The Importance of Vaccines

This week is National Vaccine Week.  The purpose of this week being set aside is to remind us of the importance of vaccines. Fortunately, vaccines have been successful enough in decreasing the incidence of many horrible infections.  In fact vaccines have been so successful that people are questioning whether we need them at all.  However these infections have not been eradicated just suppressed by vaccines.
As a result of increasing numbers of people opting out of vaccines, these heinous diseases are occurring more frequently then in previous years. Often the infection will begin in one person who has not been vaccinated and then spread to others quickly. Just last month in Vancouver, there were 10 confirmed cases of measles.  In 2008, there were 839 people in San Diego who were exposed to measles by one person who contracted the disease while traveling in Switzerland. 11 of those people contracted measles and 3 of them were small infants too young to be vaccinated.  Every year there are outbreaks of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) and Mumps.
There are also some people who believe that it is better to just get the certain diseases naturally. Unfortunately there are some bacteria and viruses  that are so deadly that natural infection can kill in less than 24 hours or leave a child with devastating disabilities.
Many parents ask, "Are vaccines safe?" and "Why so many vaccines at a time?"
Vaccines are safe. Rigorous testing and research happens before any vaccine is allowed to be given.  To date millions of children have received vaccines. The reason vaccines are given in groups is to stimulate the immune system effectively and create antibodies against disease. 
Parents also ask about Autism and want to know if there is any link. Not only are vaccines rigorously tested before licensing but they are continually observed through the Vaccine Safety Data Link and the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System even after being released. These organizations continuously watch for adverse outcomes from vaccines.  Several studies have been done specifically looking to see if Autism could be linked to vaccines and the results have repeatedly shown no link. For more information check out www.cdc.gov and www.immunize.org
-----Dr. Trina