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VACCINES: THE TRUTH
We asked Dr. Annette Angus and Dr. Sarah Aubert to write this article. They are both extremely knowlegable AND they are Both Women Moving Forward® Graduates. They also attend the Women's Leadership Retreat® every year.
In these crazy times in which science is often replaced with lies we thought it was important for you to hear the truth from 2 actual scientists we trust.
Let us know if you have any questions
John & Susan Van Vleet
In Support of Vaccines: Safety and Addressing Concerns
The Scientific Process Behind Vaccines
Vaccines and vaccine delivery platforms are developed over the decades with extensive scientific research across multiple institutions, like academic universities, government research laboratories and pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, vaccines undergo a rigorous scientific development process that include toxicology studies, clinical trials, peer review, governmental regulatory agency review and post approval monitoring1. This iterative process allows researchers to refine vaccines, making them safer and more effective. Following commercial approval, vaccines are continuously monitored by government agencies (both in the US and worldwide) to ensure their safety, through investigations of consumer complaints and adverse events.
However, vaccines troubling past has contributed to vaccine hesitancy by some individuals. Early medical research sometimes exploited marginalized populations, like the infamous Tuskegee Study that withheld treatment from African American men with syphilis2, or vaccine testing on orphans and institutionalized individuals without proper consent3. Understandably, these historical injustices have created lasting skepticism in communities with memories of such abuses.
Transformative Impact on Human Health
The evidence for vaccine efficacy is often forgotten. Smallpox killed approximately 300 million people in the 20th century, was completely eradicated through vaccination campaigns4. Polio paralyzed thousands of children annually, has also been eliminated in most countries5.
Unfortunately, we're now witnessing the consequences of declining vaccination rates and loss of herd immunity. Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, but it has now returned in communities with reduced vaccination rates, e.g., West Texas. Outbreaks of these preventable diseases remind us of what's at stake when vaccination rates fall.
Debunking the Autism Myth
Perhaps the most persistent vaccine misconception involves a purported link to autism—a claim thoroughly debunked, refuted, and disproven by extensive scientific research6. This misunderstanding stems from confusing correlation with causation.
Consider these absurd correlations: marriage rates have fallen over the same time period that measles cases have been reduced or the increase in billionaires over the past 20 years has resulted in rising autism diagnosis rates—though both sets of trends have occurred simultaneously! Similarly, because autism is typically diagnosed around the same age that children receive certain vaccines, some individuals mistakenly connected these unrelated events7.
This misattribution is particularly harmful for two reasons. First, it discourages vaccination, placing children at risk for serious preventable diseases. Second, it distracts from meaningful research into autism's actual origins8.
Moreover, autism represents natural human neurodiversity—a different, not lesser, way of experiencing and interacting with the world9. When we treat autism as something to be feared, we stigmatize neurodivergent individuals and miss opportunities to create inclusive environments that benefit from diverse perspectives and thinking styles.
Addressing Vaccine Injuries
While vaccines are overwhelmingly safe, legitimate adverse reactions do occur in rare cases. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) was established specifically to track and investigate potential vaccine injuries10. This part of the post-marketing monitoring helps scientists identify and address genuine safety concerns.
Celebrity voices like Jenny McCarthy have amplified anecdotal experiences vaccine injuries, particularly regarding autism11, and ignore those suffering from vaccine avoidable diseases. While individual stories can be powerful, they must be viewed alongside comprehensive population studies involving millions of children that have benefitted from vaccine, with no link between vaccines and autism12.
When evaluating vaccine safety, remember that the overwhelming scientific consensus supports their benefits, far outweighing extremely rare risks13.
By providing scientific understanding of vaccines, highlighting public health benefits and addressing the concerns surrounding vaccination, we can use this information make informed decisions that protect our ourselves, our families and our communities from preventable diseases. For reliable information, consult healthcare providers and trusted public health organizations rather than celebrity endorsements or social media anecdotes.
References:
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Vaccine Testing and the Approval Process. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/basics/test-approve.html
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). The Tuskegee Timeline. https://www.cdc.gov/tuskegee/timeline.htm
- Lederer, S. E. (2008). Subjected to Science: Human Experimentation in America before the Second World War. Johns Hopkins University Press.
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World Health Organization. (2020). Smallpox eradication: a global first. https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/smallpox-eradication-a-global-first
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Global Polio Eradication Initiative. (2024). Polio Today. https://polioeradication.org/polio-today/
- Taylor, L. E., Swerdfeger, A. L., & Eslick, G. D. (2014). Vaccines are not associated with autism: An evidence-based meta-analysis of case-control and cohort studies. Vaccine, 32(29), 3623-3629.
- Offit, P. A. (2008). Autism's False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure. Columbia University Press.
- Modabbernia, A., Velthorst, E., & Reichenberg, A. (2017). Environmental risk factors for autism: an evidence-based review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Molecular Autism, 8(1), 13.
- Singer, J. (2017). NeuroDiversity: The Birth of an Idea. Judy Singer.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/ensuringsafety/monitoring/vaers/index.html
- Gross, L. (2009). A Broken Trust: Lessons from the Vaccine–Autism Wars. PLOS Biology, 7(5), e1000114.
- Jain, A., Marshall, J., Buikema, A., Bancroft, T., Kelly, J. P., & Newschaffer, C. J. (2015). Autism occurrence by MMR vaccine status among US children with older siblings with and without autism. JAMA, 313(15), 1534-1540.
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World Health Organization. (2023). Vaccine Safety. https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/vaccines-and-immunization-vaccine-safety
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