated, but at a slower pace. It doesn't delay any of the most important shots."

Some of the arguments between the two papers are trivial, but the fundamental disagreement is not. The nation's public health policy depends on widespread support for childhood vaccination. However, a growing number of parents are apparently uncomfortable with having their children receive so many vaccines in a short amount of time. Their reticence to adhere to the recommended schedule may launch a return to the days when children were left immobile from polio or brain-damaged or dead from meningitis. Hopefully, the value of the nation's childhood vaccine program will come into full focus for everyone before then.

-- Shari Roan

Photo credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[toni bark MD LEED]

As an MD and trained pediatrician, I can tell you there are MANY problems with our vaccination system. I'll give you all a good example...
influenza vaccine. this vaccine never had a placebo controlled clinical study prior to being approved and circulated. (the gold standard of medicine). no clinical study has shown it to be effective. in fact, specific studies such as the one with the age group of 2mos to 6 yrs showed clearly it was ineffective, as did the recent studies using an elderly population. yet, it is recommended daily in these cohorts.
the common flu shots given, contain formaldehyde (a carcinogen) and methyl mercury (a neurotoxin), the others contain aluminum. the studies from the drug companies show blood levels of mercury dropping 60 days afer the vaccine. however, lowered blood levels mean nothing. mercury is stored in tissues. the problem is that the FDA as well as the EPA are asleep at the wheel. parents and doctors do need to be dubious of vaccines. this is not to say they are all bad, just that there is too much corruption in the system

[Peter]

"Check out the postings of John House, Scientista and Liz ... could this be the work of a single person using multiple aliases to convince us that so many people are in favor of vaccines when, indeed, there are only a few?"

No. The L.A. Times has a system in place to prevent that. Don't ask me how I know. ;-) But if you want to check it, it's rather easy. Just leave two comments under different names.

[digger]

Steve Osterday you said

That people are still having this ridiculous discussion is a testament to the strength of ignorance in numbers, and the willingness of the press do promote that ignorance with these inane articles that allow science to be 'balanced' with ignorance!

Excuse me, Just what science are you referring to the following that has been Debunked

I suggest you read the following

Gerberding was responding to a highly critical 2006 report from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which concluded that the CDC's flagship thimerosal safety study was riddled with "several areas of weaknesses" that combined to "reduce the usefulness" of the study ."

this is from an earlier post CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding has delivered a potentially explosive report to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, in which she admits to a startling string of errors in the design and methods used in the CDC's landmark 2003 study that found no link between mercury in vaccines and autism, ADHD, speech delay or tics.Gerberding was responding to a highly critical 2006 report from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which concluded that the CDC's flagship thimerosal safety study was riddled with "several areas of weaknesses" that combined to "reduce the usefulness" of the study ."
.
"I hope everyone will read it, including the recommendations to make the VSD better, and the CDC's agreement with all of the suggestions.As questionable as the US thimerosal study was, "it was an improvement on other studies, including the two in Denmark, both of which had serious weaknesses in their designs," Dr. Irva Hertz-Picciotto, Professor of Public Health at UC Davis Medical School and Chair of the NIEHS panel, told reporter Dan Olmsted at UPI.That leaves very little for the CDC to go on in terms of proving that
thimerosal and autism are not associated in any way
"CDC concurs," Dr. Gerberding wrote in an undated mea culpa to Congress, (provided to me through a Capital Hill staffer) adding that her agency "does not plan to use" the database in question, the Vaccine Safety Datalink, (VSD) for any future "ecological studies" of autism.In fact, Gerberding's report said, any continued use of the VSD for similar ecological studies of vaccines and autism "would be uninformative and potentially misleading.

The head of the CDC is saying that its most powerful and convincing piece of exonerating evidence for thimerosal is, in effect, "useless

Steve Osterday if you are here to defend putting poison in children don't !
for there is no defence for that kind of incompatance

[another mom with another vaccine injured child]

The Vaccine Book by Dr Bob Sears came out in October 2007. Dr Offits comments took awhile!

Frankly, I have a hard time trusting a person that is:

- paid consultant for MERCK
- has a PATENT on the Rotavirus vaccine
- and some other interesting pharma industry ties (link for video:
http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2008/07/cbs-news-on-aap-every-child-by-two-and.html)

[digger]

Sorry rowan you lose even the msds sheet for the preservative Thimerosal
states its a mutagenic and this is under Chronic Effects on Humans:

all their doing is finding the damage done by the thimerosal

MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for mammalian somatic cells.
May cause damage to the following organs: kidneys, liver, spleen, bone marrow, central nervous system (CNS). Hmm! real healthy stuff

It says under reactivity data to avoid Aluminum

This sounds like it really needed to be used in children's vaccines

especially knowing this

AMA blue ribbon panel study

1948 warned by a AMA study Thimerosal useless for an antimicrobial toxic down to one one millionth of a gram, he Dr. Engley suggested to remove it from everything, the lead researcher said "It's as toxic as it gets" THE WARNING WAS IGNORED

1982 Repeated warning From Dr. Engley Same warnings again
THE WARNING WAS IGNORED

This is the blue ribbon panel findings

Thimerosal is neither efficacious nor safe, and should be removed as a preservative in prescription biologics and pharmaceutical products, as well as from topical over-the-counter products such as Butt-Balm that have Thimerosal present in their formulations as an active ingredient.

"We found thimerosal is toxic down to a level that is almost unbelievable. Down to 1.10, maybe 100 nanograms...a millionth of a gram and that is about as toxic as you can get," he said."

Dr. Engleys last Quote and probably the most important of all

QUOTE"if they had followed through on our 82 report the vaccines would have been freed of thimerosal and all this autism they tell me would not have occurred" My son was born in 1990 if they had listened to the report and followed through my son would be playing football in school instead he is being babysitted in school with the mental capacity of a about a two yr old thanks CDC FDA AAP IOM

At that time the rate of Autism was one in ten thousand.Moving forward to 1999 more vaccines more mercury and aluminum and other compounds, and toxins the rate of Autism one in every five hundred
children.Moving forward to 2002 even more vaccines more mercury, and aluminum,other compounds and toxins
rate of Autism one in every two hundred and fifty children.moving forward to 2004 the rate of Autism an astounding one in every one hundred sixty six children.Moving forward to present in 2008 in Minnesota the Autism rate is one in every eighty two children and if the four to one ratio boys affected more than girls applies to Minnesota
that means maybe one in every twenty something boys
maybe effected.The fools don't know when to stop, maybe when we cannot defend this country, because all the boys have a mentality of a three or four year old, they will think about that very stupid statement We cannot rule out that this maybe happening to a small subset group of children. It doe's appear under the watchful eye of the CDC that small subset grew and grew. all the while the CDC said we don't know if it's a real increase or not. I believe our school districts can refute that, with the astronomical amount their spending on the autistic and the add adhd speechdelayed and bipolar, explosive disorders, and the list goes on

New autism numbers 1 in 82 and in the Somali community 1 in 28

TARGET ORGAN DATA from thimerosal MSDS

BRAIN AND COVERINGS (OTHER DEGENERATIVE CHANGES)
BEHAVIORAL (ANOREXIA, HUMAN)
BEHAVIORAL (CHANGE IN MOTOR ACTIVITY)
BEHAVIORAL (ATAXIA)
BEHAVIORAL (COMA)
LUNGS, THORAX OR RESPIRATION (OTHER CHANGES)
GASTROINTESTINAL (NAUSEA OR VOMITING)
KIDNEY, URETER, BLADDER (CHANGES IN TUBULES)
EFFECTS ON FERTILITY (POST-IMPLANTATION MORTALITY)
EFFECTS ON FERTILITY (ABORTION)
EFFECTS ON EMBRYO OR FETUS (FETAL DEATH)
TUMORIGENIC EFFECTS (UTERINE TUMORS)
NUTRITIONAL AND GROSS METABOLIC (CHANGES IN: METABOLIC ACIDOSIS)
TUMORIGENIC (NEOPLASTIC BY RTECS CRITERIA)
TUMORIGENIC (TUMORS AT SITE OF APPLICATION)
ONLY SELECTED REGISTRY OF TOXIC EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES
(RTECS) DATA IS PRESENTED HERE. SEE ACTUAL ENTRY IN RTECS FOR

[Helke]

There is no good science to reassure parents of vaccine safety. None of our vaccines have been evaluated for the potential to cause carcinogenicity and genotoxicity, and most have not been evaluated for the potential to impair fertility.

[jean carbone]

As a young mother who breastfed, made my own babyfood, and whose children's health was very important, I was intent on doing the right thing.
Inherently I feared giving shots to my two toddlers as it just seemed wrong to inject these pure beings with anything. (This was almost 30 years ago before
vaccinations were so controversial). Well, I did trust my pediatrician who was also a hippie, and she assured me they were safe and it was the right thing to do. My children were 3 and 4 years old, and up 'til then were very healthy. We
gave them the first series of the MMRs, and after that, my one son developed allergies, ear infections, and was prone to respiratory illness. I attribute the decline in his health to those shots. I then had to sign religious waivers to register my children for school. But my kids never got any of the childhood diseases that caused them to miss school--no colds, flu, strep, etc. In fact, there was an outbreak of measles when my oldest son was in high school, and many of the students who were inoculated for measles got it anyway, while my son never did. I believe that his immune system was stronger because he wasn't vaccinated. Though my choice not to vaccinate is obviously not based on scientific reasoning, just good ol' mother's instincts, I do believe it was the right choice. Besides, what is the hurry to bombard these pure little beings with so much, so soon? Realistically, the chances of a newborn being exposed to any of those diseases are practically nil (unless they're going to be traveling to some third world country in the first days of their lives). So why the hurry to inject poison in young children? I say, trust your parental instincts--I'm so glad I did.

[Bill]

As a pediatrician, I find the argument of "too many" antigens laughable.

The fact is, by feeding your child, you will expose your child to many more antigens than presented in the oft complained about 2-4-6 month vaccine series.

However, if you truly believe that vaccinations are harmful, please take your child to India or Africa. Then you will learn how foolish you really are.

[Kelly R.]

To: Rowan - my son's head GREW in size when he had the Dpt and MMR vaccines. I'd love to show you the before/after shots of him -- just to see the look on your face. He had severe diharrea to go with it. The pediatrician's comment? Colic.

To: Dr. Dressler - Jonas Salk went to his grave admitting to a family member that he believed he CAUSED more polio than he cured.

Vaccination is a nasty little secret brought to the states thanks to a very influential family. In England where vaccination first reared it's ineffective head, it was the queen who used the threat of disease as her means for increasing vaccination. Us peasants were pretty ignorant back then.

Again -- the polio thing? On the decline with the advent of water and sewer.
Unless those conditions are threatened in this country, you will not see this disease here. Any that show up are brought here from third world countries. I guess the answer to that is quarantine anyone coming in to our country from those countries. Clean up their immune systems via Vitamin D, Zinc and C for a couple of weeks and they are good to go (enter).

[concerned person]

Karen: I hope you're also holding recently vaccinated individuals responsible for shedding live virus and exposing your immunocompromised individuals to disease via secondary transmission.

[Garbosmed]

The FDA and CDC are jeopardizing the entire vaccine program because of Pharma greed. They are literally killing healtcare's golden goose by approving and mandating so many vaccines in the first two years of life without properly testing them and screening infants for contraindications. Those who criticize parents for being wary are obviously unaware of the current schedule's extremes. There were not rampant outbreaks of disease in 1973 or 1983, and yet the vaccine schedule since then has tripled. Why? Because vaccines were indemnified by Congress, and because World Health Organization approval depends upon approval here in the U.S. first. Gulf War Syndrome, and autism and other autoimmune disorders that have grown exponentially, are all part of the same continuum. There is just no good reason for so many dangerous chemicals and neurotoxins to be injected into babies. Aluminum, mercury, MSG? They've been shown to break down the blood-brain barrier, kill motor neuron cells, cause GI and brain development problems. It's shocking that the powers that be feel the need to continually justify their presence in vaccines, rather than fighting tooth and nail to use modern technology to produce vaccines without these toxins.

[Kerry Kolsch, Esq.]

Jean, you are obviously a collectivist. I, as an individual, do not have an obligation to vaccinate my children because of your mistaken belief that vaccines are safe and effective. The "social contract" in this Constitutional Republic embraces the concept that my individual liberty should not be sacrificed for the group, especially an uninformed member of the group such as yourself. If you are suggesting that the vaccinated can bring a lawsuit against the unvaccinated, bring it on and see how fast our corrupt judicial system will throw it out. Big Pharma does not want their vaccine safety lies in front of a jury, that is why they lobbied for the corrupt Vaccine Court. One of the signs of a truly suppressed society is that the people repeat the mantras of their oppressors, and ridicule the informed. You have chosen to embrace propagandized reality and be a gate keeper for the corrupt and murderous Big Pharma cartel.

[concerned person]

Here’s a link to the Pediatrics article http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/123/1/e164

And the ensuing flurry of e-mail responses from vaccine experts http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/eletters/123/1/e164

Interesting that the same quarrelsome dialogue occurs among experts as among “laypeople”. It’s not just “stupid anti-vax” people who think there should be an open dialogue and freedom of choice.

[Rita]

To the pediatrician; are vaccines the only difference between US and India/Africa? Fool.
Anyone who thinks vaccines are just peachy keen is drinking the Koolaid. Vaccines injure and kill. That is indisputable. Wake up America. This is a national health crisis.

[coconino]

I had the distinct pleasure, this year, of having to take time off from my work and pay for antibiotics, additional vaccination, and two doctors' visits for myself and my daughter because some fool parents decided not to give their child the DPT vaccination. Several students in my daughter's class developed pertussis as well as the teacher. It can be fatal to infants and those with depressed immune systems, and those students with frequent contact and/or immune depressed relatives were required by the local public health officer/epidemiologist to obtain additional vaccination and go on antibiotics as a precaution to spreading it to the general local population. Had there been more foolish parents out there, we could easily have had an epidemic with potential fatalities.

My grandmother was a nurse both before and after the development of vaccinations and antibiotics. The wretched stories she told of children dying of diseases easily preventable through vaccination, not to mention my own mother's bedridden convalescence through a bad case of rheumatic fever were easily enough to ensure my rampant desire to vaccinate my daughter against those childhood illnesses. Add to that growing up in a third world country and being extremely ill during the 1969 flu epidemic; I have a profound respect for the ability to easily prevent the death and mayhem to which we were once exposed.

[dudeman1961]

We, society, are already seeing the result of a massive anti-vaccination program, it's called illegal immigrants bringing tuberculosis, whooping cough, etc. over the border then shoving their infected spawn upon us in public schools.
My child did respond adversely to one vaccine, whooping cough; after his first injection we eliminated it from the schedule.

Lastly, 'anti-vax are whacks'!

[Jesse]

To Karen: I sure hope you have a DAMN good attorney because your threats are very laughable. If you intend to sue everybody who is not vaccinated, you better be able prove it was an unvaccinated person who spread the disease to you. There are more than a few vaccines made with live viruses (including flumist) that CAN and DO spread among others from being vaccinated with these live viruses. You ask how I know this? MY CHILD CAUGHT THE MEASLES FROM THE VACCINE! Vaccinated people can still carry and spread the viruses and outbreaks happen in 100% vaccinated populations. There's enough reasonable doubt right there honey :)

[digger]

Someone said this to me in a post,

It is just so much easier to get them the shots instead of parents having to stay home with them when they are sick.

Boy doe's this nation have it wrong about how much loss of productivity is saved with vaccines. Man are they deceived

The average severely vaccine damaged child will spend a quarter of the school year home with a parent and at times having to take off work to take well vaccinated child to Dr.s visit.

Think of your life changing forever, with a vaccine damaged child. Before when you were able to go places, how life was free. It no longer is, after having a child that had a severe reaction to the vaccines. Now you are no longer able to take your child to restaurants, because of the screaming; or the possibility the child will spit in someones food. So you become a prisoner in your own home, dates with your own spouse are out ; because someone has to be with the child all the times. There is a bright side to eating in with togo diners you do save a lot on beverages for everybody. But there is always the dishes, that you did not have to do before.

P.S. It's like this country gives you an alzheimer's patient for life to care for, that they created for adhering to the out of control vaccine schedule. Welcome to the land of the free and the home of the decieved.

[digger]

Go to Vaccine Information Service and read their articles concerning the factual information on the decline of theses diseases, and how that has been intentionally misrepresented. You pro-vax professionals have the audacity go out there and try to tell the public you are trying to dispel the misinformation we anti-vax people are giving???

Here is a quote from the The Idaho Observer, Spirit Lake Idaho, in Nov. 2000, concerning the research work of Viera Schreibner; considered an expert witness in the courts concerning vaccine damage and also in false accusation of shaken baby syndrome. She has probably done more research into the actual cause of SIDS than anyone in the world. The quote starts here; If the head of your local health departments vaccination program were to experience Dr. Schreibners lecture and then advocated mass vaccination as sound public health policy, there would only be one question left to ask him: Why should you not be prosecuted for conspiracy to commit murder?

Here is quotation from Dr. J Anthony Morris, former Chief Vaccine Control Officer, US Food and Drug Administration. "There is a great deal of evidence to prove that immunisations of children does more harm than good". If you still believe the myth that vaccines have saved us from these horrid diseases, please read, Why Vaccination Continues, www.soilandhealth.org/02/0201hyglibcat/020132sinclair/vaccination.htm

This was back when the FDA was the watch dog for the industry, and not the lap dog. We could save a lot of money and just fire those worthless lap dogs,
and go to a take it at your own risk policy, after all, with all the big black box warnings on all the most dangerous drugs. It's basically the same, use to
If something was dangerous it was immediately pulled now even after their own advisory committee disagrees on the safety they the FDA fight to allow it to damage more Americans amazing ain't it what Pharma money buys ---------
Consciences and Integrity. They talk about how mitochondria disorders are
very Rare.It doe's seem to appear that mito disorders are easier to find,than a good Conscience and Integrity is in the CDC and the FDA combined.

[Profit]

I caught a program where Dr. Offit looked like he was doing a skit from Saturday Night Live. The program started as if he was in a witness protection program. Dr. Offit's sillouette (face blacked out) showed with his voice claiming he had been threatened, BUT next he is shown proudly standing in front of his place of business. Even though it wasn't supposed to be, I did find it comical.
He also worked in the CDC to vote his own vaccine into the recommended schedule. Sooo WRONG!

[NJAICV]

John - David M never said he was "anti-vax" As far as putting preservatives in our bodies via food, that may be, but INJECTING them directly into the blood stream of infants with underdeveloped immune systems is drastically different.

I as a parent received just a small fraction of the vaccines they are requiring for children before the age of 5 today, which is up to 35 doses for the children of NJ. Parents are concerned about the amount of vaccines - toxins and carcinogens included - being injected into our children. As a child, I had the opportunity to develop a natural immunity to the mumps and varicella (chickenpox) viruses. Vaccination is a medical procedure associated with risk, and as with any other medical risk, parents are concerned about loosing their rights to make decisions in their children's health.

I am ecstatic that the opportunity to vaccinate against dangerous diseases is available to us. However, it should not be forced upon those who object. We should all be working together to maintain our rights.

Parents should read this book and every other book they can get their hands on and learn all they can about the most important decision they will be making for their children. An informed decision is a wise decision. Learn all you can - for whatever you decide you will need to live with. No one will accept the blame or help with the repercussions of your decision. Be sure to visit www.NJAICV.org and the links available there to continue your research.

[Kelly R.]

to: Bill the Ped
The antigens that enter our bodies from foods, etc. are not INJECTED into our bloodstream - they go through the digestive process and are eliminated...... That's IF doctors would quit telling patients that it is totally fine to have a B.M. once in three days. It may be "normal," but it is certainly not "healthy." Even Dr. Oz on Oprah has stated that it is unhealthy to not have a BM at least once/day.

to: Coconino
That child who spread the Pertussis? I will bet my life that it was a virus being shed by a recently-vaccinated child who was in the area. You might also want to be aware that each time you vaccinate that pet, they are shedding those same bacteria, viruses........... (rabies?) Don't count on most vets or peds to let you in on that little detail. Actually, they probably don't even know. Just one more thing vaccine mfgrs. aren't letting on about.

[digger]

To the moderators

Are you having a problem printing the truth ? here in the home of the free - dom of the press. two post have not gotten on yet and they are accurate.

[Kerry Kolsch, Esq.]

Jean, you are obviously a collectivist. I, as an individual, do not have an obligation to vaccinate my children because of your mistaken belief that vaccines are safe and effective. The "social contract" in this Constitutional Republic embraces the concept that my individual liberty should not be sacrificed for the group, especially an uninformed member of the group such as yourself. If you are suggesting that the vaccinated can bring a lawsuit against the unvaccinated, bring it on and see how fast our corrupt judicial system will throw it out. Big Pharma does not want their vaccine safety lies in front of a jury, that is why they lobbied for the corrupt Vaccine Court. One of the signs of a truly suppressed society is that the people repeat the mantras of their oppressors, and ridicule the informed. You have chosen to embrace propagandized reality and be a gate keeper for the corrupt and murderous Big Pharma cartel.

[Arlena]

I recently did a large project on the potential damage a vaccine can do....let me tell you, I will never vaccinate my children and I advise everyone I know with kids to do the same. How can these medical experts justify injecting formaldehyde: a known carcinogen or ethylene glycol (aka anti freeze) a known neurotoxin into babies that are developing an immune system. I think before you vaccinate, if you plan to do so...you should do a simple blood test to see if they are already immune to some of these diseases. To these people who rant about the effects of not vaccinating, I bet you would be saying something different if your toddler stopped talking or went into cardiac arrest during a seizure after a "well baby" visit.