To follow up on Monday’s post about vaccines, in 2011 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies published a 648-page report, “Adverse Effects of Vaccines: Evidence and Causality.”
The IOM reviewed “epidemiologic, clinical, and biological evidence regarding adverse health events associated with specific vaccines.” While the report didn’t judge the effectiveness of vaccines, it did focus on the risks of vaccines.
Let me be perfectly clear: I did not read the entire 648 page report. (If you’d like to, click here. You’ll find informative explanations of eight vaccine-preventable diseases and vaccines, along with in-depth details about the study and findings.)
But I did read the summary, concluding comments, along with portions of the introduction and approach – I was thrilled to find unbiased information about vaccines. Here’s a much abbreviated synopsis:
- The IOM clearly stated: “This report is not intended to answer the question ‘Are vaccines safe?’ The committee was not charged with answering that question.”The committee also didn’t “make conclusions about how frequently vaccine adverse events occur.”
What the committee did do was report the facts. If adverse effects were related to vaccines, the committee noted the reactions in the report. If there were no adverse effects directly related, nothing was mentioned.
(In case you’re wondering, the evidence was taken from, “epidemiologic evidence derived from studies of populations and mechanistic evidence derived primarily from biological and clinical studies in animals and individual humans.”)
- The committee did find a direct correlation between certain vaccines and side effects – evidence points to a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and febrile seizures. According to the IOM, febrile seizures are harmless, according to the IOM.
- The committee found a likely correlation between vaccines and anaphylactic shock: “Anaphylactic reactions to several vaccines are likely caused by the presence of components introduced during manufacturing, such as egg protein, milk protein, or gelatin.”
- Unfortunately, a direct relation of vaccines and anaphylactic shock could not be pinpointed. Because multiple vaccines traditionally are given at the same time, the single vaccine that causes the shock could not be determined.
- The report revealed that some people have biological predispositions to react to certain components in vaccines. (This predisposition may be caused by genetics, illnesses, developmental stages, or other factors.) Currently there is no way to know if a person has a tendency to react to a vaccine.
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Thanks for sharing your highlights on the that report. My family has chosen not to vaccinate but believe it is each families right to choose the route they want to go. I came across your blog through WLW (think I have visited before, great find! LOVE your statement in your about me “healthier life that honors God” because that is exactly what I’m ALL about!
I’d love for you to link up this post at Healthy 2day Wednesdays (and other posts, every week as they fit, I think I might have asked you before, but think readers would like this info!)
stumbled onto your blog and just wanted to show some blog luv! def enjoyed this post! you def touched on some gr8 aspects of this topic
http://infinitelifefitness.com
http://mscomposure.blogspot.com
Very interesting! We have opted for a modified vaccine schedule, but, with our new baby, I think we are changing to no vaccines at all…keep learning more! Thanks for sharing w/ Healthy 2Day Wednesday! Hope to see you back next week!