Too many vaccines on the childhood immunisation schedule?

 In 2002, well-known vaccinologist Paul Offit claimed there was no evidence that receiving “thousands” of vaccines could overwhelm or weaken a baby’s immune system.

In fact, he postulated that infants have “the theoretical capacity to respond to about 10,000 vaccines at any one time.”

As implausible as it seemed at the time, Offit’s claim was validated by Pediatrics, the medical journal endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Paul Offit, vaccinologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Now, with the growing rate of vaccine hesitancy, even some of the most entrenched vaccine proponents are questioning how many vaccines children should receive.

In a recent interview, Stanley Plotkin, a stalwart of the vaccine industry, admitted the US CDC’s immunisation schedule for children was too crowded, and had expressed his concerns to the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee.

In the United States, the schedule demands that children receive 68 vaccine doses targeting 18 different diseases – a notable increase from previous decades.

This contrasts with more conservative vaccination schedules like that in Denmark, where children are recommended to receive only 17 vaccine doses for 10 diseases.

The proposed solution?

According to vaccine proponents like Plotkin, the answer lies in "combination" vaccines, i.e. multiple diseases within a single shot.

“The answer is clearly more ‘combination’ vaccines,” said Plotkin.

Infanrix-Hexa® is one example of a ‘combination’ vaccine mentioned by Plotkin.

The hexavalent injection combines six disease antigens into one injection: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, hepatitis B & Hib – and forms the cornerstone of Australia’s childhood immunisation program.

Plotkin says that fewer injections, will mean fewer adverse events after vaccination.

“The advantage of combinations is that they reduce the likelihood of chance putative reactions happening just after vaccination,” Plotkin explained.

But questions about the safety of ‘combination’ vaccines persist.

Recently, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) would not respond to enquiries about a freedom of information (FOI) request that revealed 43 sudden unexpected deaths reported in infants less than 12 months of age, occurring within days of vaccination.

An analysis of European data found a “cluster” of sudden deaths among infants less than 12 months of age; 54 deaths (93%) occurred within the first 10 days, suggesting “the deaths were caused by the vaccine.”

The TGA admitted in new FOI documents that no placebo-controlled studies have been conducted for Infanrix-Hexa® to assess its safety and efficacy.

“Generally, it is not ethical (or necessary) to conduct placebo control trials where effective vaccination options already exist,” wrote the TGA.

“In these situations, it is generally appropriate to conduct comparative studies, to test the efficacy of the newer vaccine [Infanrix-Hexa®] to the existing vaccine to ensure that it induces a non-inferior immune response,” added the TGA.

What about multiple vaccines in a single visit?

In Australia, a 2-month-old baby may receive up to four vaccines directed against 28 diseases in a single visit:

· Infanrix-Hexa® (6 disease antigens)

· Prevenar 13® (13 disease antigens)

· RotaTeq® (5 disease antigens)

· Bexsero® (4 disease antigens) for indigenous babies.

Parents are often unaware of the potential risks associated with administering multiple vaccines at once.

For example, the product label for Infanrix-Hexa® specifically acknowledges increased risks when co-administered with Prevenar-13®.

Combining the two vaccines together may elevate the risk of convulsions and hypotonic-hyporesponsive episodes (HHE) compared to administering Infanrix-Hexa® on its own.

Danish physician Peter Gøtzsche said, “We know very little about what happens when we administer many vaccines together, and what their long-term effects are on the immune system.”

He also emphasised the importance of considering the "load of adjuvant" in vaccines, since adjuvants themselves may cause harm.

For instance, the Gardasil9 HPV vaccine contains more than double the amount of aluminium adjuvant than its predecessor, Gardasil.

In a trial comparing the two vaccines, those who received Gardasil9 reported a higher rate of serious systemic adverse events than those who received Gardasil (3.3% vs. 2.6%, P = 0.01).

Gøtzsche stressed the need for comprehensive research stating, “We need large trials with long follow-up conducted independently of the drug industry that allows documenting of late-occurring benefits and harms.”

Danish physician Peter Gøtzsche, Institute for Scientific Freedom.

Gøtzsche, who authored a book titled Vaccines: Truth, Lies & Controversy, says these are not necessarily expensive studies, but it’s difficult to get financial support because “the vaccine industry is dominated by dogma and often cuts corners.”

The case of 19-month-old Hannah Poling serves as a poignant reminder of the potential risks. After receiving five vaccines against 9 different diseases in one visit, Hannah's health deteriorated rapidly.

Hannah was subsequently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and her parents blamed the rapid onset of her illness on too many vaccines at once.

Hannah’s parents filed a claim with the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program and won, after it was determined the vaccines Hannah received aggravated an underlying mitochondrial condition, making her more susceptible to harm.

The US government did not concede any causal link between vaccines and autism, and Gøtzsche concurs with this position, saying there is substantial evidence disproving the notion that measles vaccines cause autism, a claim that originated from the Wakefield saga.

However, Hannah’s case raises broader questions about whether other children might also have similar underlying conditions that increase their vulnerability to adverse effects from multiple vaccines.

Like all pharmaceutical interventions, vaccines can have complex and sometimes unforeseen effects on the immune system.

“It is reasonable to ask if too many childhood vaccinations could result in net harm because vaccinations can weaken the immune system and non-live vaccines may increase total mortality,” Gøtzsche said.

“But you don’t get popular by raising questions about vaccines,” he added.

His concerns are supported by studies conducted by US researchers which showed a concerning correlation among 30 highly developed nations -- those requiring more vaccines for infants tended to have higher infant mortality rates.

“This is alarming and should lead to other studies as a matter of urgency,” concluded Gøtzsche.

https://blog.maryannedemasi.com/p/too-many-vaccines-on-the-childhood