mumps vaccine :: Article Creator4 Ways Vaccine Skeptics Mislead You On Measles And More
Measles is on the rise in the United States. In the first quarter of this year, the number of cases was about 17 times what it was, on average, during the same period in each of the four years before, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of the people infected — mainly children — have been hospitalized.
It's going to get worse, largely because a growing number of parents are deciding not to get their children vaccinated against measles as well as diseases like polio and pertussis. Unvaccinated people, or those whose immunization status is unknown, account for 80% of the measles cases this year. Many parents have been influenced by a flood of misinformation spouted by politicians, podcast hosts, and influential figures on television and social media. These personalities repeat decades-old notions that erode confidence in the established science backing routine childhood vaccines. KFF Health News examined the rhetoric and explains why it's misguided:
The no-big-deal trope
A common distortion is that vaccines aren't necessary because the diseases they prevent are not very dangerous, or too rare to be of concern. Cynics accuse public health officials and the media of fearmongering about measles even as 19 states report cases.
For example, an article posted on the website of the National Vaccine Information Center — a regular source of vaccine misinformation — argued that a resurgence in concern about the disease "is 'sky is falling' hype." It went on to call measles, mumps, chickenpox, and influenza "politically incorrect to get."
Measles kills roughly 2 of every 1,000 children infected, according to the CDC. If that seems like a bearable risk, it's worth pointing out that a far larger portion of children with measles will require hospitalization for pneumonia and other serious complications. For every 10 measles cases, one child with the disease develops an ear infection that can lead to permanent hearing loss. Another strange effect is that the measles virus can destroy a person's existing immunity, meaning they'll have a harder time recovering from influenza and other common ailments.
Measles vaccines have averted the deaths of about 94 million people, mainly children, over the past 50 years, according to an April analysis led by the World Health Organization. Together with immunizations against polio and other diseases, vaccines have saved an estimated 154 million lives globally.
Some skeptics argue that vaccine-preventable diseases are no longer a threat because they've become relatively rare in the U.S. (True — due to vaccination.) This reasoning led Florida's surgeon general, Joseph Ladapo, to tell parents that they could send their unvaccinated children to school amid a measles outbreak in February. "You look at the headlines and you'd think the sky was falling," Ladapo said on a News Nation newscast. "There's a lot of immunity."
As this lax attitude persuades parents to decline vaccination, the protective group immunity will drop, and outbreaks will grow larger and faster. A rapid measles outbreak hit an undervaccinated population in Samoa in 2019, killing 83 people within four months. A chronic lack of measles vaccination in the Democratic Republic of the Congo led to more than 5,600 people dying from the disease in massive outbreaks last year.
The 'You never know' trope
Since the earliest days of vaccines, a contingent of the public has considered them bad because they're unnatural, as compared with nature's bounty of infections and plagues. "Bad" has been redefined over the decades. In the 1800s, vaccine skeptics claimed that smallpox vaccines caused people to sprout horns and behave like beasts. More recently, they blame vaccines for ailments ranging from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder to autism to immune system disruption. Studies don't back the assertions. However, skeptics argue that their claims remain valid because vaccines haven't been adequately tested.
In fact, vaccines are among the most studied medical interventions. Over the past century, massive studies and clinical trials have tested vaccines during their development and after their widespread use. More than 12,000 people took part in clinical trials of the most recent vaccine approved to prevent measles, mumps, and rubella. Such large numbers allow researchers to detect rare risks, which are a major concern because vaccines are given to millions of healthy people.
To assess long-term risks, researchers sift through reams of data for signals of harm. For example, a Danish group analyzed a database of more than 657,000 children and found that those who had been vaccinated against measles as babies were no more likely to later be diagnosed with autism than those who were not vaccinated. In another study, researchers analyzed records from 805,000 children born from 1990 through 2001 and found no evidence to back a concern that multiple vaccinations might impair children's immune systems.
Nonetheless, people who push vaccine misinformation, like presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., dismiss massive, scientifically vetted studies. For example, Kennedy argues that clinical trials of new vaccines are unreliable because vaccinated kids aren't compared with a placebo group that gets saline solution or another substance with no effect. Instead, many modern trials compare updated vaccines with older ones. That's because it's unethical to endanger children by giving them a sham vaccine when the protective effect of immunization is known. In a 1950s clinical trial of polio vaccines, 16 children in the placebo group died of polio and 34 were paralyzed, said Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and author of a book on the first polio vaccine.
The too-much-too-soon trope
Several bestselling vaccine books on Amazon promote the risky idea that parents should skip or delay their children's vaccines. "All vaccines on the CDC's schedule may not be right for all children at all times," writes Paul Thomas in his bestselling book "The Vaccine-Friendly Plan." He backs up this conviction by saying that children who have followed "my protocol are among the healthiest in the world."
Since the book was published, Thomas' medical license was temporarily suspended in Oregon and Washington. The Oregon Medical Board documented how Thomas persuaded parents to skip vaccines recommended by the CDC, and reported that he "reduced to tears" a mother who disagreed. Several children in his care came down with pertussis and rotavirus, diseases easily prevented by vaccines, wrote the board. Thomas recommended fish oil supplements and homeopathy to an unvaccinated child with a deep scalp laceration, rather than an emergency tetanus vaccine. The boy developed severe tetanus, landing in the hospital for nearly two months, where he required intubation, a tracheotomy, and a feeding tube to survive.
The vaccination schedule recommended by the CDC has been tailored to protect children at their most vulnerable points in life and minimize side effects. The combination measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine isn't given for the first year of a baby's life because antibodies temporarily passed on from their mother can interfere with the immune response. And because some babies don't generate a strong response to that first dose, the CDC recommends a second one around the time a child enters kindergarten because measles and other viruses spread rapidly in group settings.
Delaying MMR doses much longer may be unwise because data suggests that children vaccinated at 10 or older have a higher chance of adverse reactions, such as a seizure or fatigue.
Around a dozen other vaccines have discrete timelines, with overlapping windows for the best response. Studies have shown that MMR vaccines may be given safely and effectively in combination with other vaccines.
'They don't want you to know' trope
Kennedy compares the Florida surgeon general to Galileo in the introduction to Ladapo's new book on transcending fear in public health. Just as the Roman Catholic inquisition punished the renowned astronomer for promoting theories about the universe, Kennedy suggests that scientific institutions oppress dissenting voices on vaccines for nefarious reasons.
"The persecution of scientists and doctors who dare to challenge contemporary orthodoxies is not a new phenomenon," Kennedy writes. His running mate, lawyer Nicole Shanahan, has campaigned on the idea that conversations about vaccine harms are censored and the CDC and other federal agencies hide data due to corporate influence.
Claims like "they don't want you to know" aren't new among the anti-vaccine set, even though the movement has long had an outsize voice. The most listened-to podcast in the U.S., "The Joe Rogan Experience," regularly features guests who cast doubt on scientific consensus. Last year on the show, Kennedy repeated the debunked claim that vaccines cause autism.
Far from ignoring that concern, epidemiologists have taken it seriously. They have conducted more than a dozen studies searching for a link between vaccines and autism, and repeatedly found none. "We have conclusively disproven the theory that vaccines are connected to autism," said Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, an epidemiologist at the University of Wollongong in Australia. "So, the public health establishment tends to shut those conversations down quickly."
Federal agencies are transparent about seizures, arm pain, and other reactions that vaccines can cause. And the government has a program to compensate individuals whose injuries are scientifically determined to result from them. Around 1 to 3.5 out of every million doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine can cause a life-threatening allergic reaction; a person's lifetime risk of death by lightning is estimated to be as much as four times as high.
"The most convincing thing I can say is that my daughter has all her vaccines and that every pediatrician and public health person I know has vaccinated their kids," Meyerowitz-Katz said. "No one would do that if they thought there were serious risks."
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False Belief In MMR Vaccine-autism Link Endures As Measles Threat Persists, Finds Survey
As measles cases rise across the United States and vaccination rates for the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine continue to fall, a new survey finds that a quarter of U.S. Adults do not know that claims that the MMR vaccine causes autism are false.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has said there is no evidence linking the measles vaccine and getting autism. But 24% of U.S. Adults do not accept that—they say that statement is somewhat or very inaccurate—and another 3% are not sure, according to the survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania. About three-quarters of those surveyed say that statement is somewhat or very accurate.
The findings are consistent with those in an APPC survey administered by NORC in October 2018, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two surveys indicate that a sizable and consistent number of Americans either believe the false connection or do not know what is correct. The false link was asserted by Andrew Wakefield in a 1998 Lancet paper that was subsequently retracted.
"The persistent false belief that the MMR vaccine causes autism continues to be problematic, especially in light of the recent increase in measles cases," said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. "Our studies on vaccination consistently show that the belief that the MMR vaccine causes autism is associated not simply with reluctance to take the measles vaccine, but with vaccine hesitancy in general."
The new survey findings are also consistent with APPC surveys in 2021-2023 that did not mention the CDC's guidance. In these surveys, 9% to 12% thought it was probably or definitely true that vaccines given to children for diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella cause autism, while 17% to 18% were not sure whether that is true or false.
In the latest survey, conducted from April 18-24, 2024, the Annenberg Public Policy Center questioned over 1,500 empaneled U.S. Adults about their knowledge of how one can contract measles, its symptoms, and whether medical professionals recommend that pregnant people take the measles vaccine if they have not already done so.
The growth in measles cases
The CDC reports that measles activity is increasing globally as well as in the United States. In 2024, as of May 30, there have been 146 U.S. Measles cases in 21 jurisdictions, including 11 outbreaks of three or more related cases. From January 1, 2020, through March 28, 2024, the CDC was notified of 338 confirmed cases, of which nearly a third (97, or 29%) occurred just during the first quarter of 2024, which represents a 17-fold increase over the mean number of cases reported in the first quarters of 2020-2023. The median patient age was 3 years old. The vast majority of cases occurred in patients who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.
The percentage of kindergartners with MMR vaccine coverage against measles dropped in the United States during the pandemic, according to the CDC. "Measles Outbreaks Grow Amid Declining Vaccination Rates," noted a JAMA Network headline in November 2023.
Measles knowledge: How measles spread
A majority of survey respondents know how measles can and cannot be spread. Nearly 6 in 10 correctly say that measles can be spread through coughing and sneezing (59%) and by touching a contaminated surface followed by touching one's nose, mouth, or eyes (59%). Measles cannot be spread through unprotected sexual contact with an infected person, but over a fifth of those surveyed (22%) think this is a way to catch the virus.
Measles incubation period
Very few of those surveyed know how long a person infected with measles can spread the virus before developing the signature measles rash. Just over 1 in 10 (12%) correctly estimate that a person can spread the infection for four days before developing a rash, while 12% estimate that the period is one week. The majority of panelists (55%) report not being sure.
Measles complications for pregnant people
The survey asked respondents to select whether a series of possible complications were associated with having measles while pregnant. Less than 4 in 10 people correctly (in blue below) identified two complications associated with contracting measles while pregnant—delivering a low-birth-weight baby (38%) and early delivery (37%). A fairly small number of people incorrectly indicate that diabetes (7%), blurred vision (11%), and death (12%) are more likely to occur if you have measles while pregnant. They are not.
Measles vaccination (MMR) while pregnant
Most people (57%) are not sure whether pregnant individuals should get vaccinated against measles if they have not already been vaccinated against it. Almost one-third (32%) incorrectly think that medical professionals recommend that pregnant people take the vaccine. Only 12% know that medical professionals do not recommend this vaccine for pregnant individuals. This is because the measles vaccine uses a live, weakened (i.E., attenuated) form of the virus. The CDC notes, "Even though MMR is a safe and effective vaccine, there is a theoretical risk to the baby. This is because it is a live vaccine, meaning it contains a weakened version of the living viruses."
The CDC recommends the MMR vaccine be given a month or more before someone becomes pregnant, if that person was not vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella as a child.
The survey data come from the 19th wave of a nationally representative panel of 1,522 U.S. Adults, first empaneled in April 2021, conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center by SSRS, an independent market research company. This wave of the Annenberg Science and Public Health Knowledge (ASAPH) survey was fielded April 18-24, 2024, and has a margin of sampling error (MOE) of ± 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add to 100%. Combined subcategories may not add to totals in the topline and text due to rounding.
The policy center has been tracking the American public's knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding vaccination, COVID-19, flu, maternal health, climate change, and other consequential health issues through this survey panel for over three years. In addition to Jamieson, the APPC team behind this survey includes Shawn Patterson, who analyzed the data; Patrick E. Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Health and Risk Communication Institute, who developed the questions; and Ken Winneg, managing director of survey research, who supervised the fielding of the survey.
The 2018 survey data comes from the first wave of the Annenberg Public Policy Center's Resistance to Vaccines Longitudinal Survey (RVLS), a panel of 3,005 U.S. Adults, conducted by NORC, an independent research company. This wave was fielded between September 21, 2018, and October 6, 2018, and has a margin of sampling error of ± 2.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Citation: False belief in MMR vaccine-autism link endures as measles threat persists, finds survey (2024, June 3) retrieved 26 June 2024 from https://medicalxpress.Com/news/2024-06-false-belief-mmr-vaccine-autism.Html
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What Is The Measles, Mumps, And Rubella (MMR) Vaccination Schedule?
The MMR vaccine helps protect against measles, mumps, and rubella. It is typically part of a regular vaccine schedule for young children, but older children and adults can also receive the vaccine.
The vaccine helps prevent infection and limit infection severity if someone does contract measles, mumps, or rubella.
In the United States, most young children receive the MMR vaccine. Other individuals can also receive the vaccine as needed.
This article discusses the MMR vaccine schedule, who should and should not get the MMR vaccine, possible side effects, and vaccine hesitancy. It also answers some common questions about the MMR vaccine.
Healthcare professionals typically administer the MMR vaccine in two doses, though some adults may only require one.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following schedule for children:
first dose: between ages 12 and 15 months second dose: between ages 4 and 6 years However, unvaccinated children can receive two doses as long as they are spaced at least 28 days apart.
The CDC recommends separate MMR and varicella vaccines for children between 12 and 47 months old (1 and 4 years old). However, parents or caregivers can request measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) vaccination. The MMRV vaccine is only licensed for use in children 12 months to 12 years old.
If a child receives the MMRV vaccine, the minimum interval between doses is 3 months.
The CDC recommends separate MMR and varicella vaccines for younger children because the risk of seizures is higher after MMRV vaccination than after separate first doses of MMR and varicella vaccines.
The CDC recommends all children receive their first dose between 12 and 15 months old. They should ideally receive the second dose between 4 and 6 years old.
Unvaccinated children should receive two doses separated by at least 28 days.
There is no federal law requiring MMR vaccination. However, all 50 U.S. States and the District of Columbia have laws requiring MMR vaccination for all children attending preschool through high school.
Other groups that should consider the MMR vaccination include:
unvaccinated children students at post-high school institutions (such as college, trade school, etc.) with no evidence of immunity, such as vaccination records adults with no evidence of immunity healthcare workers without evidence of immunity people who intend to become pregnant without evidence of immunity people at an increased risk of measles, mumps, or rubella during an outbreak (in some cases, public health authorities may recommend an additional dose of MMR vaccine for these individuals) People who travel internationally should also get the MMR vaccine:
children ages 6 through 11 months should get at least one dose children ages 12 months or older should get two doses teenagers or adults with no evidence of immunity should get two doses Children who received the first MMR vaccine dose before the age of 12 months should still receive the second dose as part of a routine vaccine schedule.
Evidence of immunity can include:
being born before 1957 vaccination records confirmed infection with MMR or blood tests proving immunity While the majority of children should get the MMR vaccination as part of their routine vaccination schedule, some groups should not receive it.
Groups that should avoid the MMR vaccination may include:
people who are pregnant or who received a dose within the past month before getting pregnant children or adults with severe allergies to the vaccine people with a close family history of immune issues people who have ever had a condition that makes them bruise or bleed easily people with weakened immune systems, such as people living with HIV or cancer and those undergoing immunosuppressive treatments people with tuberculosis people with moderate to severe infections anyone who received any other vaccinations within the past 4 weeks People who fit into one or more of these categories should speak with a doctor. In some cases, the doctor may be able to advise an alternative schedule for the vaccination.
Some common side effects that can occur due to MMR vaccination include:
The United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) suggests that these common side effects typically last for 2 to 3 days.
Additionally, a small number of people may develop other side effects, including:
In most cases, healthcare professionals consider the benefits of vaccination to outweigh the potential risk of side effects. However, people in known risk groups should discuss MMR vaccination with a doctor.
Measles outbreaks are on the rise, potentially threatening disease elimination status in the United States, according to a 2023 systematic review.
According to researchers, vaccine hesitancy may be the underlying cause. They note several social factors, including politics and income levels, as possible reasons for parents refusing vaccinations for their children.
The number one concern presented is a fear of autism. However, evidence confirms that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism.
Researchers suggest that a multifaceted approach is required to help combat misinformation that may lead to vaccine hesitancy. The review highlights that most children and adults should receive the MMR vaccine.
People should speak with a qualified healthcare professional for more information if they have any concerns about themselves or a child in their care receiving the MMR vaccine.
What is an "anti-vaxxer"?
Below are some of the most common questions and answers about the MMR vaccine.
How often do people need MMR vaccination?
The regular vaccination schedule states that children should get the first dose between ages 12 and 15 months and the second between ages 4 and 6 years. Other high risk groups may need one or two doses based on their situation.
Do adults need an MMR booster?
Most adults do not need an MMR booster. However, the CDC recommends people without known immunity, those exposed to an outbreak, international travelers, or people who work in healthcare facilities receive the MMR vaccine.
How far apart are MMR vaccines given for adults?
Unvaccinated adults should wait at least 28 days between the first and second dose. Teens should also wait at least 28 days between doses.
The MMR vaccination schedule for children in the United States involves two doses. A healthcare professional administers the first dose around 1 year of age and the second when a child is between 4 and 6 years old.
Unvaccinated adults, teens, and children should also get two doses of the vaccination at least 28 days apart.
Certain groups of people should not get the vaccination, such as those with weakened immune systems.
A person can discuss the benefits and potential risks of MMR vaccination on an individual basis with a doctor.
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