Vaccine Safety
Some people believe that vaccines cause many harmful side effects, illnesses, and even death -- not to mention possible long-term effects we don't even know about.
The following is an excerpt from the Centers for Disease Control
(CDC) website that addresses vaccine safety:
“Vaccines are actually very safe, despite implications to the contrary in many anti-vaccine publications (which sometimes contain the number of reports received by VAERS
[Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System]), and allow the reader to infer that all of them represent genuine vaccine side effects.
Most vaccine adverse events are minor and temporary, such as a sore arm or mild fever. Taking acetaminophen before or after vaccination can often control these minor sides effects. More serious adverse events occur rarely (on the order of one per thousands to one per millions of doses), and some are so rare that risk cannot be accurately assessed. As for vaccines causing death, again, so few deaths can plausibly be attributed to vaccines that it is hard to assess the risk statistically.
Of all deaths reported to VAERS between 1990 and 1992, only one is believed to be even possibly associated with a vaccine. Each death reported to VAERS
is thoroughly examined to ensure that it is not related to a new
vaccine-related problem, but little or no evidence suggests that
vaccines have contributed to any of the reported deaths. The
Institute of Medicine in its 1994 report states that the risk of
death from vaccines is ‘extraordinarily low.’
The fact is that a child is far more likely to be seriously injured by one of these diseases than by any vaccine. While any serious injury or death caused by vaccines is too many, it is also clear that the benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh the slight risk, and that many, many more injuries and deaths would occur without vaccinations. In fact, to have a medical intervention as effective as vaccination in preventing disease and not use it would be unconscionable.”
Research is underway by the U.S. Public Health Service to better understand which vaccine adverse events are truly caused by vaccines, and how to reduce even further, the already low risk of serious vaccine-related injury.”
Vaccine Information Sheets
The CDC has produced vaccine information statements (VIS) for most of the vaccines given today. They explain both the benefits and risks of a specific vaccine. Federal law requires that VIS's be handed out before each dose of certain vaccinations is given.
There are many articles that address concerns about the safety of vaccines in general and of specific vaccines.
Visit the
CDC website and scroll down to “Vaccine Safety,” or check the organizations listed under “Resources” on this website. All provide excellent information and also have links to other organizations that address the subject. If you are unable to find the information you want, please call
Boulder County Public Health at 303-413-7548.
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