Module 13 - Immunization Issues

Question 1

List some statements you can tell to parents who are worried about the safety of vaccines

Answer 1

• I believe in immunization
• Vaccines have saved many lives
• Vaccines are safe and effective
• Vaccines are a healthy choice and are the best way to protect your child
• Multiple injections are the best way to protect your child as early as possible

Question 2

Why do breast fed babies still require immunization?

Answer 2

Bc the protection transferred through the milk is incomplete and can easily be overcome if the baby is exposed to a large amount of the germ

Question 3

Can you get the illness from a vaccine?

Answer 3

Inactive and subunit vaccines = No way you could get the illness

With live vaccines, the virus is weakened so there is a small very small chance that you could develop an infection but that is why we don’t give it to anyone who’s immune system cannot handle it.

Question 4

Do patients need to worry about the formaldehyde in vaccines?

Answer 4

No - most of the formaldehyde is removed from the vaccine and any amount left over is several hundred times lower than the amount known to cause harm.

Question 5

What is the point of having formaldehyde in vaccines?

Answer 5

to kill bacteria

Question 6

Do patients need to worry about the aluminum in vaccines?

Answer 6

No - the amount of aluminum in vaccines is lower than the amount absorbed from antacids and is about similar amount of the aluminum found in breast milk

Question 7

What is the point of having aluminum in vaccines?

Answer 7

to enhance the body’s immune reaction to the vaccine

Question 8

What is the most common antibiotic in vaccines during the manufacturing process?

Answer 8

neomycin

Question 9

Do vaccines contain human or cow issues?

Answer 9

• No vaccine contains human or animal blood, serum, cells or tissue.
• Some vaccines are grown in human or animal cells.
• During purification of the vaccine, all serum and cells are removed, but trace amounts of proteins from the cells may remain in the vaccines.

Question 10

Do parents need to worry about mercury in vaccinations?

Answer 10

No - thimerosal (mercury) was removed from all vaccines in 2001 due to patient concern even though thimerosal has never been shown to cause any neurological problems