Disingenuous CDC Study Confirms Danger of Chicken-pox Vaccine
November 05, 2009
By John Stone
A newly published study co-authored by the US Centers for Disease Control
into the effectiveness of chicken-pox vaccine states in conclusion:
Varicella vaccine substantially decreases the risk of herpes zoster among
vaccinated children and its widespread use will likely reduce overall herpes
zoster burden in the United States. The increase in herpes zoster incidence
among 10- to 19-year-olds could not be confidently explained and needs to be
confirmed from other data sources.
(HERE)
While the authors are quick to claim causal benefit from the vaccination the
negative effects can only be explained by them as aberrant. Yet such effects
were also reported by a UK Health Protection Agency last year. Its press release
stated:
If a chickenpox vaccine were to be added to the childhood immunisation
programme concerns have been raised that there would be an increase of shingles
cases in adults as a result. This is because people who have had chickenpox are
less likely to have shingles later in life if they have been exposed
occasionally to the chickenpox virus (for example through their children) as
this exposure acts as a booster...
The modelling suggested that a two dose schedule at the levels of coverage
likely to be achieved in the UK would lead to an increase of at least 20% of
shingles in the medium term (approximately 15-20 years). This increase could be
partially, but not completely, offset by introduction of a vaccination against
shingles among those aged 60+. Albert Jan van Hoek, who performed the
research for the Health Protection Agency, said; “Our models suggest that
vaccination would reduce the burden of chickenpox in the young. However, it will
lead to an increase in shingles in the medium term in adults because they will
not get that ‘boosting’ effect from being in contact with cases of chickenpox.
(HERE)
In fact, these effects have long been known about as a press release from
Medical Veritas points out:
Interestingly, the published shingles (herpes zoster) incidence rates among
vaccinated and unvaccinated children, as well as adolescents reported by VASP/CDC
authors in this current study nicely agree with prior research findings by
Goldman who served as Research Analyst for the Varicella Active Surveillance
Project (VASP) in 2002 and published the incidence rates in 2005 (Universal
Varicella Vaccination: Efficacy Trends and Effect on Herpes Zoster. Goldman GS.
International Journal of Toxicology 2005 Jul/Aug; 24(4):203-213).
(HERE)
The Medical Veritas document goes on to explain:
In historical shingles studies, shingles incidence generally increases with
age. In his 1965 paper, Dr. Hope-Simpson suggested, “The peculiar age
distribution of zoster may in part reflect the frequency with which the
different age groups encounter cases of varicella and because of the ensuing
boost to their antibody protection have their attacks of zoster postponed.”
Lending support to this hypothesis that contact with children with chickenpox
boosts adult cell-mediated immunity to help postpone or suppress shingles, is
the study by Thomas et al. (Contacts with varicella or with children and
protection against herpes zoster in adults: a case-control study. Thomas SL,
Wheeler JG, Hall AJ. Lancet 2002 Aug 31;360(9334):678-82) that reported adults
in households with children, had lower rates of herpes zoster (HZ) than
households without children. Also, the study by Terada et al. (Incidence of HZ
in pediatricians and history of reexposure to varicella-zoster virus in patients
with HZ. Kansenshiogaku Zasshi 1995 Aug.; 69(8):908-912) indicated that
pediatricians reflected incidence rates from ½ to 1/8 that of the general
population their age. Older parents, in their late 50s, who no longer have
children in their household, demonstrate HZ at an incidence rate of 550/100,000
person-years. (Of course, those very elderly adults do experience a sharp rise
in shingles incidence due to age-related decline in immunity.)
(HERE)
This is testimony to the CDC’s willingness to pursue a policy for which there
are known and admitted harms at a population level, but it also stands in
contradiction to the policy elsewhere of targeting the young to protect adults
(as with Hepatitis B and flu vaccine) since in this case it does the reverse:
the only real consistent aim seems to be to push the most products to the great
benefit only of the vaccine industry.
John Stone is UK Contributing Editor to Age of Autism