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VACCINE REPORT

In today’s world, where information is just a click away, it’s more important than ever to question and understand what we’re told, especially when it comes to our health. Vaccines have been a hot topic for many years, hailed as a miracle of modern medicine. But like any medical intervention, it’s essential to dig a little deeper and ask: Are they as safe and effective as we’ve been led to believe?

This report aims to explore these questions in a friendly and approachable manner. We’re not here to make up your mind for you, but to provide you with information that will help you make informed decisions. Let’s take this journey together, looking at the science, the controversies, and everything in between. Whether you’re a curious parent, a concerned family member, or just someone who loves a good investigation, we hope you find this report enlightening and thought-provoking.

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the current amount of doses listed on the Australian Chillhood Immunisation Schedule.

Children who delayed the timing of the DTaP vaccine had lower rates of asthma.

“Among 11, 531 children who received at least 4 doses of DTaP, the risk of asthma was reduced to (1/2) in children whose first dose of DTaP was delayed by more than 2 months.”

Numerous studies have demonstrated that food proteins contained within vaccines can induce food allergies within recipients.

Adjuvants (also contained in vaccines), such as aluminium lend themselves to a process called IgE synthesis and their production is observable as an allergic reaction.

With 20% of Australians having an allergic disease (and this number only increasing) Should we investigate the potential that vaccines are inducing other, unwanted immune responses?

studies show that as soon as 5 years post completion of a DTaP series, children were up to

more likely to acquire pertussis compared to the first year after the series.

1 in 6

children have a developmental delay/disability in Australia.

of Australian childrenhave a chronic health condition.

of children have two or more.

boys are more likely to have at least one condition compared to girls (39%)

Vitamin K

Konakion MM paediatric (phytomenadione) is a synthetic form of Vitamin K1 given to newborns by injection or orally on the first day of birth.

Babies are born with very small amounts of Vitamin K in their bodies which can lead to serious bleeding problems. Vitamin K is needed for blood to clot normally.

There is a risk of kernicterus in babies if given too much synthetic vitamin K1 at birth. Kernicterus is caused by too much bilirubin (a component of bile) in the brain. Elevated bilirubin levels can lead to jaundice.

DID YOU KNOW?

There is a black box warning on the synthetic Vitamin K shot about anaphylaxis, shock, cardiac and/or respiratory arrest?

Child holding stomach and coughing in discomfort, possibly related to diphtheria

DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS AND PERTUSSIS (DTaP)

In Australia, the Pertussis-containing vaccine is recommended in a 5-dose schedule at 2, 4, 6, 18 months, and 4 years of age. The options for children are a 3-in-1 vaccine in combination with Diptheria and Tetanus (Adacel, Infanrix), 4-in-1 combination with Diptheria, Tetanus, and Polio (Infanrix IPV), 6-in-1 combination with Diptheria, Tetanus, Polio, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus Influenza B (Infanrix Hexa, Vaxelis). Immunity from this vaccine doesn’t last long hence the need for repeated doses.

DID YOU KNOW?

1. Immunised children can still catch the disease as immunity from the DTaP vaccine wanes quickly.

2. Despite high vaccination rates in Australia, the cases of pertussis are increasing. In 1991, 300 cases of whooping cough were reported with 71% vaccination rate whereas in 2011, 38,000 cases were reported with over 90% vaccination rate.

3. There is evidence from multiple scientific studies that vaccinated individuals may harbour and transmit infection while having no symptoms (asymptomatic). This is concerning as it negates idea of ‘cocooning’.

VAX FACT

Cocooning is the idea that all individuals in close contact with a baby too young to receive the vaccine, receive the vaccine to ensure high antibody levels to a certain infection.

As such, pregnant mums are told to receive the Pertussis-containing vaccine in the third trimester to have high levels of antibodies when the baby is born. Likewise, all family members and visitors are also told to have the vaccine to ensure high antibody levels so as to ‘cocoon’ the newborn.

However, there is evidence from multiple scientific studies that vaccinated individuals may harbour and transmit infection while having no symptoms (asymptomatic). Rather than protecting the child, the risk of spreading disease to them may be increased.

Child with red spots on face and body, showing potential symptoms of mumps or rubella

MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA (MMR)

In Australia, the first dose is given as MMR at 12 months and the second dose as a combination with the Varicella vaccine (MMRV) at 18 months. Some countries give the second dose at 4–5 years. These vaccines are live-virus vaccines.

Measles is a very contagious disease and is spread by droplets from the nose and mouth or body fluids. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body.

Mumps is a contagious viral illness that affects the salivary glands and may also cause fever, headache, fatigue and back pain.

Rubella is a contagious viral infection best known by its distinctive red rash. It’s also called German measles or three-day measles. This infection usually cause mild or no symptoms in most people. However, it can cause serious problems for unborn babies whose mothers become infected during pregnancy.

DID YOU KNOW?

Australia has been declared free of measles for a few years now? In fact, both the incidence and the death rate of measles reduced substantially by the 1950s. In the 10 years preceding the introduction of the vaccine in Australia in 1969, death from measles was under 2 per 100,000 people per year. Similarly, the chance of dying from measles had reduced to 1 to 2% by the 1930s in both the UK and the USA.

Studies in developing countries have shown that children with measles have low serum retinol (Vitamin A) concentrations and that lower retinol levels are associated with measles-related mortality. Vitamin A therapy has been shown to reduce mortality among children in these countries with acute measles.

In Australia, a report from the Australian Government Department of Health state that measles epidemiology data collected between 2012-2019 reveal that individuals born before 1966, had the lowest incidence of illness of all age groups due to natural immunity (from wild-type infection) to measles.

Meanwhile, a study in the US indicated that since measles was declared eradicated in 2000, there have been 18 published studies of 1,416 measles cases — 43.2% of the cases occurred in vaccinated people and no hospitalisations or deaths were reported.

Can we infer from this that wild-type measles infection or natural immunity is superior to vaccine-acquired immunity? Natural infection confers life-long immunity while vaccine-acquired immunity reduces over time allowing breakthrough illness.

Death due to measles is much higher in less developed countries due to malnourishment in children who lack the vitamins and nutrients necessary to support the immune system. As nutrition improves, complications from measles diminish.

THE WAKEFIELD PAPER

In 1998, Dr Andrew Wakefield and 12 of his colleagues published a case series in the Lancet, which suggested that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine may predispose to behavioral regression and pervasive developmental disorder in children.

The Lancet completely retracted the Wakefield et al. paper in February 2010, admitting that several elements in the paper were incorrect, contrary to the findings of the earlier investigation.

Dr Wakefield never claimed that the MMR vaccine caused autism, only that it needed to be investigated. He, along with a group of 13 researchers, wrote in the paper published:

“We have identified a chronic enterocolitis in children that may be related to neuropsychiatric dysfunction. In most cases, onset of symptoms was after measles, mumps and rubella immunisation. Further investigations are needed to examine this syndrome and its possible relation to this vaccine.”

According to vaccine safety insert data (the product information statement issued with vials), there are

adverse medical outcomes

listed as potential side effects, including diabetes mellitus, Guillain-Barre, anaphylaxis and even death.

About

2–10% of healthy individuals fail to mount antibody levels to routine vaccines.

Mortality rates for diphtheria, pertussis, and measles, showing declines over time

When considering the efficacy of vaccines, it’s also important to consider their historical perspective. Vaccines have been hailed as one of the greatest achievements in public health, however, a closer look at historical trends reveals that the decline in many infectious diseases began before the introduction of their corresponding vaccines.

With the improvements of sanitation, hygiene and living conditions throughout the 19th and 20th century contributing so much to the reduction in disease spread, can we be open to the idea that vaccines may not be the end-all of public health measures?

POLIO

In Australia, a Polio-containing-vaccine is recommended in a 4 dose schedule at 2, 3 and 6 months and 4 years.

Polio is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe symptoms develop such as headache, neck stiffness, and paresthesia.

NSW Health reports that the majority of infected people have no symptoms, 10% have a minor illness with complete recovery, and less than 1% develop paralysis. Health measures such as chlorination of swimming pools, sewerage treatment, and safe drinking water have drastically improved the spread of polio.

DID YOU KNOW?

Australia was declared free of Polio in 2000. By 1965, there were close to zero cases of Polio in Australia and there has not been one case of Polio in Australia for over 30 years.

In some developing countries, an oral Polio vaccine is given that contains a weakened form of the live virus. This can mutate and become active again causing spread of the virus in the population leading to outbreaks which remains a challenge to the global eradication of polio.

VAX FACT

Wild poliovirus (WPV) no longer poses a major threat in the majority of the world with only six cases being recorded in 2021. However, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) is now prevalent in developing countries, where coverage is not sufficient and the live virus vaccine is used.

Why is there insistence on continuing to use a vaccine that is causing the majority of cases and outbreaks?

THE CUTTER INCIDENT

In the early 1950s, polio was a devastating disease, causing widespread panic as it led to paralysis and death, particularly among children. The development of the first effective polio vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk was seen as a groundbreaking achievement and a beacon of hope. However, a tragic event in 1955 cast a shadow over this medical breakthrough, raising critical questions about vaccine safety.

The Cutter Incident refers to a significant manufacturing error by Cutter Laboratories, one of the companies licensed to produce the Salk polio vaccine. Due to inadequate inactivation of the live poliovirus in their vaccine batches, approximately 200,000 children were inoculated with a vaccine containing the live virus.

The error led to a nationwide outbreak of polio. Over 40,000 children developed mild polio, 200 were left paralysed, and 10 tragically died as a direct result of the faulty vaccine.

VAX FACT

CHICKEN POX

The chicken pox vaccine is a live-virus vaccine and given at 18 months in Australia.

DID YOU KNOW?

The UK and other nations do not include the chicken pox vaccine in their routine childhood vaccine schedule? The NHS state that they prefer children get the chicken pox as children because:

As it is a mild illness in childhood

They develop life-long immunity

A shingles epidemic is prevented as adults in the community get naturally boosted through exposure to children.

A chicken pox epidemic is prevented in adults which is more severe with increased risk of complications.

Chicken pox and shingles infections are both caused by the varicella zoster virus. The virus usually causes a mild illness in healthy children and symptoms are usually a fever with rash/blisters. The reactivation of the virus later in life causes shingles in one’s body.

Believe it or not, there are benefits to contracting and recovering from chicken pox. They include:

Icon illustrating lifetime immunity to chickenpox with shield and virus symbols lifetime immunity to chickenpox

Yellow heart symbol representing protection against heart disease protection against heart disease

Yellow outline of lungs symbolising protection against atopic diseases protection against atopic diseases

Yellow ribbon symbol representing protection and awareness for cancers protection against cancers

Illustration of mother holding baby symbolising chicken pox immunity through breast milk

Mothers pass on their chicken pox immunity and protection to young babies through breastfeeding.

VAX FACT

1 in 5 children who receive the chicken pox vaccine can develop a “breakthrough” chicken pox infection.

Is it time to revisit the universal vaccination of children in childhood against chicken pox?

Vaccine-induced immunity reduces over time which can lead to varicella outbreaks in older children and young adults and associated complications later in life. “In short, while the reduced circulation of wild chickenpox virus may spare some healthy children a benign case of chickenpox, children now face the more serious risk of developing shingles at young ages and chickenpox at older ages”.

Vaccine manufacturers do not use placebos to test the safety of their vaccines for children.

A placebo is a substance that is intentionally designed to have no therapeutic effect. Common examples would be sugar pills or saline injections.

In the majority of safety trials, vaccines are tested against other or older vaccines.

Does this provide an adequate safety profile for vaccines?

There is a correlation between the amount of vaccine doses and chronic childhood health conditions…

We should be allowed to ask the question as to why, and see thorough, un-bias investigation to eliminate causation.

Bar graph showing correlation between vaccine doses and chronic childhood health conditions

Illustration of a baby crib symbolising SIDS risk and infant sleep safety

of SIDS deaths occur during the first six months of life, mostly between the ages of two and four months.

This timeframe correlates with the beginning of the bulk of the childhood vaccine schedule, where 24 doses are given within a four month period.

With death being listed as an adverse vaccine reaction, is it worth further investigating potential cause of SIDS or spacing out doses in infants?

VACCINATED VS UNVACCINATED

In 2017, a study found that vaccinated children were more at risk of developing certain health issues than their unvaccinated peers. The study suggested that vaccinated children experienced higher rates of conditions like allergies and developmental disorders. This research highlights the importance of closely monitoring vaccine safety and individual health outcomes.

Comparison chart showing various health symptoms with icons

DID YOU KNOW?

Icon of a raised fist holding scales representing legal action Did you know that there is currently a legal case in the US against Merck, the manufacturer of the Gardasil HPV vaccine, alleging it caused autoimmune and neurological injuries (amongst others by plaintiffs?

Illustration of the Human Papilloma Virus, related to the HPV vaccine

HPV

The Human Papilloma virus or HPV vaccine is normally given at school in year 7. HPV is a virus that is spread through sexual contact. The vaccine was initiated in 2007 in girls and 2013 in boys to prevent infection of certain strains of HPV. It is said to prevent genital warts and cervical cancer in females and genital warts and anal cancer in males.

IN %

of cases, HPV is harmless and disappears without treatment within 2 years, but the virus can cause cancer if it stays for a long period. The WHO state that it usually takes 15–20 years for cervical cancer to develop after HPV infection.

Illustration of a microscope representing cervical screening impact

The National Pap Smear program implemented in 1991 reduced the incidence of cervical cancer by 50%.

Is there really a need for this vaccine when the Pap Smear program has been very successful in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer?

VAX FACT

– Cervical cancer occurs in 8 per 100,000 people
– 1.8 per 100,000 people will die from cervical cancer
– 2,200 per 100,000 people will suffer a serious systemic (whole-body) injury from the vaccine.

Can you avoid the risk of cancer by changing sexual behaviour/lifestyle choices and using the Pap Smear program?

PNEUMOCOCCAL

A vaccine covering 13 strains of pneumococcal bacteria is offered to all infant at 2, 4 and 12 months of age. Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae. The infection can cause symptoms ranging from mild illness, such as sinusitis or ear infection, to more serious complications that include pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs), bacterial meningitis (inflammation of the brain), or septicaemia (blood infection).

VAX FACT

There are approximately 100 known strains or serotypes of S. pneumoniae, but the currently available vaccines only cover a limited number of serotypes.
BUT, it may not be useful as the bacteria is highly adaptable and keeps evolving to circumvent the vaccines. It has been highlighted that the Pneumovax is not that effective in eliciting an immune response in children and moreover, the effectiveness reduces within 3 years.

Pneumovax is given to both children and adults. Should we still be recommending this vaccine in kids? This vaccine has a lifetime limit of 2 doses due to concerns of increased side-effects when given too often.