| It is said that articles should not be written in the | | | | in our youth and we were all fine. |
| first person. Tosh! I have read so much on MMR | | | | The thing is we were not 'all fine'. Those of us |
| and measles during the past year that I have to | | | | who survived without dying or without the |
| say something before I scream! I think there is an | | | | permanent side-effects of deafness, blindness, |
| awful lot of uninformed comment being given air | | | | brain damage or learning difficulties were 'all fine'. |
| time and newspaper space these days, and there | | | | Those who did not contract meningitis or |
| is a danger of 'untruths' being believed as fact due | | | | encephalitis were 'all fine'. The rest were not! Then |
| to most people seeming to believe anything they | | | | again, it is natural to close our eyes and believe |
| see or read in the media. | | | | that our own experience is the norm. Those who |
| Here is a brief rundown on three specific items I | | | | believe we were 'all fine' did not live through the |
| read during the week in which I am writing this; | | | | dark days prior to vaccination when measles killed |
| one was on the subject of measles parties. I | | | | children every year: it still does, but vaccination |
| shudder at people's ignorance on this matter. | | | | has reduced it to only 410,000 annually. Only |
| I have two comments to make on what could be | | | | 410,000? |
| construed as attempted manslaughter: | | | | In fact, the single measles vaccination has been |
| - If deliberately infecting someone with AIDS or | | | | available since 1963 and it is probable that today's |
| HIV is illegal, what is so different about | | | | mothers, who are making these comments, have |
| deliberately infecting a child with measles, which is | | | | been vaccinated against the disease. The single |
| also a killer disease. | | | | vaccination was generally given around 18 months |
| - If measles parties are becoming more popular | | | | in these days, for current parents to have missed |
| then measles must be becoming more common. | | | | it, they would have to be aged around 44. |
| If not, there would not be so many infected | | | | I do not understand how people can refuse the |
| children for the uninfected ones to visit! | | | | MMR for their children, but be prepared to allow |
| Q.E.D.! (stands for 'quod erat demonstrandum', | | | | them the individual measles vaccine, citing autism |
| understood these days to mean that the point in | | | | as the reason. This is another example of |
| question has been proven). Measles breeds | | | | ignorance of the facts. |
| measles. | | | | The facts are that Dr. Andrew Wakefield came |
| The sad thing about this is that the parents | | | | to his conclusion, he claims, because he found that |
| genuinely feel that they are doing the best for | | | | the form of measles virus, as found in |
| their children. So please do not let me hear | | | | vaccinations, causes problems in the gut which |
| anyone say that the MMR debate is trivial or that | | | | releases toxins into the brain and so causes |
| parents are silly. They are confused and a lot has | | | | autism. The form of virus, as found in |
| to do with the amount of misinformation, badly | | | | vaccinations, is different to the wild type of |
| presented facts and misinformed opinion being | | | | measles virus. Therefore, why should the single |
| disguised as fact. The fact that I disagree with | | | | vaccination be any safer than getting it as part of |
| the views of many parents does not mean that I | | | | the triple vaccination? It is the measles part of |
| do not understand them and feel deeply sad that | | | | the MMR which is claimed to cause the problem! |
| they feel reduced to deliberately infecting their | | | | In Japan, where the MMR was stopped for other |
| child with a disease in order to prevent them | | | | reasons, it was found that the rate of autism |
| getting that same disease. The illogicality of it | | | | continued to increase at the same rate after the |
| indicates just how confused they are. To | | | | ban as before it. |
| compound this, it is well known that measles is | | | | That apart, however, Wakefield's evidence has |
| more dangerous to young children that to adults. | | | | been shown to be faulty and the GMC recently |
| In 2004, 410,000 children under 5 died from the | | | | announced that it is to carry out an investigation |
| disease. | | | | into his professional conduct. Perhaps this is |
| According to the UK Sutton Guardian on July 6th, | | | | partially due to him having an interest in the form |
| the Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust gives | | | | of patents for individual treatments which would |
| a MMR vaccination to children at age 12 months | | | | have required the MMR to have been discredited. |
| and another at age 15 months. My son was still | | | | I firmly believe that many parents are genuinely |
| recovering from meningitis 3 months after his | | | | frightened to death of the MMR vaccine, and |
| measles vaccination (I still support the MMR since | | | | scared to take the chance of allowing their |
| measles is worse!). | | | | children to have it. I also believe that the |
| According to the NHS, the national schedule is one | | | | vaccination is hugely safer than allowing children to |
| jab at 13 months and another at 3 years 4 | | | | take their chances of catching the wild virus |
| months. Some difference! Sutton Guardian | | | | naturally. |
| readers will now believe that their child will get 2 | | | | However, in saying that, I also firmly believe that |
| MMR jabs in the space of 3 months! No wonder | | | | there are too many vested interests by |
| parents are nervous. I think what the | | | | individuals, corporations and governments for us |
| spokesperson meant to say was that the | | | | to be able to believe anything they say |
| vaccination is given between 12 and 15 months, | | | | conclusively. Andrew Wakefield had his personal |
| and that this was a genuine error, but needs to | | | | reasons for wanting the MMR vaccine discredited, |
| be rectified. | | | | just as the large drug consortiums have theirs for |
| It could be argued that this should have been | | | | proving it safe. Governments and health bodies |
| checked before going to press, but newspaper | | | | also have their own agendas. What chance, |
| editors are busy people and must expect Health | | | | therefore, does the public have of ever finding |
| Trusts to know what they are talking about. If | | | | the truth. We can only go by evidence and |
| the Trust concerned gives an explanation of the | | | | statistics, which themselves are open to opinion |
| policy, or admits that their information is incorrect, | | | | and manipulation. |
| I will add it to my blog. I have had a good | | | | I read the Red Flags webpage occasionally and |
| response from Nina Jacobs, the Assistant Editor | | | | feel that it has something to offer so long as it |
| of the Sutton Guardian, and I will no doubt have | | | | does not allow itself to be taken over by the |
| something shortly. There has been too much | | | | lunatic fringe. It is a group with good intentions, |
| misinformation on this important subject for me | | | | but these are too often used as a platform for |
| to ignore it when I see it. My apologies to the | | | | vituperation against the establishment. However, if |
| Guardian for my fervour on this very serious and | | | | you want as close to a balanced opinion as you |
| important topic. | | | | are likely to get, give it a visit. Just do a search |
| Another comment I spotted was in an article by | | | | on red flags (NOT Red Flag). Make sure you |
| journalist Victoria Lambert. I quote: | | | | include the 's', and I think you will be pleasantly |
| Some mothers flatly condemned the injection, | | | | surprised by what you find. |
| believing that the risk of contracting measles was | | | | I was. |
| an acceptable one. The disease had been around | | | | |