Do vaccines protect against diseases? Vaccinations or refusal: who is at greater risk? The Real Danger of Vaccines

In the past two years, new epidemics have covered the world due to the refusal of vaccinations: unvaccinated people become infected with highly contagious infections like measles with a 100 percent probability.

Bella Bragvadze:“I can say that the anti-vaxxers that I come across on social networks, one way or another, have material benefits. They write programs about how to remove toxins after vaccination, offer certain treatments - they do all this for a fee. That is, they sell consultations for money, some medicines, most often homeopathy, remedies that do not have an evidence base, useless or even dangerous methods of treatment. As a result, all this movement results in some kind of material benefit. And I think this is the main reason. I'm not into conspiracy theories, I think it's much simpler - it's business."

Can there really be complications from vaccinations?

Single complications of vaccinations occur, as well as complications of any medications that many people take every day, but the likelihood of such a development of events is extremely low.

Statistically, the risks from vaccinations are much less than the risks from the diseases themselves and their side effects.

WHO has developed a special document that collects the risks from modern vaccines and diseases for three infections. For example: measles encephalitis after vaccination occurs in 1,000,000 cases of vaccination, and measles encephalitis after measles occurs once in 2,000 cases. The risks are simply incomparable. The fear of modern vaccinations is irrational - like the fear of flying in an airplane, but at the same time driving a car and knowing that the risk of death from an accident is thousands of times higher.

There is another point: most often there are mild complications from vaccinations, for example, in the form of temperature. Severe complications are extremely rare. For example, for BCG, the most common is pustules at the injection site. If you look at the consequences of tuberculosis in newborns, for example, tuberculous meningitis, which is much more likely to occur, an abscess seems to be nothing at all.

As a rule, serious side effects of vaccines are associated either with the individual characteristics of the child, or with health problems that the doctor did not notice. Therefore, it is more far-sighted to choose a good doctor, and not to refuse vaccinations.

In addition, now in most cases you can choose: to give the child a live vaccine or inactivated, domestic or imported. Risks vary from type to type.

For example, in most imported DTP vaccines includes the acellular component of whooping cough. The difference is that, according to the WHO, whole cell vaccines are more likely to cause mild to moderate reactions, such as pain at the injection site. Otherwise, imported and domestic vaccines equally reliably protect against whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria and equally rarely cause severe adverse reactions.

And if you take polio vaccines, then a live vaccine is extremely rare, but can cause vaccine-associated poliomyelitis - this happens in about 2 cases per million vaccinated children. But if you use an inactivated polio vaccine, then only erythema (0.5-1%), tissue thickening (3-11%) and soreness (14-29%) are among the complications. A live vaccine gives more stable immunity, but if there is a fear of a live virus, it is worth vaccinating an inactivated one, it will still protect the child by 95% if vaccinated at an early age.

Do not be afraid of the simultaneous administration of several vaccines, it does not harm the body. We live in a non-sterile environment, and every day millions of microbes enter the body - far more than vaccines contain.

Konnov Danila Sergeevich:“Side effects from modern vaccines can only occur if the vaccination rules are violated. For example, an incorrectly chosen injection site, an incorrect injection technique, the use of expired vaccines. Also, in the absence of anti-shock aids at the injection site, that is, in the case of an acute allergic reaction, the patient cannot stop it. And when vaccinated with live vaccines of people with acute infectious diseases or exacerbations of chronic ones.

What is herd immunity and why weakening it is dangerous for everyone

For example, natural chicken pox can lead to pneumonia.

Natural polio infection can cause permanent paralysis.

Natural mumps infection can lead to deafness.

Natural infection with Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) can cause permanent brain damage.

Vaccination helps prevent these diseases and their potentially serious complications.

What vaccinations should be given to children and adults in Russia

Bella Bragvadze:“There is a difference in the views of the Ministry of Health of different countries. In the United States or in European countries, the medical community has a simpler attitude to vaccination, where the vaccination schedule includes more vaccines. In these countries, children are very actively vaccinated already in the first years of life, the vaccination schedule is constantly expanding. We are now also expanding the list of mandatory vaccines to protect children from a maximum of infections.

Even if some vaccine is not included in the list of mandatory vaccinations, residents of Russia can be vaccinated with additional vaccines registered in the Russian Federation of their own free will and in agreement with their doctor. That is, you can expand your calendar, and this is not prohibited, but even welcomed.

When Not to Vaccinate

A list of contraindications to vaccination can be found in the guidelines of Rospotrebnadzor, in each case, you need to consult a doctor. Contraindications differ for inactivated vaccines and live vaccines.

In addition to permanent, there are temporary contraindications: acute diseases and exacerbations of chronic ones. In this case, vaccinations are given after recovery or during remission.

Bella Bragvadze:« There are clear contraindications for vaccination: temporary, absolute or permanent. A good example of a temporary contraindication is SARS - while we are sick, we are not vaccinated, we recovered and continued vaccination. An example of an absolute contraindication - for children with primary immunodeficiency, vaccination with live vaccines is strictly contraindicated for life. Each vaccine has its own list of contraindications. If there are contraindications, a medical exemption from vaccination is issued. Unfortunately, in my practice I often encounter false medical exemptions that are not justified.

In addition, the rules for administering the vaccine are clearly described: the conditions under which vaccination is carried out; injection site; method of administration (intramuscularly or subcutaneously), etc. These rules must be followed in order for the vaccination to be successful.

Deciding whether or not to vaccinate yourself and your children - each person accepts. But it’s good if it is based on reliable information, and not on unproven facts and false news. After all, the life and health of all 7 billion inhabitants of the globe depend on how many people will eventually be protected from infections.

Health

Surely you have heard from friends or read stories in newspapers about the terrible consequences of vaccinations. And almost everyone among their acquaintances has a married couple who, in principle, do not vaccinate their children. You can console yourself by deciding that they are just weirdos. However, information about the dangers of vaccines regularly attacks us, so you involuntarily think - but there is no smoke without fire.

The anti-vaccine movement - what is it?

Anti-vaccinators, or anti-vaccinators, are people who consider all or some vaccines to be dangerous, and vaccination as unhealthy or at least useless. This movement is widespread not only in Russia - the trend is typical for all countries of the world. Moreover, the idea of refusing vaccination is far from new - they arose almost simultaneously with the invention of the first smallpox vaccine at the end of the 18th century.

As arguments, anti-vaccinators use standard tactics - they tell an emotional story about how a child after vaccination received severe complications and remained disabled. In other words, first of all they try to put pressure on emotions. If you read such a story in a newspaper or on a website page, then it was probably accompanied by a heartbreaking photo of a crying baby in the background of syringes, or something similar. At the same time, anti-vaccinators completely ignore the opposite cases, when the refusal to vaccinate led to even more terrible consequences. Anti-vaccinationists also cite statistics, usually in the form of charts and graphs, clearly demonstrating a steady increase in the number of children with various disabilities (in particular, with autism), coinciding in time with the introduction of a particular vaccine. And as evidence of the uselessness of vaccines, you can be provided with graphs showing that the incidence of a particular childhood infection decreased long before the mass introduction of the corresponding vaccination, and did not change at all after vaccination.

If you try to dissuade an anti-vaxxer with evidence, research, and statistics backed up by reputable medical organizations, you will find that virtually all of them believe in the global conspiracy theory. In response, you will probably hear: "governments are lying, the pharmaceutical giants have bribed everyone, the World Health Organization is corrupt through and through, no one can be trusted, and the golden billion is trying to reduce the world's population."

However, despite the precariousness of their arguments and the constant focus on emotional listeners, the myths about the dangers of vaccinations are still extremely popular in society, and almost everyone has heard at least one of them. Thus, anti-vaxxers do succeed, and many people tend to trust them. Let's look at the most common and scandalous myths about the dangers of vaccinations, and try to expose them.

Myth #1: A vaccine can cause the disease it was supposed to protect against.

It is widely believed in society that after vaccination, a child (or adult) can get sick with the disease against which, in fact, he was vaccinated.

In fact, the likelihood of such a development of events is extremely small. Most vaccines contain inactivated (dead) microorganisms, or rather, even their individual fragments, which under no circumstances can re-form a living cell. Another thing is when the vaccine contains live bacteria or viruses, and the vaccination causes mild symptoms of the disease. For example, the chickenpox vaccine can cause a child to develop some of the red spots that are characteristic of chickenpox. But this is not a side effect, but, on the contrary, a sign that the vaccine is working.

The only vaccine that rarely actually causes the disease it is supposed to protect against is the oral polio vaccine, which contains live viruses. In Western countries, it has already been abandoned, replacing it with an inactivated vaccine. In Russia, an inactivated (dead) polio vaccine is under development.

Useful advice! When it comes time to get a polio vaccine, just in case, ask your doctor which vaccine he is going to use - live or inactivated.

Myth #2: Vaccines provide little protection, and it's better if the child gets sick naturally.

Even though in some cases natural immunity will protect against infection better than vaccination, this approach is much more dangerous. For example, a child who becomes infected with measles faces a risk of death of about 1 in 500. At the same time, the likelihood of anaphylactic shock after the introduction of the MMR (measles-rubella-mumps) vaccine is less than 1 in 1,000,000. It should be noted that anaphylactic shock, with the timely provision of medical care, rarely ends in death.

Myth #3: A baby's immune system can't handle so many shots.

About half of the vaccinations a person receives in a lifetime are given during the first year of life. Moreover, the first vaccine (against hepatitis B) is administered during the first day after birth, and BCG (against tuberculosis) - in the first week. Such an abundance of vaccinations in itself can be alarming for some mothers. This is what anti-vaccinators use - they put pressure on the emotions and fears of parents, convincing them that the child's immunity is still weak, and is not designed for such a powerful attack. Vaccine opponents also argue that overloading the immune system with vaccines will permanently damage a child's health, and lead to the fact that in adulthood a person will suffer from autoimmune diseases, although there is not a single credible study confirming the impact of vaccination on a person's long-term health status.

Debunking the myth

The infant is helpless and dependent on the mother for everything. However, his immune system is stronger than you think. Given the amount of immunoglobulins in an infant's blood, he could theoretically handle 10,000 shots at a time. And even if the child received all the vaccines for the year at the same time, only a thousandth of his antibodies would be spent on the elimination of antigens. The term "overloaded immune system" has never been confirmed in practice, and scientists do not believe that this happens at all, since the supply of immune cells is constantly replenished. In fact, to a much greater extent, the infant's immune system works to fend off the constant attacks of viruses and bacteria that enter the body from the external environment. Compared to this, vaccination only slightly affects the immunity of the child.

Interesting fact! It should also be taken into account that vaccines are improved every year and become more effective, and modern children receive less immunological components than children who were vaccinated earlier. At the same time, the proportion of vaccine components is reduced - the very ones that the child's immunity is forced to fight. In other words, earlier manufacturers of vaccines "hit the squares", but now the drugs have become much cleaner, and allow you to develop the necessary immunity without unnecessary stress on the child's body and with minimal risk of side effects.

Myth #4: Vaccines cause serious complications, not worth the risk.

A favorite trick of anti-vaccinators is to bring a single tragic case of an adverse reaction to a vaccine into public view and press on emotions. At the same time, even more tragic cases of refusal to vaccinate, which occur much more often, are hushed up.

The Real Danger of Vaccines

Unfortunately, the side effects of vaccinations are inevitable - medicine has not yet invented a 100% safe way to vaccinate. Therefore, in about 1 case in a million, a child may experience anaphylactic shock after vaccination. However, any competent doctor who vaccinates a child is prepared for such a development of events, and has a full range of drugs to stop an allergic reaction: adrenaline, corticosteroids, beta-agonists, etc. Therefore, deaths after vaccination are so rare that they can hardly be accurately calculated. For example, between 1990 and 1992, only one vaccine-related death was reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Myth #5: People stopped getting sick because of improved hygiene and sanitation, and vaccines are useless

This is another myth from the "uselessness of vaccines" category. Vaccination opponents argue that the number of infections against which children are vaccinated has actually decreased due to improved sanitation, nutrition of the population, and thanks to the invention of antibiotics.

Exposing the myth

The primary role of vaccination in the fight against vaccine-controlled infections is proved by statistics. Consider the measles situation in the United States. Prior to the introduction of the first measles vaccine in the United States in 1963, the annual number of infections was stable at about 400,000 cases per year. But by 1970, the number of people infected had fallen to 25,000 cases a year. At the same time, sanitary conditions and hygiene standards have not changed over the indicated 7 years. Another good example is the situation with hemophilic infection. According to statistics provided by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 20,000 people were infected with this infection in 1990. In the same year, mass vaccination against this disease began, and after 3 years, i.e. in 1993, only 1,500 cases were reported. You can find the link to the publication at the end of the article.

Myth #6: You don't need to vaccinate your child because other children are already vaccinated

Indeed, if you live in a society consisting entirely of conscientious parents who give their children all the recommended vaccinations, then your child, under other favorable conditions, can do without vaccinations. But imagine a situation if every second parent in your locality counts on this. Then a mass epidemic cannot be avoided! The result of refusal to vaccinate only a small percentage of the population is clearly seen in the example of measles outbreaks that have occurred in recent years in various parts of the world, including in Europe and the United States (in 2019 cases of infection were registered in Russia). By vaccinating, we support herd immunity, and in fact it is our duty to the society in which we live. It should also be taken into account that a certain percentage of people in any society cannot be vaccinated for health reasons (pregnant women, people who are intolerant to vaccines, HIV-infected, etc.), and these people depend on the herd immunity that we create. You will find a link to the publication at the end of the article, in the section.

Myth #7: Vaccines cause autism in children

This myth has spread around the world thanks to the scam of a British gastroenterologist named Andrew Wakefield. On February 28, 1998, the results of his study were published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, which showed that the measles-rubella-mumps (MMR) vaccine provoked the development of autism in children, a disease characterized by severe impairment of brain development. In the course of his work, Wakefield examined 12 children who, after the MMR vaccine, showed signs of regressive autism (loss of already acquired skills), coupled with symptoms of non-specific colitis. Based on his research, Wakefield proposed a new concept - "autistic enterocolitis", and raised the issue of the connection between the MMR vaccine, autism and intestinal inflammation.

This publication caused a stir in scientific circles, and rumors that the MMR vaccine causes autism in children quickly spread among the population (mainly in Western countries). Subsequently, many people began to refuse the measles-rubella-mumps vaccination for fear of harming their children. In turn, the refusal to vaccinate led to outbreaks of measles in the UK, USA and Canada, which led to numerous complications and deaths in children.

Wakefield's scandalous publication prompted scientists around the world to conduct research to confirm or refute the conclusions of the British gastroenterologist. However, all subsequent studies, one after another, have consistently refuted any possibility of a connection between MMR vaccination and the development of autism in children. Many scientists began to suspect the doctor of fraud.

Exposing the Fraud

Brian Dear, a medical investigative journalist, was the biggest contributor to the exposure of the British doctor's fraudulent scheme. After interviewing the parents of children who participated in Wakefield's study, he found that the doctor manipulated the data in order to obtain the results he needed. For example, the father of one of the children was surprised to learn that the results of the study indicated that his son's symptoms of autism appeared a month after the MMR vaccination, when in fact they began to be noticeable a month before the vaccine was given.

The mother of another boy admitted to a journalist that her son's first symptoms of autism appeared six months after the vaccination. Meanwhile, in the study materials, Wakefield indicated that the boy's autism began to appear 2 months after vaccination.

It was subsequently proven that Wakefield's study was intentionally falsified. In addition, the investigation found that two years before the publication, Wakefield, together with a group of British lawyers, was preparing a lawsuit against manufacturers of the MMR vaccine. The results of the doctor's research were to be the basis for the lawsuit. Indeed, based on the results of the study, some of the parents of the children who participated in the study filed lawsuits against the company that produces the measles-rubella mumps vaccine.

In addition, even before the study was conducted, Wakefield had developed a measles monovaccine, and even began to prepare production facilities for its mass production. Apparently, he hoped to replace MMR with a vaccine of his own production. However, having ascertained the falsity of his assumptions, the doctor decided to manipulate the facts, pursuing his own financial benefits. As you can see, Wakefield's financial plans largely depended on whether the study would confirm his concept or refute it, which prompted him to deceive. In 2010, he was accused by the British General Medical Council (GMC) of falsifying study data, acting against the interests of his patients, and mistreating children with developmental delays. In the same year, Andrew Wakefield was banned from practicing medicine in the UK. Now Wakefield lives in the United States, where he is a famous leader of the anti-vaccine movement.

wave effect

Despite the fact that Wakefield's study was proven to be unreliable, his statements, replicated by the world media, gave rise to a wave effect - many people around the world still believe his conclusions. Wakefield's main argument is the statistics pointing to an increase in the number of cases of diagnosed autism, and the MMR vaccine is blamed for this. And even the fact that the number of cases of diagnosed autism has increased due to the expansion of the standard diagnostic base for doctors, and has nothing to do with the deteriorating health of children around the world, does not convince anti-vaccinators. At the same time, no relationship between measles-rubella-mumps vaccination and autism symptoms has yet been found in any studies. However, Wakefield's supporters explain this by the fact that all the world's laboratories, along with the World Health Organization, have been bought by pharmaceutical giants. And some cases, when the moment of detection of the first symptoms of autism in a child coincides with the introduction of the measles-rubella-mumps vaccine, are deliberately put on a pedestal and presented as evidence that the infamous doctor is right.

Research

Over the past 20 years, dozens of studies have been conducted to establish a causal relationship between MMR vaccination and the development of autism in children. One of the latest major studies, supported by the Danish Ministry of Health, analyzed data from more than 650 thousand children born from 1999 to 2010 (for comparison, Wakefield used data from only 12 children in his work). The study took into account risk factors for autism and genetic predisposition. During this period, autism was diagnosed in 6,517 children. At the same time, no differences were found in the incidence statistics in children who received the MMR vaccine and those who did not receive it. Also, no relationship was found between the MMR vaccine and the development of autism symptoms. The study was published April 16, 2019 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. From the results of their work, the researchers concluded that the measles-rubella-mumps vaccine does not increase the risk of autism and does not cause autism in children with a predisposition to this disease. You will find a link to the study at the end of the article, in the section.

Myth #8: Vaccines are dangerous because they contain mercury.

This myth originated in the late 90s, and is still alive today. Many enthusiasts of the anti-vaccine movement argue the following:

1. Mercury is added to vaccines.

2. It accumulates in the body.

3. It is extremely harmful and can cause serious illness.

4. Vaccines containing mercury cause autism and other neurological disorders in children.

What vaccines contain mercury?

The truth is that many vaccines do contain a mercury compound called thiomersal(other names: thimerosal, mercury merthiolate). This compound is used as a cheap and effective preservative for vaccines to extend their shelf life. Also, thiomersal is necessary for the neutralization of microorganisms in the manufacture of vaccine preparations. The following is a list of vaccines that contain this compound:

DPT;
Hepatitis B vaccine;
Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine;
Rabies vaccine (against rabies);
flu vaccine;
Vaccine against meningococcal infection.

Exposing the myth

Fears surrounding the dangers of mercury in vaccines are unfounded for at least two reasons:

1. The concentration of thiomersal in vaccines is extremely low, and usually does not exceed 0.01%.

2. When ingested, thiomersal breaks down to ethylmercury, which does not accumulate in the body, is quickly broken down and excreted (the level of mercury in the blood normalizes a maximum of a month after vaccination).

Interesting fact! We get significantly more mercury from eating marine fish than from vaccinations. For example, if you eat medium-sized tuna, you will receive a dose of mercury that is several tens of times higher than what you get from vaccines in a lifetime. Moreover, in fish it is present in a more toxic form of methylmercury. But how often have you seen a mother afraid to feed her child with sea fish?

Research

Since methylmercury has a devastating effect on the human brain and nervous tissue in general, opponents of vaccination began to suspect that ethylmercury, formed during the breakdown of thiomersal, affects the body in a similar way. The excitement surrounding the presence of mercury in vaccines has spurred many scientists to conduct research. Over the past 20 years, dozens of major studies have been conducted that have proven the safety of thiomersal in vaccines.

Study of the association between thiomersal-containing vaccines and autism in children

In August 2003, a study by scientists from the University of Washington (Seattle, USA) was published in the journal AJPM, which compared the prevalence and incidence of autism in children in Sweden, Denmark and California from the mid-80s to 1999. These regions were not chosen by chance: in Sweden and Denmark, the concentration of thiomersal in vaccines was lower than in California, and since 1992, both of these countries have completely abandoned its use in the manufacture of vaccines. At the same time, in California, the concentration of thiomersal in vaccines continuously increased until 1999. According to the results of the study, it was found that the frequency and prevalence of detection of autism disorders continuously increased from the mid-1980s to 1999. At the same time, in Sweden and Denmark, despite the complete rejection of thiomersal, the incidence of autism in children continued to grow. From this, scientists concluded: thiomersal in vaccines is not associated with autism in children. You can find a link to the study at the end of the article.

Interesting fact! According to statistics, in the last 30 years the proportion of children with autistic disorder has been constantly growing in the world. And anti-vaccination advocates often cite these statistics, blaming vaccines for everything. However, in fact, the number of children diagnosed with autism is growing due to the expansion of the diagnostic criteria by which doctors make this diagnosis, and this in no way indicates a deterioration in the health of children around the world. At the same time, peaks in the increase in the number of diagnosed autism are associated with the dates of changes in the standard set of diagnostic criteria for physicians.

Study of the association between the introduction of thiomersal-containing vaccines at an early age and the neuropsychological status of children after 7-10 years

In 2012, the Journal of Child Psychology, published by Oxford University Press, published a study that tracked the relationship between the introduction of thiomersal-containing vaccines at an early age and the neuropsychological state of the child after 7-10 years. During the study, the health status of 1047 children aged 7-10 years was assessed, and their biological mothers were also examined. Moreover, such characteristics as intelligence, verbal memory, executive functions, speech, fine motor skills, tics and regulation of behavior were evaluated. The study found no association between thiomersal and the listed characteristics in children. However, a small but statistically significant association was found between early exposure to thiomersal and the presence of tics in boys. You will find a link to the study at the end of the article, in the section.

A study of the risks of developing autism in children exposed to thiomersal-containing vaccines in the prenatal period and in infancy

In 2010, Pediatrics published a study conducted with the participation of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which aimed to establish an association between immunization with thiomersal-containing vaccines and the development of autism in children in the prenatal period and in the first 20 months of life. In the course of scientific work, 256 children with autism and 752 healthy children were examined, as well as their parents were interviewed and information from medical records and electronic immunization registries was used. The results of the survey led to the conclusion that exposure to ethylmercury on the body of the fetus in the prenatal period and the child at an early age did not in any way increase the risk of developing autism. You can find a link to the study at the end of the article.

Despite numerous studies and the statement of the World Health Organization, according to which thiomersal cannot cause any harm to the human body, this myth still lives in society. Many people refuse to vaccinate their children out of this very fear, perhaps because the word "mercury" itself causes concern. Add to this the propaganda of the anti-vaccination movement, conspiracy theories and fairy tales about the ubiquitous pharmaceutical companies bribing officials at all levels - and now parents are already deciding to refuse vaccination. At the same time, parents are often not sufficiently aware of the danger of diseases that an unvaccinated child may face, and do not even suspect that in reality they do not protect, but put their health at risk.

Myth #9: Vaccination is intended to reduce the world's population (Bill Gates scandalous statement)

As long as civilization exists, so many conspiracy theories exist. And one of them concerns vaccination. Supporters of the anti-vaccination movement are spreading the concept that the so-called "global elite", guided by the ideas of the "golden billion", is trying to reduce the world's population. Moreover, vaccination has been chosen as the main tool for this task. As proof of their concept, anti-vaccinators cite a variety of arguments. The most famous of these is a statement made by Bill Gates in 2010.

Many anti-vaccine activists argue as evidence of a global conspiracy to reduce the world's population that the famous American billionaire Bill Gates, allegedly having completely lost his shame, openly declared that vaccination would help reduce the world's population by 10-15%. Based on this statement of his, anti-vaccinators, as a rule, build the following logical chain, which includes other myths about the dangers of vaccination:

1. Gates is going to use forced vaccination to exterminate people.

2. Gates is in collusion with the richest people in the world (Warren Buffett, Rockefellers, etc.), whose long-standing dream is to reduce the world's population, primarily at the expense of the poor countries of Africa and Asia.

3. Disguised as his foundation's charitable work, Gates will, through vaccination,:

And so that the population, which is good, does not survive after being poisoned by vaccines, the Gates Charitable Foundation is introducing the cultivation of GMO foods in poor countries, which, as you know, cause cancer in people, and certainly will not give people a chance to survive.

In addition, it is alleged that Bill Gates himself, like all participants in the global conspiracy, does not vaccinate himself or his children. Such an insidious and terrible person turned out to be the creator of everyone's favorite Windows operating system.

Exposing the myth

Speaking at the 2010 TED conference (Technology, Entertainment and Design), Gates considered the possibility of reducing carbon dioxide emissions to zero. Among the four main reasons for the increase in CO 2 emissions, Gates cited the population, which at that time was 6.8 billion people and was projected to reach 9 billion in the coming years. He then went on to say that with the successful introduction of universal vaccination and improved health conditions, population growth could be reduced by 10-15%, but even then it would grow by 1.3 billion people. A link to Bill Gates' TED2010 talk can be found at the end of the article.

Thus, from the words of Gates it becomes clear that he was talking about a decrease in population growth. Indeed, as trends around the world show, with improved health care, reduced child mortality (including through mass vaccination), and access to contraceptives, population growth is gradually decreasing - women begin to give birth less, since all children survive.

One way or another, Bill Gates nevertheless declared the need to reduce the growth of world population, making it clear that it would be good to stop it altogether. How to treat his statement is a purely personal matter for each person. Some people do not see anything bad in the increase in the human population, and Gates's statement will be considered immoral - after all, with a competent redistribution of resources and the current level of agricultural development, our planet will be able to feed more than 10 billion people. Others, guided by different motives, believe that humanity has bred so much, it's time to stop. In particular, Gates, who belongs to the second group of people, is guided by fears about global climate change.

It should also be borne in mind that Bill Gates is an American, and in the United States over the past decade, the topic of global warming and climate change has been in trend, extremely popular, and it is not customary to question it. Although modern scientific works prove the absurdity of fears about climate change as a result of excess CO 2 emissions due to human activities (volcanoes and meteors alone emit ten times more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than all of humanity), the hysteria around climate change is only gaining momentum ( let us recall at least the emotional speech of the Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg at the UN, accusing world leaders of destroying the planet's ecosystem). Therefore, if Gates’s words can cause bewilderment and indignation in a Russian, then an American, who is brainwashed daily by local media with fears of imminent global warming and an impending environmental catastrophe, will perceive this statement in a completely different way.

Myth #10: Vaccines sterilize women in Africa

In early 2014, the Association of Catholic Physicians of Kenya, as well as the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, sounded the alarm - human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) was found in tetanus toxoid, which was vaccinated in women in Kenya. This hormone was previously used for contraception, and when administered to a pregnant woman, it can cause complications and miscarriage.

The importance of this vaccination cannot be overestimated. the mother's body transfers immunity from tetanus to the child even before birth. And in some areas of Kenya, the problem of tetanus is extremely acute. However, the country's major religious leaders have presented evidence - the results of studies of vaccine samples, according to which it contained beta-hCG. A scandal erupted in the country, which quickly spread in the world media. Local doctors and bishops have publicly issued accusations against the Kenyan Ministry of Health, as well as against WHO and UNICEF, which sponsored the vaccination program for Kenyan women. The organizations were accused of an inhuman policy of artificial control of the country's population.

exposure

In an attempt to put an end to the controversy, transparent laboratory testing of vaccine samples was ordered by order of the Kenyan Parliament. Analyzes showed that the vaccine contained the hormone hCG in microscopic doses that could not harm a pregnant woman. However, UNICEF representatives drew attention to the fact that the studies were carried out incorrectly - the laboratory workers who conducted the analyzes did not know that they were testing the vaccine, and used equipment and reagents to test human samples (blood, urine) for hCG. The equipment used in the laboratories had low sensitivity and gave false positive reactions to some of the preservatives contained in the vaccine. The study of tetanus toxoid on specialized laboratory equipment invariably showed the complete absence of beta-hCG in the vaccine.

Consequences of the scandal

To this day, many of Kenya's religious leaders defend their version of events, saying the research was falsified to deceive the country's 42 million people, and the vaccination program itself is "evil." And rumors that African women are being sterilized with vaccines, thanks to the efforts of the yellow press, have spread throughout the world, and, apparently, will not subside soon. You will find a link to the material at the end of the article.

Myth #11: The diseases that vaccines protect against have already been eradicated, so you don't have to get vaccinated.

There is also a common myth among opponents of mass vaccination that most vaccines are useless because the diseases they protect against are extremely rare. These diseases are a thing of the past, and in our time it is impossible to get infected with them. And given that vaccinations can cause complications, it is better not to do them at all.

Exposing the myth

Indeed, if we study the statistics of diseases against which it is recommended to vaccinate children, it turns out that there are very few cases of infection in our time. However, it is fundamentally wrong to conclude from this that vaccination is no longer needed. It's simple: these diseases have become rare precisely because of vaccination. But in reality, the bacteria and viruses that cause vaccine-controlled infections have not gone away - they continue to circulate in the human population. Therefore, as soon as people stop mass vaccination, polio, hepatitis A, diphtheria and other dangerous diseases will immediately cease to be a rarity.

The most telling example is the history of whooping cough outbreaks in the UK. In the mid-1970s, the respected British epidemiologist Gordon Stewart took a hard line against pertussis vaccination, specifically the DTP vaccine. With his support, in 1973, the Association of Parents Whose Children Affected by Vaccination was established. Citing brain-damaged children as an example and blaming the DTP vaccine for it, Stewart simultaneously argued that whooping cough vaccines were not needed, since the reduction in mortality from this disease was not associated with vaccination. Since Stewart was a public person and enjoyed authority in society, many parents heeded his words and stopped vaccinating their children against whooping cough. As a result, by the end of the 70s, the proportion of children vaccinated against whooping cough fell to 30%, after which there were two large bursts of whooping cough in the UK, including fatalities. After that, the UK government had to make incredible efforts to re-persuade the population of the need for vaccination, but herd immunity against whooping cough was restored only by 1995. This case demonstrates how the ill-advised statements of just one doctor can lead to mass vaccination refusals, disease outbreaks and numerous deaths.

Research

In fact, vaccination has prevented hundreds of millions of vaccine-controlled infections throughout history. Scientists from the University of Pittsburgh (USA) conducted a study, the results of which were published in 2013 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study collected information on 88 million cases of the disease from 1888 (which was the year the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began reporting cases) to 2011. Particular attention was paid to seven infections: polio, measles, rubella, mumps, Botkin's disease, diphtheria and whooping cough. After analyzing the data on these diseases using digital algorithms, scientists found that in the United States alone from 1924 to 2011, more than 100 million cases of diseases were prevented due to vaccination (with 25% of cases in the period 2001-2011). You can find the link to the publication at the end of the article.

Myth #12: Vaccines make huge profits for pharmaceutical companies

One of the common anti-vaccine myths is that "vaccines are worthless, and pharmaceutical companies are lobbying for mass vaccination to make fabulous money on it."

In fact, this myth does not stand up to scrutiny, since the production of vaccines does not bring high profits to their manufacturers. And even if we assume that the pharmaceutical giants are led by cold and soulless cynics who think only about profit, then just the opposite - it would be beneficial for them if people did not get vaccinated, because then they would get sick more often, which means they would buy antibiotics and other drugs more often. funds. In turn, the market for vaccines is quite small, since on average each person receives about 20 doses of vaccines in a lifetime. And given the extreme complexity and cost of producing vaccines, it is not surprising that the enterprises that produce them constantly receive state support and donations from a variety of charitable foundations. For example, the same Bill Gates, whom anti-vaccinationists expose as a real cannibal, has been financing the development of a malaria vaccine for many years.

What do vaccines really give?

Vaccination is considered the most important achievement in the history of medicine. Moreover, it would not be an exaggeration to say that this is one of the greatest achievements of mankind. After all, it is vaccinations that save the life of a child in the first year of life, protecting him from deadly infections. It should be noted that just 1-2 centuries ago, parents had no confidence that their child would survive. It is not surprising that in the past people tried to have as many children as possible so that at least a part of them survived. Therefore, we can say that our generation is incredibly lucky to be born in the age of mass vaccination. And if you meet a parent who, having read the myths about the dangers of vaccinations, decided to "save" his child, leaving him without immunity, try to dissuade him, or just let him read this article.

The material has an information and reference function! Before using any pharmaceuticals or medical services, you should consult a specialist!

About the measles epidemic in Europe. According to WHO, the disease has already affected 28 European countries: most of the cases became infected as a result of local transmission of the infection. Vaccination is considered the only effective treatment for measles. We talked about vaccinations with children's infectious diseases specialist Irina Fridman and tell how they protect against diseases, what reaction to a vaccine is considered pathological, and how many vaccinations can be done in one day.

Irina Fridman

Candidate of Medical Sciences, Physician, Department of Specific Prevention of Infectious Diseases, Children's Scientific and Clinical Center for Infectious Diseases, FMBA

What vaccinations are given for free?

In Russia, there is a national vaccination schedule - this is an accepted vaccination scheme to protect against the most common infections that can be extremely difficult for young children. It cannot be said that this is a rigid document - according to the law, parents have a choice: they can vaccinate a child, or they can refuse vaccinations, taking responsibility for this.

Vaccinations that are included in the national calendar: BCG (tuberculosis vaccine), hepatitis B, pneumococcus, polio, measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, DPT (diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough vaccine), as well as annual influenza vaccination. The vaccination against hemophilic infection is included in the national calendar for risk groups, but this does not mean that any healthy child does not need it, it's just that the state is ready to pay for it only for children with health problems.

What vaccinations that are not included in the calendar should be done?

Additional vaccinations that can be done on request (and for a fee) are, for example, vaccines against chickenpox, rotavirus infection, tick-borne encephalitis, hepatitis A, meningococcal infection.

Are vaccines 100% protective?

Any vaccination does not lead to absolute protection against infection. A vaccinated child can carry the infection in a milder form, without complications. No one guarantees that he will never get sick, it all depends on the efficiency of the immune system: in some, antibodies remain for a very long time, while in others they are quickly lost. However, most vaccines promote the formation of immune memory cells that lead to an adequate response of the body. When they encounter a microbe again, they begin to work quickly and respond well to contact.

Why get vaccinated if theoretically the child will normally endure the disease?

Unfortunately, no one is immune from the severe course of the disease with complications. Please consider: do you need a serious course with complications or a theoretical possibility of a mild course? It turns out that this is the personal choice of each parent: "Only I can decide what I want to do to the child and what not." This is wrong, and in some states a different tactic has now been adopted: the child is recommended to come for vaccination at a certain time - the nurse takes his temperature and vaccinates (the doctor does not even touch on this issue).

We have a slightly different approach: in order to be allowed to be vaccinated, sometimes it is necessary to view a certain number of tests (as some parents do laboratory tests without doctor's recommendations), examine the child, measure the temperature, and only then be allowed to vaccinate.

How often do you manage to convince your parents?

I share my knowledge about vaccinations, world experience, scientific data, the advantages of vaccination, and I leave the right to make a decision for them. Forcing them and saying, "You're doing it wrong" doesn't have any effect. In principle, most parents still come for vaccination, even those whose children have serious health problems.

Before the appointment, parents should study the information about the disease from which they plan to vaccinate their child, and find out what the consequences of this disease can be: look through pictures on the Internet, listen, for example, to how a patient who is not vaccinated against whooping cough coughs. Weigh everything: are such consequences necessary or is it still planned to carry out the prevention of these infections.

Do I need to donate blood and urine before vaccination?

No. There are no documents regulating the delivery of tests before each vaccination. Testing is necessary only for certain groups of patients who have problems with the blood. The main thing before vaccination is physical health for at least two weeks, the absence of sick people in the environment and the desire to be vaccinated. If the patient had some kind of severe infection: bronchitis, pneumonia, was treated with antibiotics for a long time, then the interval should be a month. And after a banal ARVI of a non-protracted nature (even with a temperature of 39), two weeks is enough.

Do I need to prescribe antihistamines during vaccination?

There is no need to prescribe antihistamines before vaccination. In some cases, they are prescribed for allergy sufferers, but this experience is still only with us. Doctors in most European countries, even when vaccinating allergy sufferers, do not prescribe a scheduled intake of antihistamines.

What reaction after vaccination is considered normal?

Normal vaccine reactions, which may occur in about 10% of children, include: high fever, local manifestations (redness, swelling, swelling). For example, after vaccination against measles, rubella, mumps, from the fourth to the 15th day, a measles and rubella-like rash, an increase in the salivary glands, mild catarrhal manifestations - cough, sore throat, a slight runny nose, may appear. All this is short-term, most often not accompanied by intoxication, the child feels well enough, the temperature decreases after antipyretics.

And which one is pathological?

Swelling of more than eight centimeters at the site of vaccination is considered a pathological allergic local reaction to the vaccine: in a six-month-old child, it occupies almost the entire thigh. There are general allergic reactions in the form of a rash, but this occurs extremely rarely and also requires certain actions on the part of doctors: parents do not always remember that the child went to his birthday on the day of vaccination and there he first tried, for example, chocolate straws covered with sesame seeds.

Are complications always caused by the vaccine administered?

Any conditions that occur after vaccination require investigation: the doctor must determine whether this is due to the vaccine administered or not. And most of the time it's not related. Our experience shows that children who come to us with a diagnosis of a pathological reaction to vaccination, in 90% of cases have some kind of disease: SARS, acute intestinal infections, newly diagnosed kidney problems.

If there is no reaction after the introduction of the vaccine, this does not mean that antibodies are not produced: it all depends on the characteristics of the human immune system. Someone even reacts to mild vaccines with an increase in temperature, while someone asymptomatically tolerates any vaccination.

What are the most dangerous consequences of the introduction of the vaccine?

The most severe vaccine reaction worldwide is anaphylactic shock, an acute allergic reaction to vaccine components. Such an acute allergic reaction occurs in the first 30 minutes after the introduction of the vaccine, maximum - within two hours. Therefore, for at least the first 30 minutes, any vaccinated person should be in the institution and sit next to the office where the vaccination was carried out. Each vaccination room has a first aid kit, including for anaphylactic shock.

Anaphylactic shock to vaccines is an extremely rare situation, one in 100,000 doses used. It happens not only from vaccines, anything can become a provocateur: candy, medicines, strawberries, sausages, eggs - you can eat pastries that contain an egg and “give out” anaphylactic shock. We are not immune from this.

Are autism and cerebral palsy related to vaccines?

Autism, cerebral palsy, organic lesions of the central nervous system are not associated with vaccination. We have a huge number of patients with organic lesions of the central nervous system and cerebral palsy, and they are not vaccinated.

Are mercury and aluminum in vaccines dangerous?

It has been proven that the microadditives contained in vaccines do not have any effect on the body of the vaccinated. What a child receives during mass vaccination from additional substances is a small fraction of what we receive in life. If we talk about aluminum hydroxide, then it is contained in the air in large cities with factories and factories: parents do not think that every day, taking their small child for a walk, they breathe this air. Or, for example, in sea fish, which we eat with pleasure, a huge amount of mercury - in particular, in tuna, which is very common in European countries.

How many vaccinations can be given in one day?

As much as you want. They are made at a distance of two to three centimeters from each other, in the thigh or shoulder. The antigenic load increases somewhat, but it is not so high. There are three thousand antigens in the domestically produced DTP vaccine. In modern multicomponent vaccines (for example, Pentaxime) - about 25–27. This is several times less than in DPT, which a child perceives quite adequately at three months.

Is it possible to combine live and "killed" vaccines?

Yes, live and “killed” vaccines can be given on the same day, only the observation in the post-vaccination period in this case will be longer: for inactivated vaccines, the reaction can be in the first three days, for live vaccines - from the fourth to the 15th day. Therefore, the temperature will have to be monitored a little longer.

The only thing is that it is impossible to combine the BCG vaccination with anything, it is always done separately.

What is the difference between live and killed polio vaccine? What's better?

WHO has a program to switch to the full use of inactivated polio vaccines. They want to cancel the live vaccine in order to stop the circulation of the vaccine strain poliovirus, since the live vaccine contains a weakened poliovirus. Those vaccinated with this vaccine for two months excrete poliovirus in their faeces and can be a source of infection.

The implementation of this program, at least in Russia, is still quite difficult: we do not have enough doses to vaccinate the entire population. Now we have a combined use scheme: two inactivated vaccines, the third and subsequent ones are live. The first two injections fully protect against paralytic forms of poliomyelitis and are provided free of charge according to the national calendar. If parents want, they can continue to vaccinate their child with an inactivated vaccine, rather than a live one. The efficiency of such a scheme is high.

What is the difference between the domestic DTP and the foreign Pentaxim vaccine?

The domestic vaccine contains a whole-cell pertussis component and is considered a vaccine, after which fever occurs with greater frequency. Pentaxim also contains a cell-free pertussis component, it is softer, in addition, it protects against five infections at once. Infanrix Hexa protects against six infections. Due to the fact that foreign vaccines have a different composition for the pertussis component, their effectiveness is somewhat lower. If DTP has five to seven years of effective protection against whooping cough, then, for example, Infanrix Gex has four to six years.

Can we assume that after the first dose of DTP ("Pentaxima") the child is already protected?

No! The fact is that different infections require a different number of vaccinations. If we are talking about the prevention of whooping cough, then four vaccinations are needed for long-term protection. After the first, antibodies will develop in a couple of weeks, but they may not last long, so additional administration is required. As for diphtheria and tetanus, two vaccinations with a booster in a year are enough - this gives good protection. Four vaccinations are required for long-term protection against polio. So it cannot be said that after one injection protection will not be developed, but it will be short-term.

There are no restrictions on the sequence of vaccine administration (if the patient has no contraindications): you can start with the vaccine that is most relevant today.

Why vaccinate against chickenpox if the children do not get seriously ill?

Yes, until now, 90% of children with chickenpox tolerate it quite smoothly. But chickenpox is dangerous due to bacterial complications that can occur: severe itching leads to scratching, infection, and this situation may require antibiotic therapy.

One of the serious complications of chickenpox is chickenpox encephalitis. Most often it occurs in children of nine to ten years old, those who have not been ill in early childhood. When children finish kindergarten, go to school, parents are well aware that with age the possibility of a more severe course of chickenpox increases, and decide to vaccinate their children.

Unfortunately, until the varicella vaccine is introduced into the national calendar and mass vaccination of children is not carried out, we will see seasonal outbreaks of this disease.

What happens if people stop vaccinating their children?

In Russia, vaccination of the population is more than 95-98%, but as soon as this percentage decreases, we can see outbreaks of any diseases. A recent example is the measles epidemic in Europe and Ukraine. Now we have limited cases of the disease, they do not spread widely, but nevertheless adults and children get measles. Most of the patients were not vaccinated, and some of them lost their protection.

In the 1990s, there was the last outbreak of diphtheria: there was perestroika, many refused to be vaccinated. In our institute, many departments were redesigned to fight diphtheria. Unfortunately, the children died. Those doctors who worked then said: in the evening the patient was admitted, the serum is injected, and in the morning you come - but he is gone. After that, there were no such big outbreaks, thank God.

Preventive vaccinations are a highly effective method of developing immunity to certain dangerous human and animal infections.

All preventive vaccinations involve the introduction of a vaccine - a medical immunobiological preparation. During vaccination, special weakened or killed pathogens of certain diseases or their certain parts (antigens) are introduced into the human body. In response to this, the immune system is activated in the human body, which synthesizes antibodies to the infectious agent and artificially forms immunity to this disease. Subsequently, it is these antibodies that provide protection against infection, which, when it enters the body of a person with protective immunity, does not cause disease, or the manifestations of the disease will be very weak.

Immunoprophylaxis in the Russian Federation is carried out in accordance with the Federal Law of September 17, 1998 No. 157-FZ "On Immunoprophylaxis of Infectious Diseases".

The current National calendar of preventive vaccinations and preventive vaccinations for epidemic indications was approved by order of the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation dated March 21, 2014 No. 125n.

Infectious diseases accompany humanity from the moment of its formation as a species. The widest spread of infectious diseases at all times not only led to the death of many millions of people, but was also the main reason for the short life expectancy of a person. Modern medicine knows more than 6.5 thousand infectious diseases and syndromes. And now the number of infectious diseases prevails in the general structure of diseases.

Prior to the introduction of routine childhood vaccination, infectious diseases were the leading cause of child mortality, and epidemics were common. About 150 million babies are born every year on the globe, and about 12-15 million children die between the ages of 1 week and 14 years. About 10 million children die from infectious diseases, with 3 million from infections for which vaccines are available.

For many infectious diseases, immunization is the main and leading preventive measure due to the peculiarities of the mechanism of transmission of the infectious agent and the persistent nature of post-infection immunity. Many years of experience in the implementation of routine immunization of the population has demonstrated the undoubted effectiveness of this method of combating infectious diseases. Routine immunization has been a decisive and effective measure in the fight against such infections as tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, measles, poliomyelitis, mumps, rubella. Since 2006, work has been carried out to immunize the population against viral hepatitis B, which has already led to tangible results in reducing the incidence and complications of this disease.

So, diphtheria infection is ubiquitous. Thanks to the implementation of mass immunization, the incidence of diphtheria in the USSR decreased from 1959 - the year immunization began - to 1975 by 1456 times, mortality - by 850 times. Compared with the pre-vaccination period, the incidence of measles in Russia has decreased by 600 times.

Smallpox, which killed 5 million people worldwide every year, was completely eradicated in 1978, and today the disease is almost forgotten.

Does the vaccine give 100% protection against the disease?

Unfortunately, no vaccine provides 100% protection for a variety of reasons. But we can say with confidence that out of 100 children vaccinated against tetanus, diphtheria, measles, rubella, viral hepatitis B, 95% will be protected from these infections. In addition, if a child gets sick with an infectious disease, the disease, as a rule, is much milder and there are no complications leading to disability, as in unvaccinated people.

Vaccinations have been around for more than 200 years, but even now, as before, this preventive measure gives rise to many fears and concerns, largely associated with interference in the vital activity of a healthy organism, while in the case of illness, therapeutic measures, even very dangerous ones, do not cause such fears. . Concerns are also associated with reports of complications after vaccination, although the development of severe disease in the post-vaccination period is most often not associated with vaccination, but is a coincidence of two events in time.

The well-being of our children today (that is, the absence of the threat of infectious diseases that posed a great danger in the recent past) is the result of a lot of work. The current generation of parents no longer knows about this. Vaccination has become as commonplace as other achievements of civilization, without which it is no longer possible to imagine our life.

Modern parents would hardly be able to calmly relate to the fact that their child:

. will definitely get sick with measles and will be subject to a 1% risk of dying from it and much more - to suffer a severe complication, up to damage to the central nervous system in the form of encephalitis;

. will cough painfully for 1-2 months with whooping cough and, it is possible, will suffer pertussis encephalitis;

. has a 10-20% chance of getting diphtheria, from which every tenth dies;

. runs the risk of dying or remaining crippled for life after suffering polio;

. will not be protected from tuberculosis, which does not know the difference between the poor and the rich;

. will suffer parotitis (mumps), and the boy may remain barren;

. can become infected with hepatitis B, with a high probability of developing chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver cancer in the future;

. will be forced to receive anti-tetanus serum with each injury, which is fraught with the development of anaphylactic shock.

Once again, we note that there is no alternative to vaccinations. No homeopathic remedies or other methods can replace vaccination. No matter how we strengthen the health of the baby, in the absence of vaccination, immunity to a specific infectious agent cannot form, and the child will inevitably get sick when he meets him.

An adult, like the parents of a child, has the right to refuse vaccination. The motivation for refusals is very different - religious, personal, medical and other. In all cases, close interaction with pediatricians and therapists is necessary in order to correctly weigh the pros and cons. It is very important not to refuse immunization, but together with the doctor to find the possibility of its implementation, if necessary, having received appropriate training.

Remember that any vaccine is hundreds of times safer than the disease it protects against! It is worth giving up vaccinations, and infections that were considered defeated will definitely return! Timely vaccination prevents the development of the disease, and, therefore, preserves our health!

Every year the calendar of preventive vaccinations is replenished with new vaccines. Do they protect against disease? Why do many parents refuse to vaccinate their children? These questions are answered by Elena Orlovskaya, pediatrician, naturopath.

In April 2006, about 200 Ukrainian children were admitted to hospitals with a temperature of 38-40°C, nausea, rash, headache and pain in the eyes. The strongest remained in schools and kindergartens - 3-4 people in a group. These cases coincided in time with tuberculin diagnostics in children (). At first, there was a version that the possible reason was a poor-quality vaccine. But a few days later, officials denied this assumption, saying that such a reaction to the test was due to the fact that at the time of vaccination the children could be in the incubation stage of the disease, but signs of the disease had not yet appeared. Soon, almost all the opinions of opponents of this version disappeared from the Internet. And the children were discharged home in a “satisfactory condition”.

Let's hit hepatitis B with mercury!

In 2006, the Ministry of Health provides for an increase in funding for the immunization program by UAH 70 million. (total UAH 177 million). Every year, new vaccines appear on the Ukrainian market of medicines: 3 years ago, a mandatory vaccination against the hepatitis B virus was introduced, since 2006, vaccination against hemophilic infection has been included in the preventive vaccination calendar, and a special vaccine against is being prepared. How justified is the introduction of new vaccines?

« Hepatitis B is most common among sexually promiscuous people and among those who deal with blood products or take intravenous drugs., - says Elena Orlovskaya, a pediatrician with many years of experience. - It is not clear what this has to do with infants who, on the very first day of life, are injected with a hepatitis B vaccine containing. And this vaccination is repeated 3 times! It is also harmful to a healthy baby, not to mention sick children. Toxic mercury compounds cause damage to the liver and nervous system, and it is contained in most vaccines as a preservative! Many doctors agree that diseases of the first year of life (ARI, diathesis, dysbacteriosis) are nothing more than mercury poisoning of the body. Doesn't even protect breastfeeding! The Apgar score (it is done immediately after birth) does not allow you to accurately determine whether the child will withstand such a blow! In addition, women are often treated with hormones and antibiotics both before and during pregnancy. Children of such mothers will be especially sensitive to a foreign vaccine.».

An experiment on children?

According to the Internet resource www.autismwebsite.ru, in recent years there has been a rapid increase in cases of a mental disorder that is difficult to treat, in which the child begins to regress, loses touch with reality, and eventually becomes aggressive and even dangerous. Stunning statistics: in England, the USA and Canada, this disease is now diagnosed in one in 100-150 children! Meanwhile, 60 years ago, no one had heard of autism.

In addition, studies show that cases are unknown among unvaccinated children! What's the matter? Many experts associate violations of the child's psyche with poisoning by mercury compounds, which abound in vaccination vaccines (it gives the most complications). Of course, as a result of poisoning, it does not always develop: the body of most children removes mercury on its own.

In the United States, the problem of child poisoning is now openly spoken about - a large-scale campaign has already been launched there for a complete ban on vaccinations with mercury compounds. As a result, the CIS countries, in particular Russia and Ukraine, are becoming an accessible market for poisonous vaccines. Now our newborns are vaccinated against hepatitis B on the first day of life. There is also a national "achievement": a few days later, all babies are vaccinated against tuberculosis. they do not do it anywhere in the world, except for the post-Soviet countries: the leading states of the world have long refused to vaccinate infants with live tuberculosis vaccines and. Such a shock dose of toxins turns, at best, into long-term allergic diseases and a general decrease in immunity.

The immune system must work!

« All diseases are divided into those that accelerate development, and those that inhibit it.- says Elena Viktorovna. - The latter include some especially dangerous infections. But most of the childhood diseases that we recklessly try to protect a child from with vaccinations are actually good for his immunity! Measles, rubella, chicken pox, scarlet fever, with the right attitude towards them, do not give any terrible complications. It is well known that a non-functioning organ atrophies - in order to strengthen, the child's immunity must work! With an increase in temperature, which accompanies all viral infections, the metabolic rate accelerates - and all toxins, as it were, are "melted" from the body. If the child himself becomes ill with some kind of illness, his body will develop a specific individual immunity to this particular pathogen. Moreover, this immunity will be persistent - that is, it will provide the child with protection for the rest of his life. And after vaccination, the immunity is unstable: the disease against which the vaccine was made may occur at a more mature age. But adults suffer from childhood diseases much harder! We are now seeing such a picture with measles - this year there was an outbreak of the so-called mitigated measles in people 20-30 years old who were vaccinated against this disease twice in childhood (a year and at 6 years old)! In addition, during the first year of life, all the most important systems of the body develop, designed to ensure health for the rest of life, and the child's immunity is formed. And external medical intervention in this case can only do harm. An alternative to vaccinations and allopathic treatment can be hardening, methods of natural medicine: homeopathy, reflex and herbal medicine, significantly alleviate the course of diseases without harming the immune system. At a minimum, vaccination should not be "planned", but individual - taking into account the state of health and genetic predisposition of each individual child».

Choice without choice?

In many foreign countries, at the birth of a baby, a study of umbilical cord blood is carried out in order to identify a hereditary predisposition to certain diseases, after which the so-called. genetic and immunological passports of the baby. And weakened children are not vaccinated at all or postponed until the moment when the baby's condition is completely stabilized. In our country, the immunological card of the baby is not done in any state maternity hospital!

But we also have achievements that parents should know about. To prevent the baby from being vaccinated in the first days of life, you need to write an appropriate application upon admission to the maternity hospital. This does not mean complete - they can be done later, but the parents will have time to make sure that everything is in order with the baby. It turns out that in Ukraine there is freedom of choice? Alas, so far only formally: an unvaccinated child will not be admitted to a kindergarten or school - the state carefully takes care of “mass coverage of the population with vaccination”. And there is no clear explanation why this is happening. It would seem that getting into a group of children who have been vaccinated, just an unvaccinated baby is at risk of getting infected.

Today, immunologists say that before vaccination, it is necessary to correctly assess the state of health of the child. Parents should have full information about contraindications and possible consequences and be clearly aware that the responsibility for the life of their baby lies not with the doctor, not with the state, but with their conscience.

Poison cocktail?

Ready-made vaccines contain highly toxic substances. There are no studies proving the safety of these components in vaccines (however, as well as official statistics of complications after vaccination).

Formaldehyde (formalin) is a carcinogen that causes severe kidney damage, angioedema, asthma, skin rashes, and rhinopathy.

Phenol often leads to weakness, convulsions, kidney damage and heart failure.

Aluminum salts have a destructive effect on brain tissue, often causing allergic skin reactions.

Mercury is, in fact, a poison to the tissues of the brain, kidneys and liver. By the way, the symptoms and poisoning with mercury compounds are 99% identical!

I am for a thoughtful attitude to vaccinations!

Thanks to vaccination, mankind has managed to stop diseases such as smallpox,. I agree that childhood illnesses for the most part do not carry serious complications. However, now many parents do not send their children to kindergarten. As a result, the baby's circle of communication with peers is not so wide - an unvaccinated child may not get sick with childhood ailments in the first years of life. And if the virus overtakes such a person in adulthood, the consequences can be tragic. Boys who have been ill with mumps at puberty often become infertile. For a pregnant woman, rubella is fraught with fetal death. I believe that a healthy (!) child can be given all vaccinations (an exception, in my opinion, may be vaccination against hepatitis B). However, it is very important to focus on the well-being of the baby. Even a banal intestinal disorder, painful teething or lethargy and apathy of the baby should stop parents. Wait until at least 2 weeks have passed since the complete recovery of the child.

Shortly after a severe reaction to a routine vaccination, Egor was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis. Now the parents are making every effort to get their 5-year-old son to at least start talking.

The birth was difficult, the waters that had broken were green, - recalls Galina, the boy's mother. - When Yegorka was born, he had a huge hematoma, strange spots on his eye and leg. Doctors quickly treated the hematoma, and literally an hour later my boy was injected with a vaccine. Then I trusted the doctors, and I had no doubts about the correctness of their actions. Now, armed with experience, I understand: such symptoms should have been a direct contraindication to vaccination! Meanwhile, we were soon discharged home.

Terrible diagnosis

When Yegor was 2.5 months old, I noticed that he began to freeze in a strange way: he moves his arms and legs, and then suddenly freezes for a few seconds in an absurd pose. I showed my son to the district neurologist: “Mommy, what are you worried about? You have a wonderful boy! Obviously, he just lacks calcium - take some.” With peace of mind, I followed the doctor's recommendations. My son was vaccinated at 3 months. And then it started! The fading turned into convulsive seizures, the child seemed to roll back in his development, stopped holding his head ... Naturally, we panicked, rushed to look for the best doctors. To relieve convulsions, we were prescribed medication, which caused the boy to vomit terribly! The "luminaries" only shrugged their hands: "This is how the disease proceeds." And at the same time, our medical card read: “The child develops according to age”!

When Yegor was four months old, he finally underwent a comprehensive examination of the brain and found ... calcifications. Doctors diagnosed him with tuberous sclerosis and continued to prescribe drugs to the child, which only made him worse. And I realized: it's time to end communication with official medicine! I turned to a homeopath, who explained to me that vaccinations could well have been the impetus for the development of the disease. Treatment by that doctor was not effective - convulsive seizures did not go away. It took more than 2 years for us to find "our" doctor, also a homeopath.

Two months - with a high temperature

We got to the appointment with Vladimir Ivanovich in an incredibly serious condition. At 2 years and 10 months old, Yegorka could not stand or sit, but only lay motionless, looking at one point! The child did not speak at all, but screamed heart-rendingly - often and for a long time. Convulsive seizures were repeated up to 15 times a day. The doctor warned that the treatment would be long and difficult, but Yegor had a chance to become socially adapted. That day the homeopath gave us only one grain of the remedy. Immediately after taking it, the veil literally fell from my son's eyes: for the first time in a long time, he looked at us with a meaningful look. After 2 weeks, the child spat out the pacifier, but before that, without a pacifier, he whimpered and was capricious), over time he began to walk, even chant whole syllables. But a new challenge awaited us.

One day, my son suddenly had a fever that did not subside for several weeks. Although I knew that in homeopathy aggravation is the norm, indicating that healing processes have begun, it was very difficult for me. The homeopath, together with us, was on duty at Egor's bed for days. On some days the temperature rose to 41°C, but we firmly adhered to the decision not to bring it down with medicines. And they were rewarded for their courage: soon the crisis passed, and the convulsions disappeared completely!

I am not afraid of the future

I look forward to the day when Yegor will say the word "mom" for the first time. A rehabilitator and a defectologist work with my son, thanks to such an integrated approach, he has noticeably grown stronger. I really believe that Yegorka will continue to communicate with her peers, grow up to be a kind person (one of the consequences of tuberous sclerosis is bouts of unmotivated aggression). There is no resentment against doctors in my heart for a long time. Gone are the exhausting thoughts about what would have happened if we hadn’t vaccinated Yegor. There is a given: a disease - and you need to learn how to live with it, and the most fulfilling life. And then, perhaps, the terrible disease will recede. This hope helps me not to give up.”

Vaccinations are the norm in Norway

In Norway, vaccination is completely voluntary, parents themselves decide whether to vaccinate their child. However, 90% of Norwegians prefer to vaccinate their children: it's safer that way.

I was born and raised in Ukraine, and I came to Norway for work, - says Evgenia, mother of two-year-old Kasper. - Fell in love, got married and stayed in this country forever. Having become pregnant, she became actively interested in the Norwegian system of obstetrics and healthcare. Natural childbirth in the presence of a husband is in the order of things here. Doctors try to interfere as little as possible in the process of childbirth. At the request of the woman, an acupuncturist, a pool and a chair for vertical delivery were at her service, and during contractions I was offered to refresh myself with compote and a sandwich. My husband was by my side all the time, gave me massages, said encouraging words - his support meant a lot to me. Kasper was born healthy, and after 3 days we were discharged home.

Medical examination - 3 times a year

In Norway, the health visitor examines the child at home only once. After returning home, it is supposed to call her once a month, to consult on some issues regarding the health of the baby. If something is wrong with the child, you need to contact the family doctor who treats your entire family. In general, it seemed to me that in Norway, doctors are not so reverent about their patients, as, for example, in Ukraine. The therapist from the state polyclinic does not come to the house of a sick child (you need to call an ambulance or take the child to the hospital on your own), the family doctor is not always able to make the correct diagnosis at an early stage. During the first year of life, routine examinations by a pediatrician occur only three times: at 3, 6 and 12 months. Therefore, after consulting, my husband and I decided to give our boy all vaccinations.

Individual approach

Warm scarves - taboo

Of course, we do not rely only on vaccinations - we try to strengthen the child's immunity, first of all, by natural methods. Despite the fact that we live on the coast, where cold winds often blow, Casper is not particularly wrapped up. In the mornings we pour cool water over, we regularly go to the pool with the baby. We teach healthy food: in Norway it is customary to eat wholemeal bread, cheese, vegetables, seafood. During my last visit to Ukraine, I bought homeopathic medicines for emergency care, for example, for a runny nose or sore throat. Norwegians usually do not treat a cold: if after 3 days it does not go away on its own, they go to the doctor. By the way, my husband's relatives were surprised by my knowledge in the field of traditional medicine (banal herbs, compresses, inhalations - it seemed to me that everyone knows this). I hope that the combination of the latest medical developments and proven folk remedies for centuries will help our son to continue to remain strong and full of strength.

Our daughter is healthy without vaccinations!

The issue of vaccinations for little Nastya was not even discussed at the family council. The opinion of the parents was unequivocal: the natural development of the child and drug intervention in his body are incompatible things.

We started preparing for the birth of our daughter long before this event, Lena and Slava recall. – After listening to stories about hospital births, we realized that this is not our option (we are engaged in spiritual self-improvement, we lead a healthy lifestyle). Fate brought us together with a wonderful spiritual midwife, who helped Nastya to be born: at home, without fear and pain. We remember this day as the most wonderful holiday in our lives. We did not wash off the original lubricant from the baby (it performs a protective function), the umbilical cord was cut only when it completely stopped pulsing (after 3 hours), we immediately put the baby to the breast (colostrum "populates" the child's body with maternal antibodies). Such a natural approach initially worked for the comprehensive maintenance of children's immunity (unlike many maternity hospital children, Nastya not only did not lose weight in the first days of her life, but also got stronger).