I spent the months after he was diagnosed reading literally everything there was to read about vaccines. From every source on all sides of the debate. I thought a lot about the risks/benefits of vaccinations.
One thing was very clear. The media and CDC blamed unvaccinated people for spreading the Mumps. All of a sudden, the mumps was a very big deal and had horrible side effects like meningitis and sterility and it was all blamed on people not getting two doses of the MMR.
Well it is interesting to revisit some of the newer findings regarding the Mumps efficacy 13 years later. And to revisit those old news stories, that thanks to the internet, are available with just a google search.
Here is one excerpt from the NVIC that contradicts what we now know:
"MS. MANNING: Thank you very much. Dr.Gerberding, I am sorry, but I could not hear the first question that you were asked from the room, and I think it had to do with a waning immunity question. If you do not mind, we have seen waning immunity with other vaccines like the pertussis vaccine, and I was just wondering if there is any kind of blood testing or serologic testing going on in the communities there to see if there is a waning immunity.
Then a second question that I have is, is there any evidence that this is spreading by people who are asymptomatic? Is there asymptomatic spreading? Thank you.
DR. GERBERDING: (FUN FACT, Julie Gerberding is now an executive VP at Merck, but this interview was when she worked for the CDC, Lots of people shuffle through jobs at the CDC and Big Pharma companies) In terms of waning immunity, we have no evidence from any of the information we have so far or from historical experience that waning immunity plays any part. People who receive two doses of mumps vaccine just sometimes simply do not respond to it. Their immunologic system just does not regard that as a source of stimulation to their immune system. If waning immunity were a primary problem, we would expect much older people to be affected, at least those who did not have mumps when they were children. So we are looking into this as one of several possibilities, but I think right now what we know about this vaccine's efficacy, what we know about the undervaccinated people in this age cohort, and what we know about the sociology of life in some of these community settings, we have ample explanation for why the virus is spreading the way it is."
In 2019 we know that the mumps vaccine is only about 88% effective (credit Paul Offit with this number so we know this is best case scenario). We also know that it doesn't confer lasting immunity. Mumps outbreaks are not even news anymore since we can't blame it on the unvaccinated population. Outbreaks are commonplace and average numbers of cases the past three or four years are between 2000-6000. Also in the past decade, two whistleblower research scientists who worked for Merck say that Merck scientists falsified their numbers to make the vaccines look more effective, particularly Mumps. So that was interesting as well. Details from the NVIC here.
Excerpt from another article:
"Relators assert that they witnessed firsthand both improper testing procedures of mumps vaccines, as well as a subsequent falsification of documents for submission to the FDA. According to allegations, Merck engaged in an elaborate cover-up scheme in order to keep its mumps vaccines on the market. Allegedly, beginning in the 1990’s, Merck devised “Protocol 007” as its sham testing regime in order to “report efficacy of 95 percent or higher regardless of the vaccine’s true efficacy.” Specifically, Merck developed its own attenuated strain of the mumps virus – which was unlike the “wild type” mumps virus to which actual children would be exposed – and testing the vaccine against the weaker version of the virus.
The company also allegedly added animal antibodies to tests in order to boost efficacy ratings, despite knowing that the human immune system would never actually produce similar antibodies. In sum, the complaint alleges that the testing protocol for Merck’s mumps vaccine “did not in any way correspond to, correlate with, or represent real life.”"
Basically the same thing happened with pertussis. Anti-vaxxers were accused of being the root of the problem, even though vaccination rates were high. Several news stories made a big point of this. According to the CDC outbreaks keep happening mainly because the vaccine just doesn't confer lasting immunity. The fully vaccinated relatives are likely the ones transmitting the disease, so they created a booster for caregivers.
Wonder how long it will be before we find out that the Measles vaccine isn't that effective either? How many boosters are adults going to be getting throughout our lives? Chicken Pox also isn't lasting. More people getting shingles now because the wild virus circulating used to provide a booster effect and now that isn't happening. So now boosters for Mumps, Chicken Pox/Shingles, Pertussis, and also Hep B wears off at 20 years (about 20 years old, right when someone might actually need it). So it looks like most of us are probably undervaccinated by todays terms. We are all looking at lifelong booster shots. Wonder what the results of that will be! One thing that concerns me is that my girls could have their chicken pox vaccines wear off or not work (only 86% effective anyway) during their childbearing years and end up with chicken pox during pregnancy when it can cause birth defects.
I'm appalled that forced vaccination with no option for exemptions is being promoted in some states. Thankfully I think Utah is less likely to be a nanny state. However it still concerns me that this is on the table in our country.
I believe in giving parents solid, unbiased information and letting them choose what gets injected into their child's body. The vaccination recommendations change over time with new information. We know that genetics and other information makes the risk/benefit analysis different for each child. The community health goals cannot override parents knowledge and experience of their individual child.
ADVERSE REACTIONS to MMR:
The following adverse reactions are listed in decreasing order of severity, without regard to causality, within each body system category and have been reported during clinical trials, with use of the marketed vaccine, or with use of monovalent or bivalent vaccine containing measles, mumps, or rubella:Body as a Whole
Panniculitis; atypical measles; fever; syncope; headache; dizziness; malaise; irritability.
The following adverse reactions are listed in decreasing order of severity, without regard to causality, within each body system category and have been reported during clinical trials, with use of the marketed vaccine, or with use of monovalent or bivalent vaccine containing measles, mumps, or rubella:Body as a Whole
Panniculitis; atypical measles; fever; syncope; headache; dizziness; malaise; irritability.
Cardiovascular System
Vasculitis.
Digestive System
Pancreatitis; diarrhea; vomiting; parotitis; nausea.
Vasculitis.
Digestive System
Pancreatitis; diarrhea; vomiting; parotitis; nausea.
Endocrine System
Diabetes mellitus.
Hemic and Lymphatic System
Thrombocytopenia (see W ARNINGS, leukocytosis.
Immune System
Diabetes mellitus.
Hemic and Lymphatic System
Thrombocytopenia (see W ARNINGS, leukocytosis.
Immune System
Thrombocytopenia);
purpura;
regional
lymphadenopathy;
Anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions have been reported as well as related phenomena such as angioneurotic edema (including peripheral or facial edema) and bronchial spasm in individuals with or without an allergic history.
6
Musculoskeletal System
Arthritis; arthralgia; myalgia.
Arthralgia and/or arthritis (usually transient and rarely chronic), and polyneuritis are features of infection with wild-type rubella and vary in frequency and severity with age and sex, being greatest in adult females and least in prepubertal children. This type of involvement as well as myalgia and paresthesia, have also been reported following administration of MERUVAX II.
Chronic arthritis has been associated with wild-type rubella infection and has been related to persistent virus and/or viral antigen isolated from body tissues. Only rarely have vaccine recipients developed chronic joint symptoms.
Following vaccination in children, reactions in joints are uncommon and generally of brief duration. In women, incidence rates for arthritis and arthralgia are generally higher than those seen in children (children: 0-3%; women: 12-26%),{17,56,57} and the reactions tend to be more marked and of longer duration. Symptoms may persist for a matter of months or on rare occasions for years. In adolescent girls, the reactions appear to be intermediate in incidence between those seen in children and in adult women. Even in women older than 35 years, these reactions are generally well tolerated and rarely interfere with normal activities.
Nervous System
Encephalitis; encephalopathy; measles inclusion body encephalitis (MIBE) (see CONTRAINDICATIONS); subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE); Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS); acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM); transverse myelitis; febrile convulsions; afebrile convulsions or seizures; ataxia; polyneuritis; polyneuropathy; ocular palsies; paresthesia.
Encephalitis and encephalopathy have been reported approximately once for every 3 million doses of M-M-R II or measles-, mumps-, and rubella-containing vaccine administered since licensure of these vaccines.
The risk of serious neurological disorders following live measles virus vaccine administration remains less than the risk of encephalitis and encephalopathy following infection with wild-type measles (1 per 1000 reported cases).{58,59}
In severely immunocompromised individuals who have been inadvertently vaccinated with measles- containing vaccine; measles inclusion body encephalitis, pneumonitis, and fatal outcome as a direct consequence of disseminated measles vaccine virus infection have been reported (see CONTRAINDICATIONS). In this population, disseminated mumps and rubella vaccine virus infection have also been reported.
There have been reports of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in children who did not have a history of infection with wild-type measles but did receive measles vaccine. Some of these cases may have resulted from unrecognized measles in the first year of life or possibly from the measles vaccination. Based on estimated nationwide measles vaccine distribution, the association of SSPE cases to measles vaccination is about one case per million vaccine doses distributed. This is far less than the association with infection with wild-type measles, 6-22 cases of SSPE per million cases of measles. The results of a retrospective case-controlled study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that the overall effect of measles vaccine has been to protect against SSPE by preventing measles with its inherent higher risk of SSPE.{60}
Cases of aseptic meningitis have been reported to VAERS following measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination. Although a causal relationship between the Urabe strain of mumps vaccine and aseptic meningitis has been shown, there is no evidence to link Jeryl LynnTM mumps vaccine to aseptic meningitis.
Respiratory System
Pneumonia; pneumonitis (see CONTRAINDICATIONS); sore throat; cough; rhinitis.
Skin
Stevens-Johnson syndrome; erythema multiforme; urticaria; rash; measles-like rash; pruritis.
Local reactions including burning/stinging at injection site; wheal and flare; redness (erythema); swelling; induration; tenderness; vesiculation at injection site; Henoch-Schönlein purpura; acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy.
Special Senses — Ear
Nerve deafness; otitis media.
Special Senses — Eye
Retinitis; optic neuritis; papillitis; retrobulbar neuritis; conjunctivitis.
Arthritis; arthralgia; myalgia.
Arthralgia and/or arthritis (usually transient and rarely chronic), and polyneuritis are features of infection with wild-type rubella and vary in frequency and severity with age and sex, being greatest in adult females and least in prepubertal children. This type of involvement as well as myalgia and paresthesia, have also been reported following administration of MERUVAX II.
Chronic arthritis has been associated with wild-type rubella infection and has been related to persistent virus and/or viral antigen isolated from body tissues. Only rarely have vaccine recipients developed chronic joint symptoms.
Following vaccination in children, reactions in joints are uncommon and generally of brief duration. In women, incidence rates for arthritis and arthralgia are generally higher than those seen in children (children: 0-3%; women: 12-26%),{17,56,57} and the reactions tend to be more marked and of longer duration. Symptoms may persist for a matter of months or on rare occasions for years. In adolescent girls, the reactions appear to be intermediate in incidence between those seen in children and in adult women. Even in women older than 35 years, these reactions are generally well tolerated and rarely interfere with normal activities.
Nervous System
Encephalitis; encephalopathy; measles inclusion body encephalitis (MIBE) (see CONTRAINDICATIONS); subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE); Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS); acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM); transverse myelitis; febrile convulsions; afebrile convulsions or seizures; ataxia; polyneuritis; polyneuropathy; ocular palsies; paresthesia.
Encephalitis and encephalopathy have been reported approximately once for every 3 million doses of M-M-R II or measles-, mumps-, and rubella-containing vaccine administered since licensure of these vaccines.
The risk of serious neurological disorders following live measles virus vaccine administration remains less than the risk of encephalitis and encephalopathy following infection with wild-type measles (1 per 1000 reported cases).{58,59}
In severely immunocompromised individuals who have been inadvertently vaccinated with measles- containing vaccine; measles inclusion body encephalitis, pneumonitis, and fatal outcome as a direct consequence of disseminated measles vaccine virus infection have been reported (see CONTRAINDICATIONS). In this population, disseminated mumps and rubella vaccine virus infection have also been reported.
There have been reports of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in children who did not have a history of infection with wild-type measles but did receive measles vaccine. Some of these cases may have resulted from unrecognized measles in the first year of life or possibly from the measles vaccination. Based on estimated nationwide measles vaccine distribution, the association of SSPE cases to measles vaccination is about one case per million vaccine doses distributed. This is far less than the association with infection with wild-type measles, 6-22 cases of SSPE per million cases of measles. The results of a retrospective case-controlled study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that the overall effect of measles vaccine has been to protect against SSPE by preventing measles with its inherent higher risk of SSPE.{60}
Cases of aseptic meningitis have been reported to VAERS following measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination. Although a causal relationship between the Urabe strain of mumps vaccine and aseptic meningitis has been shown, there is no evidence to link Jeryl LynnTM mumps vaccine to aseptic meningitis.
Respiratory System
Pneumonia; pneumonitis (see CONTRAINDICATIONS); sore throat; cough; rhinitis.
Skin
Stevens-Johnson syndrome; erythema multiforme; urticaria; rash; measles-like rash; pruritis.
Local reactions including burning/stinging at injection site; wheal and flare; redness (erythema); swelling; induration; tenderness; vesiculation at injection site; Henoch-Schönlein purpura; acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy.
Special Senses — Ear
Nerve deafness; otitis media.
Special Senses — Eye
Retinitis; optic neuritis; papillitis; retrobulbar neuritis; conjunctivitis.
