It's a slow Friday at work. I've managed to get on top of all of my tasks and projects by the end of this week, and I have been very busy lately, so I do not feel too guilty to be enjoying the downtime and writing a blog entry. Hopefully my sins do not cost me dearly!
Anyhow, my friend Graham has, for some odd reason, taken it upon himself to debate some loonies over at Victoria's local rave board. I don't blame him for it - like the XKCD cartoon shows, when someone states ridiculous theories and ludicrous claims, then claims everyone else is an idiot for not buying into it, it's hard not to bite. And, above all, it makes me proud when my friends show skeptical attitudes. After all, I think that skepticism and critical thinking are some of the wisest traits someone can possess, so it's nice to see those reflected in my friends.
Reading through the posts, I saw one that stuck out like a sore thumb, as the vaccination controversy has been raging for a while:
Due to the large volume of responses, I find it difficult to reply to this person that may be asking an earnest question (I phrase it that way because she may just be looking to have her own opinion confirmed for her).
On the surface, this seems like a good question. Hey, at least she's asking it right? Right off the bat though, we've got a problem. She's asking a board devoted to raving in Victoria. I have no problem with the rave scene in Victoria, and it's been a huge part of my life for ten years now (much more so in the earlier part of that decade than now). However, is this really the best place to go for medical advice?
The next is the major problem with the post - seeing their worth for extreme cases, but risking alzheimers. First of all, vaccines aren't given out for things that aren't worth vaccinating. The flu shot might be considered a vaccine, but if it is, it's a temporary one at best. Most vaccine's are given to you to cover you from infection for a longer term, usually upwards of a decade until you need to get another shot.
Second, this person is simply repeating misinformation that she's probably heard as a result of the large-scale lunacy being put out by the anti-vaccination crowd. Vaccines do in fact use some small doses of aluminmum, though nothing that is considered to cause long-term effects. You can read more about it here on Wikipedia, or other reputable sites, such as Quackwatch. Large clinical studies have been done showing that aluminum-containing vaccines do not have any evidence of being a serious health risk, or to justify changes to immunization practice. Formaldehyde? I don't see any reputable links stating that vaccines are mixed with formaldehyde, but perhaps I'm just missing the right links. Any comments directing me in the right direction would be good.
Third is the most common misconception about vaccines - that they daamge your immune system, or that they weaken it by not training it to fight off the problem. This is based on a poor understanding of how vaccines work. Our immune system is an impressive thing, capable of adapting to and fighting off millions of different types of contaminants, viruses, and bacteria in our body. One thing that our immune system has evolved is the ability to strengthen and get better at fighting the same contaminant the next time it comes around. This makes sense - you've learned from the battle, next time you can use that knowledge to beat it more swiftly. When you are administered a vaccine, you are given a dead or sterile version of the infecting agent, such that it still triggers your immune system's response, but does not have the ability to actually infect you and start replicating itself at your expense. Incidentally, the flu shot works the same way, and when someone tells you "I don't get the flu shot becomes I always get the flu because of it", they are incorrect.
Getting vaccines does not harm your immune system or make it weaker. It strengthens your immune system, and basically gives it a chance to spar with the bacteria without the risk of you getting harmed in the process. Vaccines are a positive thing, and possibly one of the most substantial medical advances our society has ever created.
What about the flipside? What's the harm in not getting a vaccine? Well, there are a couple. Part of this problem is what is called herd-immunity. When enough of the population are vaccinated against a given infectant, it becomes very difficult for that thing to propagate itself, as it ends up getting killed too quickly. Smallpox and Polio are both in this situation, and have almost dried up as a result of immunization. Some people, unfortunately, will not have their immune system develop this proper response, and the vaccine for a given contaminant simply will not work for them. These people rely on herd immunity in order to stay safe. When you choose not to vaccinate yourself or your child, you decrease the level of her immunity. If enough people stop vaccinating, we end up with a weak level of herd immunity, and then the people that wish to be rendered immune, but cannot be, will fall victim to the infectant.
What else? Well, it's irresponsible. You should vaccinate your children, because you have a responsibility to them, and it's the safe thing to do. Just because someone is "young and healthy", does not mean that they cannot fall victim to an infectant, or that they will be able to fight that illness off. If you have the opportunity to dramatically increase your or your child's chances of fighting off an illness, shouldn't you take that opportunity?
Most important of all, learn about reputable sources to look this stuff up. I recommend:
Anyhow, my friend Graham has, for some odd reason, taken it upon himself to debate some loonies over at Victoria's local rave board. I don't blame him for it - like the XKCD cartoon shows, when someone states ridiculous theories and ludicrous claims, then claims everyone else is an idiot for not buying into it, it's hard not to bite. And, above all, it makes me proud when my friends show skeptical attitudes. After all, I think that skepticism and critical thinking are some of the wisest traits someone can possess, so it's nice to see those reflected in my friends.
Reading through the posts, I saw one that stuck out like a sore thumb, as the vaccination controversy has been raging for a while:
To Vaccine or not?
They're giving out free flu vaccinations at my work this week. Personally, I am opposed to vaccinations. I can see their worth for extreme cases (for example the small pox vaccine in the 1800's) but I don't see how people who are young and healthy would risk increased chances of alzheimers (due to combining mercury with aluminum and formaldehyde and then injecting it in your arm) and ultimatley damaging your immune system to fight off things naturally.
I'm curious what everyone else thinks about this?
I'm also looking for reading material on the subject that anyone has.
The post was already responded to by people, most of them offering poor advice, some of them offering good advice, and, as usual, one of them by resident wingnut "mike" telling her to "avoid getting injected with anything at all ever, the consequences will be worse in the longrun than anything in the short term" (Mike has obviously never suffered through smallpox).Due to the large volume of responses, I find it difficult to reply to this person that may be asking an earnest question (I phrase it that way because she may just be looking to have her own opinion confirmed for her).
On the surface, this seems like a good question. Hey, at least she's asking it right? Right off the bat though, we've got a problem. She's asking a board devoted to raving in Victoria. I have no problem with the rave scene in Victoria, and it's been a huge part of my life for ten years now (much more so in the earlier part of that decade than now). However, is this really the best place to go for medical advice?
The next is the major problem with the post - seeing their worth for extreme cases, but risking alzheimers. First of all, vaccines aren't given out for things that aren't worth vaccinating. The flu shot might be considered a vaccine, but if it is, it's a temporary one at best. Most vaccine's are given to you to cover you from infection for a longer term, usually upwards of a decade until you need to get another shot.
Second, this person is simply repeating misinformation that she's probably heard as a result of the large-scale lunacy being put out by the anti-vaccination crowd. Vaccines do in fact use some small doses of aluminmum, though nothing that is considered to cause long-term effects. You can read more about it here on Wikipedia, or other reputable sites, such as Quackwatch. Large clinical studies have been done showing that aluminum-containing vaccines do not have any evidence of being a serious health risk, or to justify changes to immunization practice. Formaldehyde? I don't see any reputable links stating that vaccines are mixed with formaldehyde, but perhaps I'm just missing the right links. Any comments directing me in the right direction would be good.
Third is the most common misconception about vaccines - that they daamge your immune system, or that they weaken it by not training it to fight off the problem. This is based on a poor understanding of how vaccines work. Our immune system is an impressive thing, capable of adapting to and fighting off millions of different types of contaminants, viruses, and bacteria in our body. One thing that our immune system has evolved is the ability to strengthen and get better at fighting the same contaminant the next time it comes around. This makes sense - you've learned from the battle, next time you can use that knowledge to beat it more swiftly. When you are administered a vaccine, you are given a dead or sterile version of the infecting agent, such that it still triggers your immune system's response, but does not have the ability to actually infect you and start replicating itself at your expense. Incidentally, the flu shot works the same way, and when someone tells you "I don't get the flu shot becomes I always get the flu because of it", they are incorrect.
Getting vaccines does not harm your immune system or make it weaker. It strengthens your immune system, and basically gives it a chance to spar with the bacteria without the risk of you getting harmed in the process. Vaccines are a positive thing, and possibly one of the most substantial medical advances our society has ever created.
What about the flipside? What's the harm in not getting a vaccine? Well, there are a couple. Part of this problem is what is called herd-immunity. When enough of the population are vaccinated against a given infectant, it becomes very difficult for that thing to propagate itself, as it ends up getting killed too quickly. Smallpox and Polio are both in this situation, and have almost dried up as a result of immunization. Some people, unfortunately, will not have their immune system develop this proper response, and the vaccine for a given contaminant simply will not work for them. These people rely on herd immunity in order to stay safe. When you choose not to vaccinate yourself or your child, you decrease the level of her immunity. If enough people stop vaccinating, we end up with a weak level of herd immunity, and then the people that wish to be rendered immune, but cannot be, will fall victim to the infectant.
What else? Well, it's irresponsible. You should vaccinate your children, because you have a responsibility to them, and it's the safe thing to do. Just because someone is "young and healthy", does not mean that they cannot fall victim to an infectant, or that they will be able to fight that illness off. If you have the opportunity to dramatically increase your or your child's chances of fighting off an illness, shouldn't you take that opportunity?
Most important of all, learn about reputable sources to look this stuff up. I recommend:
- PubMed
- QuackWatch
- Skepticality's Forums
A great resource to search for all published medical studies. This is a great place to go and look up random claims people tell you about, and to determine for yourself how legitimate a quoted study is.
Probably the best place to go when you have medical questions that you're unsure of, or are facing claims made by people around you that you may doubt. QuackWatch is an excellent resource, and a great way to dig down to the truth.
Skepticality has a good set of forums, with intelligent members. People will be more than happy to help you out with any questions you may have and any claims that you may have heard. Don't be scared off by skeptics - use them as a resource, or better yet, join us! These forums, I guarantee, will be a much better source of information than your local rave forum.
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