Doctors insist that MMR vaccines are "entirely safe", indeed, so safe that many doctors throughout the world want the vaccination of babies and young children to become compulsory. We are told that questioning the safety of vaccines is 'false news', it's misinformation, and its dangerous.
I disagree with all this, as do many other people, so conventional medicine dismisses us as 'anti-vaxxers'. So where is the evidence that this vaccine is unsafe, and if so, where can parents find it?
The amazing fact is that the serious harm that can be caused by vaccines, including MMR vaccines, can be found in conventional medical literature. Indeed, it can be found in the patient information leaflets (PILs) that come with the vaccine itself.
Yet doctors rarely show these PILs to parents prior to vaccinating their children, preferring to hide them behind vague and platitudinous statements about vaccine safety.
WHAT CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE TELLS US
First, let us look at what doctors are telling us, what they want us to know. The UK's NHS provides us with the conventionally accepted message about its safety.
"MMR is a safe and effective combined vaccine that protects against 3 separate illnesses - measles, mumps and rubella (German measles)"
So does this "safe and effective" MMR vaccine have any side effects? This is what we are told.
"The side effects of the MMR vaccine are usually mild. It's important to remember that they're milder than the potential complications of measles, mumps and rubella. Side effects include:
That's all, except that the NHS denies absolutely and pointedly that there is any link between the MMR vaccine, autism and bowel disease. The same NHS link provides another link to download an NHS leaflet which outlines just how safe the vaccine is (and how dangerous Measles, Mumps and Rubella are, and that it has been the vaccine that has reduced their incidence).
"The combined MMR vaccine has been safely protecting children for many years in many countries worldwide. In the UK, millions of doses have been given since it was introduced in 1988. Before vaccines can be used, they have to be thoroughly tested for safety. Although there may be some side effects from vaccination, they are usually mild and much less severe than the disease itself. Serious reactions following vaccination are rare. Many studies have taken place to look at the safety and effectiveness of MMR vaccine. The evidence is clear that there is no link between MMR vaccine and autism."
So does this NHS leaflet say any more about the side effects of the MMR vaccine? Yes, but it provides only more reassurance, more platitudes about its safety.
"Not everyone gets side effects from the vaccine. To provide protection, the vaccine mimics the three infections that it protects against. Some people may get a rash that looks like a mild form of measles, the face may swell to look like mumps or they may have pains in the joints like rubella. These side effects occur in a small percentage of people after the first dose.
"The side effects from the measles part of the vaccine are usually seen when the vaccine starts to work - around 6-10 days after vaccination. Swelling of the face or joint pains tend to come on around two to three weeks after vaccination when the mumps and rubella vaccines start to work.
"Side effects such as a rash or neck swelling only last for around 2–3 days and are not infectious. This means that if you do develop these side effects, you cannot pass on the infection to others. On rare occasions, a reddish purple rash that looks like tiny bruises can occur up to six weeks following vaccination.
So the message to parents from the NHS, from conventional medicine, is clear - the side effects of MMR vaccines are not very serious at all.
Yet conventional medicine, the NHS, and our doctors know full well that this is untrue - and they know because their medical literature tells them that it is not true.
WHAT CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE KNOWS BUT PREFERS NOT TO TELL US
The NHS uses two MMR vaccines, Priorix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and M-M-RvaxPro, manufactured by Merck. The NHS provides links to the Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) for both these vaccines.
1. Priorix
There are lots of contra-indications, warnings and precautions provided in the PIL, all suggesting that the vaccine is not as safe as we are being told. I would add that there is little evidence that doctors or nurses giving the vaccine ever check all these prior to vaccination.
"Priorix should not be given if
• you are allergic against any of the components of this vaccine (listed in section 6). Signs of an allergic reaction may include itchy skin rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or tongue;
• you are known to be allergic to neomycin (an antibiotic agent). A known contact dermatitis (skin rash when the skin is in direct contact with allergens such as neomycin) should not be a problem but talk to your doctor first;
• you have a severe infection with a high temperature. In these cases, the vaccination will be postponed until recovery. A minor infection such as a cold should not be a problem, but talk to your doctor first;
• you have any illness (such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)) or take any medicine that weakens the immune system. Whether you receive the vaccine will depend upon the level of your immune defences;
• you are pregnant. In addition, pregnancy should be avoided for 1 month following vaccination.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you receive Priorix if:
• you have disorders of the central nervous system, a history of convulsion accompanying high fever or family history of convulsions. In case of high fever following vaccination please consult your doctor promptly;
• you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to egg protein;
• you have had a side effect after vaccination against measles, mumps or rubella that involved easy bruising or bleeding for longer than usual (see section 4);
• you have weakened immune system (e.g. such as HIV infection). You should be closely monitored as the responses to the vaccines may not be sufficient to ensure a protection against the illness (see section 2 “Priorix should not be given if”).
In addition, it should be noted that the PIL provides other warnings about interactions with other pharmaceutical drugs, and regarding pregnancy, breast feeding and fertility.
Side Effects
"Like all medicines, this vaccine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Side effects that occurred during clinical trials with Priorix were as follows:
Very common (these may occur with more than 1 in 10 doses of the vaccine)
• redness at the injection site
• fever of 38°C or higher
Common (these may occur with up to 1 in 10 doses of the vaccine)
• pain and swelling at the injection site
• fever higher than 39.5°C
• rash (spots)
• upper respiratory tract infection
Uncommon (these may occur with up to 1 in 100 doses of the vaccine)
• infection of the middle ear
• swollen lymph glands (glands in the neck, armpit or groin)
• loss of appetite
• nervousness
• abnormal crying
• inability to sleep (insomnia)
• redness, irritation and watering of the eyes (conjunctivitis)
• bronchitis
• cough
• swollen parotid glands (glands in the cheek)
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
Rare (these may occur with up to 1 in 1,000 doses of the vaccine)
• convulsions accompanying high fever
• allergic reactions
After the marketing of Priorix, the following side effects have been reported on a few occasions:
• joint and muscle pain
• punctual or small spotted bleeding or bruising more easily than normal due to a drop in platelets
• sudden life-threatening allergic reaction
• infection or inflammation of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves resulting in temporary difficulty when walking (unsteadiness) and/or temporary loss of control of bodily movements, inflammation of some nerves, possibly with pins and needles or loss of feeling or normal movement (Guillain-Barré syndrome)
• narrowing or blockage of blood vessels
• erythema multiforme (symptoms are red, often itchy spots, similar to the rash of measles, which starts on the limbs and sometimes on the face and the rest of the body)
• measles and mumps like symptoms (including transient, painful swelling of the testicles and swollen glands in the neck).
It would appear that autism and bowel cancer has never been reported as a side effect of this vaccines, regardless of the number of parents who have claimed that their child developed autism following the vaccination.
M-M-RvaxPro
The PIL for this vaccine provides very similar information, reproduced here for clarity, particularly as doctors will usually not volunteer it behind obfuscations and protestations of 'safety'.
Do not use M-M-RVAXPRO:
- If you or your child are allergic to any of the components of this vaccine (including neomycin or
any of the other ingredients listed in section 6)
- If you or your child are pregnant (in addition, pregnancy should be avoided for 1 month after
vaccination, see Pregnancy)
- If you or your child have any illness with fever higher than 38.5°C; however, low-grade fever
itself is not a reason to delay vaccination
- If you or your child have active untreated tuberculosis
- If you or your child have a blood disorder or any type of cancer that affects the immune system
- If you or your child are receiving treatment or taking medicines that may weaken the immune
system (except low-dose corticosteroid therapy for asthma or replacement therapy)
- If you or your child have a weakened immune system because of a disease (including AIDS)
- If you or your child have a family history of congenital or hereditary immunodeficiency, unless
the immune competence of your or your child is demonstrated.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to the doctor or pharmacist before you or your child receive M-M-RVAXPRO if you have
experienced any of the following:
- If you or your child have an allergic reaction to eggs or anything that contained egg
- If you or your child have a history or family history of allergies or of convulsions (fits)
- If you or your child have a side effect after vaccination with measles, mumps, or rubella vaccine
(in a single component vaccine or a combined vaccine, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella
vaccine manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc., or M-M-RVAXPRO) that involved easy bruising
or bleeding for longer than usual
- If you or your child have infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) but do not show
symptoms of HIV disease. You or your child should be monitored closely for measles, mumps,
and rubella because vaccination may be less effective than for uninfected persons
There are also warnings about using this vaccine if the individual is using other pharmaceutical drugs, blood transfusions, in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and in certain other conditions.
Side Effects
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 vaccinees)
* Fever (38.5°C or higher).
* Injection-site redness; injection-site pain; injection-site swelling.
Common (may affect 1 to 10 in 100 vaccinees)
* Rash (including measles-like rash).
* Injection-site bruising.
Uncommon (may affect 1 to 10 in 1,000 vaccinees)
* Nasal congestion and sore throat; upper respiratory tract infection or viral infection; runny nose.
* Diarrhoea, vomiting.
* Hives.
* Injection-site rash.
Not known (Frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
* Aseptic meningitis (fever, feeling sick, vomiting, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light); swollen testicles; infection of the middle ear; inflamed salivary glands; atypical measles (described
in patients who received a killed measles virus vaccine, usually given before 1975).
* Swollen lymph nodes.
* Bruising or bleeding more easily than normal.
* Severe allergic reaction that may include difficulty in breathing, facial swelling, localised swelling, and swelling of the limbs.
* Irritability.
* Seizures (fits) without fever; seizures (fits) with fever in children; walking unsteadily; dizziness; illnesses involving inflammation of the nervous system (brain and/or spinal cord).
THE UNDER-REPORTING OF SIDE EFFECTS
It is important to comment on the frequency of these reported side effects. There have been many studies that have calculated only 10% of drug (and vaccine) side effects are ever reported. I wrote about this in this blog. What this means that 90% are not reported, so these 'rare' or 'uncommon' side effects are not 1 in 1,000, or 1 in 10,000 but as little as 1 in 100, or 1 in 1,000.
Some studies indicate that 10% is an under-estimate, that a more accurate figure might be 1%, in other words that 99% of these 'rare' or 'uncommon' side effects remain unrecorded. This would mean that they happen in 1 in 100, or 1 in 10 vaccinated children.
Moreover, it should also be remembered that these PILs are produce by the drug companies, and only give information that has been proven, beyond doubt. Anything else, indeed anything that is denied (like links between the MMR vaccine, autism and bowel cancer) is not, and will never be mentioned in these documents.
What this means is that any parent who now suspects that the MMR vaccine (or any other vaccine) has caused autism is contradicted by their doctor, and the report of a link between a vaccine and a disease will never be recorded.
Yet the evidence of vaccine harm is there for anyone to see - swollen glands, insomnia, bronchitis, severe allergic reactions, seizures and fits, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, et al - all known to be caused by a vaccine described by doctors as 'safe', with just a few, minor side effects.
Do you agree with this description? Given the information provided by the PILs, is this an accurate or honest description? Or is it deceptive? And dishonest?
Safety, perhaps, is in the eyes of the beholder! Perhaps it is an acceptable risk in the all-too-dangerous world of conventional medicine. But would most parents, who were given this information, and in a position to make an informed choice, take these risks with their young children?
I disagree with all this, as do many other people, so conventional medicine dismisses us as 'anti-vaxxers'. So where is the evidence that this vaccine is unsafe, and if so, where can parents find it?
The amazing fact is that the serious harm that can be caused by vaccines, including MMR vaccines, can be found in conventional medical literature. Indeed, it can be found in the patient information leaflets (PILs) that come with the vaccine itself.
Yet doctors rarely show these PILs to parents prior to vaccinating their children, preferring to hide them behind vague and platitudinous statements about vaccine safety.
First, let us look at what doctors are telling us, what they want us to know. The UK's NHS provides us with the conventionally accepted message about its safety.
"MMR is a safe and effective combined vaccine that protects against 3 separate illnesses - measles, mumps and rubella (German measles)"
So does this "safe and effective" MMR vaccine have any side effects? This is what we are told.
"The side effects of the MMR vaccine are usually mild. It's important to remember that they're milder than the potential complications of measles, mumps and rubella. Side effects include:
- developing a mild form of measles that lasts for 2 to 3 days (this is not infectious)
- developing a mild form of mumps that lasts for a day or two (this is not infectious)
That's all, except that the NHS denies absolutely and pointedly that there is any link between the MMR vaccine, autism and bowel disease. The same NHS link provides another link to download an NHS leaflet which outlines just how safe the vaccine is (and how dangerous Measles, Mumps and Rubella are, and that it has been the vaccine that has reduced their incidence).
"The combined MMR vaccine has been safely protecting children for many years in many countries worldwide. In the UK, millions of doses have been given since it was introduced in 1988. Before vaccines can be used, they have to be thoroughly tested for safety. Although there may be some side effects from vaccination, they are usually mild and much less severe than the disease itself. Serious reactions following vaccination are rare. Many studies have taken place to look at the safety and effectiveness of MMR vaccine. The evidence is clear that there is no link between MMR vaccine and autism."
So does this NHS leaflet say any more about the side effects of the MMR vaccine? Yes, but it provides only more reassurance, more platitudes about its safety.
"Not everyone gets side effects from the vaccine. To provide protection, the vaccine mimics the three infections that it protects against. Some people may get a rash that looks like a mild form of measles, the face may swell to look like mumps or they may have pains in the joints like rubella. These side effects occur in a small percentage of people after the first dose.
"The side effects from the measles part of the vaccine are usually seen when the vaccine starts to work - around 6-10 days after vaccination. Swelling of the face or joint pains tend to come on around two to three weeks after vaccination when the mumps and rubella vaccines start to work.
"Side effects such as a rash or neck swelling only last for around 2–3 days and are not infectious. This means that if you do develop these side effects, you cannot pass on the infection to others. On rare occasions, a reddish purple rash that looks like tiny bruises can occur up to six weeks following vaccination.
So the message to parents from the NHS, from conventional medicine, is clear - the side effects of MMR vaccines are not very serious at all.
Yet conventional medicine, the NHS, and our doctors know full well that this is untrue - and they know because their medical literature tells them that it is not true.
WHAT CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE KNOWS BUT PREFERS NOT TO TELL US
The NHS uses two MMR vaccines, Priorix, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), and M-M-RvaxPro, manufactured by Merck. The NHS provides links to the Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) for both these vaccines.
1. Priorix
There are lots of contra-indications, warnings and precautions provided in the PIL, all suggesting that the vaccine is not as safe as we are being told. I would add that there is little evidence that doctors or nurses giving the vaccine ever check all these prior to vaccination.
"Priorix should not be given if
• you are allergic against any of the components of this vaccine (listed in section 6). Signs of an allergic reaction may include itchy skin rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or tongue;
• you are known to be allergic to neomycin (an antibiotic agent). A known contact dermatitis (skin rash when the skin is in direct contact with allergens such as neomycin) should not be a problem but talk to your doctor first;
• you have a severe infection with a high temperature. In these cases, the vaccination will be postponed until recovery. A minor infection such as a cold should not be a problem, but talk to your doctor first;
• you have any illness (such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)) or take any medicine that weakens the immune system. Whether you receive the vaccine will depend upon the level of your immune defences;
• you are pregnant. In addition, pregnancy should be avoided for 1 month following vaccination.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you receive Priorix if:
• you have disorders of the central nervous system, a history of convulsion accompanying high fever or family history of convulsions. In case of high fever following vaccination please consult your doctor promptly;
• you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to egg protein;
• you have had a side effect after vaccination against measles, mumps or rubella that involved easy bruising or bleeding for longer than usual (see section 4);
• you have weakened immune system (e.g. such as HIV infection). You should be closely monitored as the responses to the vaccines may not be sufficient to ensure a protection against the illness (see section 2 “Priorix should not be given if”).
In addition, it should be noted that the PIL provides other warnings about interactions with other pharmaceutical drugs, and regarding pregnancy, breast feeding and fertility.
Side Effects
"Like all medicines, this vaccine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Side effects that occurred during clinical trials with Priorix were as follows:
Very common (these may occur with more than 1 in 10 doses of the vaccine)
• redness at the injection site
• fever of 38°C or higher
Common (these may occur with up to 1 in 10 doses of the vaccine)
• pain and swelling at the injection site
• fever higher than 39.5°C
• rash (spots)
• upper respiratory tract infection
Uncommon (these may occur with up to 1 in 100 doses of the vaccine)
• infection of the middle ear
• swollen lymph glands (glands in the neck, armpit or groin)
• loss of appetite
• nervousness
• abnormal crying
• inability to sleep (insomnia)
• redness, irritation and watering of the eyes (conjunctivitis)
• bronchitis
• cough
• swollen parotid glands (glands in the cheek)
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
Rare (these may occur with up to 1 in 1,000 doses of the vaccine)
• convulsions accompanying high fever
• allergic reactions
After the marketing of Priorix, the following side effects have been reported on a few occasions:
• joint and muscle pain
• punctual or small spotted bleeding or bruising more easily than normal due to a drop in platelets
• sudden life-threatening allergic reaction
• infection or inflammation of the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves resulting in temporary difficulty when walking (unsteadiness) and/or temporary loss of control of bodily movements, inflammation of some nerves, possibly with pins and needles or loss of feeling or normal movement (Guillain-Barré syndrome)
• narrowing or blockage of blood vessels
• erythema multiforme (symptoms are red, often itchy spots, similar to the rash of measles, which starts on the limbs and sometimes on the face and the rest of the body)
• measles and mumps like symptoms (including transient, painful swelling of the testicles and swollen glands in the neck).
It would appear that autism and bowel cancer has never been reported as a side effect of this vaccines, regardless of the number of parents who have claimed that their child developed autism following the vaccination.
M-M-RvaxPro
The PIL for this vaccine provides very similar information, reproduced here for clarity, particularly as doctors will usually not volunteer it behind obfuscations and protestations of 'safety'.
Do not use M-M-RVAXPRO:
- If you or your child are allergic to any of the components of this vaccine (including neomycin or
any of the other ingredients listed in section 6)
- If you or your child are pregnant (in addition, pregnancy should be avoided for 1 month after
vaccination, see Pregnancy)
- If you or your child have any illness with fever higher than 38.5°C; however, low-grade fever
itself is not a reason to delay vaccination
- If you or your child have active untreated tuberculosis
- If you or your child have a blood disorder or any type of cancer that affects the immune system
- If you or your child are receiving treatment or taking medicines that may weaken the immune
system (except low-dose corticosteroid therapy for asthma or replacement therapy)
- If you or your child have a weakened immune system because of a disease (including AIDS)
- If you or your child have a family history of congenital or hereditary immunodeficiency, unless
the immune competence of your or your child is demonstrated.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to the doctor or pharmacist before you or your child receive M-M-RVAXPRO if you have
experienced any of the following:
- If you or your child have an allergic reaction to eggs or anything that contained egg
- If you or your child have a history or family history of allergies or of convulsions (fits)
- If you or your child have a side effect after vaccination with measles, mumps, or rubella vaccine
(in a single component vaccine or a combined vaccine, such as the measles, mumps, and rubella
vaccine manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc., or M-M-RVAXPRO) that involved easy bruising
or bleeding for longer than usual
- If you or your child have infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) but do not show
symptoms of HIV disease. You or your child should be monitored closely for measles, mumps,
and rubella because vaccination may be less effective than for uninfected persons
There are also warnings about using this vaccine if the individual is using other pharmaceutical drugs, blood transfusions, in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and in certain other conditions.
Side Effects
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 vaccinees)
* Fever (38.5°C or higher).
* Injection-site redness; injection-site pain; injection-site swelling.
Common (may affect 1 to 10 in 100 vaccinees)
* Rash (including measles-like rash).
* Injection-site bruising.
Uncommon (may affect 1 to 10 in 1,000 vaccinees)
* Nasal congestion and sore throat; upper respiratory tract infection or viral infection; runny nose.
* Diarrhoea, vomiting.
* Hives.
* Injection-site rash.
Not known (Frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
* Aseptic meningitis (fever, feeling sick, vomiting, headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light); swollen testicles; infection of the middle ear; inflamed salivary glands; atypical measles (described
in patients who received a killed measles virus vaccine, usually given before 1975).
* Swollen lymph nodes.
* Bruising or bleeding more easily than normal.
* Severe allergic reaction that may include difficulty in breathing, facial swelling, localised swelling, and swelling of the limbs.
* Irritability.
* Seizures (fits) without fever; seizures (fits) with fever in children; walking unsteadily; dizziness; illnesses involving inflammation of the nervous system (brain and/or spinal cord).
THE UNDER-REPORTING OF SIDE EFFECTS
It is important to comment on the frequency of these reported side effects. There have been many studies that have calculated only 10% of drug (and vaccine) side effects are ever reported. I wrote about this in this blog. What this means that 90% are not reported, so these 'rare' or 'uncommon' side effects are not 1 in 1,000, or 1 in 10,000 but as little as 1 in 100, or 1 in 1,000.
Some studies indicate that 10% is an under-estimate, that a more accurate figure might be 1%, in other words that 99% of these 'rare' or 'uncommon' side effects remain unrecorded. This would mean that they happen in 1 in 100, or 1 in 10 vaccinated children.
Moreover, it should also be remembered that these PILs are produce by the drug companies, and only give information that has been proven, beyond doubt. Anything else, indeed anything that is denied (like links between the MMR vaccine, autism and bowel cancer) is not, and will never be mentioned in these documents.
What this means is that any parent who now suspects that the MMR vaccine (or any other vaccine) has caused autism is contradicted by their doctor, and the report of a link between a vaccine and a disease will never be recorded.
Yet the evidence of vaccine harm is there for anyone to see - swollen glands, insomnia, bronchitis, severe allergic reactions, seizures and fits, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, et al - all known to be caused by a vaccine described by doctors as 'safe', with just a few, minor side effects.
Do you agree with this description? Given the information provided by the PILs, is this an accurate or honest description? Or is it deceptive? And dishonest?
Safety, perhaps, is in the eyes of the beholder! Perhaps it is an acceptable risk in the all-too-dangerous world of conventional medicine. But would most parents, who were given this information, and in a position to make an informed choice, take these risks with their young children?