Offit on safety of vaccines

[Guest guest]

Congressman Burton proved in his hearings that Offit is on the payroll of the

drug companies. The statements he makes here are in my opinion out and out

lies. He makes no mention of the piggy back viruses such as HV40 that are in

vaccines.

Subject: how harmful are additives in vaccines

http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=4823

How harmful are additives and preservatives in childhood vaccines?

08 Dec 2003

Contact: Ascenzi

Ascenzi@...

267-426-6055

Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia

Review of scientific data may allay parental concerns on vaccine safety After

reviewing dozens of scientific studies, a leading vaccine expert concludes

that preservatives, additives and other substances contained in vaccines pose

very little risk to children receiving those vaccines.

In addition to the primary ingredient that stimulates a protective immune

response, various vaccines may contain small amounts of metals, proteins, and

other chemicals, some of which are residual by-products of normal vaccine

manufacturing.

'Parents can be reassured that the trace quantities of mercury, aluminum and

formaldehyde contained in vaccines will not harm their children,' says the

study's lead author, A. Offit, M.D., chief of Infectious Diseases and

director of the Vaccine Education Center at The Children's Hospital of

Philadelphia.

The article, which summarizes studies of human and animal exposures, appears

in the December 2003 issue of Pediatrics. Dr. Offit's co-author is pharmacist

Rita K. Jew, Pharm.D., also of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Of the substances studied, say the authors, only gelatin proteins and egg

proteins are known to have harmful effects while in vaccines, but such effects

are very rare.

Those proteins may cause severe hypersensitivity reactions in children with

allergies to gelatin or eggs. Dr. Offit adds that physicians should take

appropriate safeguards for children known to have those allergies. For instance,

children with allergies to the egg protein found in influenza vaccine can be

desensitized to the vaccine.

One controversial vaccine-related substance is thimerosal, a compound of

mercury used as a preservative to prevent contamination by bacteria or fungi. It

has received considerable scrutiny by Congress and the news media since its

removal from most U.S. childhood vaccines in 2001.

Thimerosal was removed from vaccines as a precaution, even though there has

never been scientific evidence of a link between thimerosal and adverse

effects.

One confusing element, say the authors, is an incorrect assumption that

ethylmercury, contained in thimerosal, has the same effects as methylmercury, a

more toxic mercury compound found in the environment, but not in vaccines. 'An

important difference is that the body eliminates ethylmercury far more quickly

than it eliminates methylmercury,' adds Dr. Offit.

Other substances found in vaccines, in addition to the active agent designed

to stimulate a protective response, are additives, adjuvants and manufacturing

residuals.

Additives, which include various sugars, amino acids and proteins, are used

to stabilize vaccines during processing and storage. Except for very rare

hypersensitivity reactions to gelatin proteins, vaccine additives have not been

associated with disease.

Adjuvants, such as aluminum compounds, enhance the desired immune response

the vaccine is designed to produce. 'The safety of aluminum has been established

by experience over the past 70 years with hundreds of millions of people

inoculated with aluminum-containing vaccines,' say the authors, who add that the

small quantities of aluminum in vaccines have not been shown to be harmful in

animal studies.

Substances remaining in vaccines as residuals of the manufacturing process

may include antibiotics, formaldehyde, and egg and yeast proteins. With the

exception of the very rare reactions caused by egg proteins, the quantities of

other residual substances are too small to demonstrate any documented reactions

in those receiving the vaccines.

'Based on the best available scientific evidence,' concludes Dr. Offit,

'parents can be confident that vaccines are overwhelmingly safe, as well as

effective in preventing infectious diseases.'

About the Expert:

A. Offit, M.D., is the director of the Vaccine Education Center and

chief of Infectious Diseases at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. An

internationally recognized expert in virology, immunology and vaccine safety, he

is

a former member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In addition to publishing more than 90 peer-reviewed scientific papers, Dr.

Offit is co-author of the book 'Vaccines: What Every Parent Should Know.' He

frequently lectures to national and international healthcare organizations about

vaccine safety and efficacy.

Under the direction of Dr. Offit, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

established The Vaccine Education Center in October 2000 to respond to the

rapidly growing need for accurate, up-to-date, science-based information about

vaccines and the diseases they prevent.

The Center is a nationally recognized educational resource for healthcare

professionals and parents, providing information on the full spectrum of

vaccine-related topics. Approximately 400 people per day visit the Center's

comprehensive Web site (vaccine.chop.edu).

Founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital, The Children's

Hospital of Philadelphia is ranked today as the best pediatric hospital in the

nation by U.S. News & World Report and Child magazine. Through its long-

standing

commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of

pediatric healthcare professionals and pioneering major research initiatives,

Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited

children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the

country, ranking second in National Institutes of Health funding. In addition,

its

unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the

430-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents

from

before birth through age 19. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu.