Thread: Ask my opinion about vaccinations.

Yes, the opinions are biased, but the statistics are not. That is what I was interested in the most sharing, were the statistics.
Let's see. It is by Dr. Mercola, whoever he is, and it is written in 2007.
I am looking for more statistical information right now, or after I eat dinner.

Originally Posted by Dannon Oneironaut

Yes, the opinions are biased, but the statistics are not. That is what I was interested in the most sharing, were the statistics.
Let's see. It is by Dr. Mercola, whoever he is, and it is written in 2007.
I am looking for more statistical information right now, or after I eat dinner.

But the statistics are very outdated, especially for a scientific study. I just turned in a very large research report on airport security in America, and our professor would not allow us to use any sources from before 2008. The most recent study cited above is 1994, the oldest was 1977 I believe. Surely there are some more recent studies, or is the anti-vaccine information that scarce? If that is the case, then there is probably good reason.

If you are trying to fairly present the anti-vaccine viewpoint here, you need to do it objectively. Citing one random individuals rant isn't going to do you very much good. You need a completely objective case study. No sensational commentary, just the facts with no attachement to the outcome.

Here's what google tells me about Dr. Mercola. In his words, just to "balance the bias."

--"While certain advice, such as good diet and exercise, are not so criticized, he promotes a variety of scientifically unproven alternative medicine as replacements for the science-based pharmaceutical approaches he mostly discourages."

--"He claims unproven alternative treatments such as chelation therapy, acupuncture, auriculotherapy, cranial osteopathy, homeopathy, and laser-assisted detoxifying are frequently superior to conventional approaches however he has never directly advertised these services."

--"Mercola.com is a horrible chimera of tabloid journalism, late-night infomercials, and amateur pre-scientific medicine.... Unfortunately, it is also one of the more popular alternative medicine sites on the web and as such is uncommonly efficient at spreading misinformation."

--"Josephy Mercola is an osteopath whose main practice is the selling of a lifestyle that he characterizes as "natural." Much of his advice is in opposition to science-based medicine. His dietary advice conflicts with the advice of science-based organizations such as the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association. Mercola claims that diabetics should avoid all grains because they cause insulin resistance, and he recommends eating unprocessed saturated fats. In fact, he advises everybody to give up grains and eat foods that our pre-agricultural ancestors might have eaten, supplemented, naturally, by some of the many products he sells.

Mercola promotes his "alternatives" to a healthy diet and science-based medicine on his website, in his newsletter, and in books.

No one should fault Mercola for advocating eating a healthy diet and exercising, but his diet is questionable and his opposition to prescription drugs and surgery seems clearly unwarranted in light of the obvious benefits of both. His beliefs about the dangers of microwaved food (that it alters the structure of food and ruins its nutritional value) and his beliefs about EMFs in general are unfounded.* His promotion of Emotional Freedom Technique is based more on emotion than science.*"

--"Mercola is one of the leaders of the anti-vaccination movement (AVM). His website has links to many anti-vaccination articles and he has posted some articles himself that, in the words of one science-based physician, reveal "his exceptionally poor grasp of the immune system."* He also seems to have an exceptionally poor grasp of epidemiology and pharmacology. His errors are too many to list, but here are some of the false or misleading notions he promotes about vaccines.

Error 1. Too many vaccines are used too soon during infancy.

Error 2. Mercury and other "toxins" in vaccines are causing great harm.

Error 3. Since very few children die of the flu, they shouldn't be given the flu vaccine."

--"In May 2006, BusinessWeek published an editorial about Mercola's marketing strategies. Columnist David Gumpert opined: ' Mercola gives the lie to the notion that holistic practitioners tend to be so absorbed in treating patients that they aren't effective businesspeople. While Mercola on his site seeks to identify with this image by distinguishing himself from "all the greed-motivated hype out there in health-care land", he is a master promoter, using every trick of traditional and Internet direct marketing to grow his business. (...) He is selling health-care products and services, and is calling upon an unfortunate tradition made famous by the old-time snake oil salesmen of the 1800s"

--"A 2006 BusinessWeek editorial criticized Mercola's marketing practices as "relying on slick promotion, clever use of information, and scare tactics."

He isn't a doctor, he is a business man with a doctorate. Hardly the type of source you want to be connected to. Im not trying to pick on you, the information just kept streaming in when I did a quick google search. There is a lot more criticism out there but I thought this was enough to at least call his legitimacy into question. Go to the "skeptic" link if you want to read more, they have quotes and information from legitimate scientific organizations that were provided in direct response to certain Mercola doctrines.

http://www.skepdic.com/mercola.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Mercola

Flu Shot Vaccine Ingredients?

Source: US Federal Center for Disease Control (PDF download 84K)
Influenza (Afluria)

Potassium Chloride, Potassium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Taurodeoxychoalate.

Influenza (Fluarix)

Egg Albumin (Ovalbumin), Egg Protein, Formaldehyde or Formalin,
Gentamicin, Hydrocortisone, Octoxynol-10, á-Tocopheryl Hydrogen Succinate,
Polysorbate 80, Sodium Deoxycholate, Sodium Phosphate, Thimerosal*

Influenza (Flulaval)

Egg Albumin (Ovalbumin), Egg Protein, Formaldehyde or Formalin, Sodium
Deoxycholate, Phosphate Buffers, includes Thimerosal

Influenza (Fluvirin)

Beta-Propiolactone , Egg Protein, Neomycin, Polymyxin B, Polyoxyethylene 9-
10 Nonyl Phenol (Triton N-101, Octoxynol 9), includes Thimerosal (multidose
containers), Thimerosal* (single-dose syringes)

Influenza (Fluzone)

Egg Protein, Formaldehyde or Formalin, Gelatin, Octoxinol-9 (Triton X-100),
includes Thimerosal (multidose containers)

Influenza (FluMist) Nasal Spray

Live H1N1 Virus, Chick Kidney Cells, Egg Protein, Gentamicin Sulfate, Monosodium Glutamate, Sucrose Phosphate Glutamate Buffer

* Where “thimerosal” is marked with an asterisk (*) it indicates that the product should be considered equivalent to thimerosal-free products. This vaccine may contain trace amounts (<0.3 mcg) of mercury left after post-production thimerosal removal, but these amounts have no biological effect. JAMA 1999;282(18) and JAMA 2000;283(16)

Adapted from Grabenstein JD. ImmunoFacts: Vaccines & Immunologic Drugs. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer Health Inc.; 2009 and individual products’ package inserts.