Important Facts To Know Regarding the Current Vaccine Debate

1. We are the most heavily vaccinated country in the world. We give 26 vaccines to our babies during their first year of life and administer 36-45 before the age of 5.  300 new vaccines are currently being developed.    In 1986 Congress released vaccine manufacturers from any liability associated with illness or death from vaccines.
2. The current Disneyland measles frenzy is uncalled for. Annually, approximately 100 people in the US develop a measles infection.  It is not a fatal illness (there have been 0 deaths from measles in the US in the past 10 years.) Many of the 170 individuals who developed measles were vaccinated.  If someone is vaccinated and the vaccine is effective, they should not develop the illness.
3. Top scientists at Merck: the manufacturer of the MMR (Measles Mumps and Rubella vaccine) have accused the company of producing fraudulent data regarding its effectiveness. One top scientist at the CDC recently revealed that he hid data from a 2004 study that showed a 240% increase in autism in African-American boys who received the MMR before 36 months of age.
4. Currently, we have the highest rate of autism in the world (1 in 68 children/a sharp rise from 1- 2 per 10,000 20 years ago.) According to the CDC, 1 in 6 US children have either a behavioral, developmental or neurological disorder.
5. Despite all of our medical advances, we rank 34^th in the world for infant mortality (33 other countries have better survival rates from birth to one year of age than we do.)
6. The statement that there is no good science showing a connection between vaccines and neurological damage (including autism) in children is naïve. Published studies elucidating these risks can be found here.
7. Next to Uranium, Mercury is the most toxic substance on the planet. It remains in the flu vaccine which is given to pregnant women and infants.  Additionally, most vaccines contain formaldehyde, aluminum, weakened or attenuated viruses and propylene glycol (a chemical similar to anti-freeze) to name just a few of the toxins in the cocktail we are injecting into our young babies.
8. The chemical glyphosate which is a component of the pesticide Roundup is sprayed on every genetically modified crop. In addition to its numerous detrimental effects, it interacts with 2 specific components that are in many vaccines (aluminum and glutamate) causing additional damage.
9. Although most individuals on either side of this discussion agree that protecting our children from infectious diseases is paramount, the way in which we are currently going about this task (by administering multiple vaccines containing toxic ingredients to our vulnerable newborns & infants with undeveloped immune systems) may turn out to be the single most significant mistake we as civilized society have ever made.
10. Strengthening our children’s immune systems with optimal nutrition, exercise, avoiding toxic chemicals, giving appropriate supplements and the judicious use of vaccines are smarter ways of improving a child’s ability to resist infection and or minimize symptoms associated with an illness.

List compiled by Maureen McDonnell (a registered nurse who has worked in the field of pediatrics for over 37 years)