By Leslie Ann Dauphin, Ph.D.
Author of The Germ Handbook

While the media has done an effective job of scaring most parents about the dangers of childhood vaccinations, it is important to keep in mind the history of infectious diseases in this country. Today, most people in the U.S. have not seen the effects of diseases such as diphtheria, whooping cough, or rubella. However, in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries these diseases were common in the U.S., affecting tens of thousands and killing many. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reports that the significant decrease in the number of cases of illnesses in the U.S. corresponds with introduction of vaccine use.¹

What are vaccines?
A vaccine is a low or noninfectious dose of a germ that is given to provide protection from an infectious disease. Often the initial response is not sufficient to fight an infection with the real germ. This is why for some germs a second or even third dose (booster) is required to be effective. Vaccines are given orally, by injection, and more recently, by inhalation.

How do vaccines work?
Vaccines take advantage of our body's specific immunity. This is its ability to recall germs it has been in contact with. We may become ill the first time, but upon subsequent exposures to the same germ our body is able to respond more quickly because it "remembers" the germ. Usually, healthy people do not become ill when infected by the same germs at subsequent times in their lives.

What are the risks?
For most people vaccines are actually quite safe, and the side effects are usually very mild. Examples are sniffles and a low-grade fever for a day or two. It is important to mention however, that there are no vaccines that are completely, 100 percent safe or effective. Each person's immune system may react differently, and there is no way to predict how each person will react. Although the number of cases is considerably low, there have been some reports of serious illness and even death associated with vaccine use.

Why should parents feel safe about vaccines today?
It's not easy to get a vaccine approved for widespread use-it may take from ten to fifty years from the time a vaccine is discovered until the time it is approved. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), requires that vaccines be tested extensively to ensure safety before licensure for general use. Prior to testing in humans, a vaccine must first be tested in laboratory animals. If approved for licensure and placed on the market, the FDA continues to monitor its safety.

Although they are not perfect, it is clear that many of the infectious diseases that were once debilitating or even fatal are now preventable because of vaccines. Vaccines that are given to children routinely have been shown to be effective in 85 to 95 percent of the children that receive them.² It is important to check with a physician or your local county or state health department. Also, ask your physician questions if you have any concerns about the safety of a vaccine.

References

1. "Six Common Misconceptions about Vaccines and How to Respond to Them", Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
2. Ibid

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