By Amber Gristak:
On Wednesday, August 26, the St. Louis University Medical Center began the second phase of human testing for the vaccine anticipated to stop the spread of the H1N1 virus. However, after speaking with workers in the medical center’s special Vaccine Center, I learned that volunteers for the tests are getting harder to find.
I also learned that each volunteer receives two shots of the vaccine. Each shot is administered during a separate visit. The volunteer is then asked to come back for 10 separate visits. Each visit is spaced one week a part.
In regards to the volunteer shortage, the shortage falls within youngest group. The age range from this group is from 6 months to 17 years. According to a source within the hospital, the medical center needs 150 volunteers in that specific age range. As of 11:30 am on Wednesday, they had 30. Despite the shortage, testing began with this group, as scheduled.
This is a big drop in willingness since last week’s debut in Kansas City ’s Children’s Mercy Hospital. At that time, there was abundant amount of people eager to sign up. That hospital wooed in a total of 600 volunteers and had to begin turning people away.
One reason for the sudden lack of interest in this medical gamble could be the high amount of negative media attention. In the past week, many organizations and people came out to remind us that vaccines are possibly a cause of autism.
The first study ushered in countless criticism from parents whose children fall on the autistic spectrum. The notable non-profit group Icare4autism received many emails pertaining to the testing. The Facebook page for the New York based organization received an overwhelming amount of comments of opposition.
“If there is a possible risk from the vaccine, greater than actually getting the swine flu, then it seems crazy to take the chance,” said Icare4autism Facebook group member Jane Paterson who has an 11-year-old son with autism.
Then as the world seemed to battle it out on the web scene, the first round of testing continued. However, the low numbers in St. Louis may indicate that people refuse to gamble on their children’s health.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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11 Responses
So where’s the other side of the story? True, people aren’t volunteering. But the accusations of autism continue to fester despite multiple studies that have failed to find a link between vaccines and autism. Perpetuating the myth is a disservice.
As for the comment by Mrs. Peterson, “If there is a possible risk from the vaccine, greater than actually getting the swine flu, then it seems crazy to take the chance,” this is another problem. This is why flu is a *public* health problem: you child may become a little sick (no big deal) BUT can spread it to other kids, the elderly, pregnant women, etc. for whom it can be serious if not life threatening. “No man is an island…” our actions (or lack thereof) can actually put other people at risk.
I personally understand the low turn out. Myself I would not want to be a Guinea Pig in such a Vaccinated effort to protect against Swine (Mexican)Flu. Not when the risks of contracting something else exists. The article fails to explore practical things to Stay Healthy and keep ones Immune System strong and resiliant. Is being innoculated the only way to protect oneself? Why doesn’t the Medical Community talk about Prevention of MF(Mexican Flu)?
I disagree with some comments.
1, You can’t malign people for not volunteering to be test subjects.
2, Using the word FESTER about those that question the Autism vaccine controversy is obscene. I have a science background that probably exceeds yours and there is much to look at still.
3, Your comments seem to show that you are not aware of the fact that old people are getting seriously sick with this flu at a LOWER rate than expected/
4, Please look into the new term adjutants, chemicals used to make the immune system hyper reactive so they can use less vaccine. It is a system fraught with peril. Please read up on it and then decide for youself.
To cbdd-
The autism/vaccine issue has been addressed thoroughly in a number of peer reviewd studies in several countries–and no significant correlation was found. In fact, the original study proposing this correlation is very controversial–which you should know if you have really done your homework on the issue.
Fester is a pretty good description about a campaign of ignorance that enocurages people not to use one of our primary weapons in the fight against infectious disease (vaccinations).
People in the midwest aren’t too bright. They believe any myth they hear. Let them give it here in the East- I’ll take it for free!
To Starwolf and others,
I can not claim to have all the answers. Anybody that is sure of anything might be wrong. Since you feel this issue has been settled I can only make one request. Read the Wakefield sudies, read it well and then decide if the issue has been settled. If your background is not strong in science get help rather than deciding that you are the arbiter of fact.
To Midwest2,
I respect your background but might differ.
1, Please contact any school or organization that handles autistic cases and ask what is happening with the demographics. You might hear that there are more cases of this type than years ago, not just a new definition.
2, Timerosol began to be used in earnest when Jimmy Carter asked for a way to make vaccines cheaper. It was sold in 25 unit vials and thus needed a preservative. I am not aware that it was used prior.
3, All tests have some degree of risk, volunteer if you want to but do not deny the risk.
4, You did not mention that there has been some discussion of adding adjutants that make the immune system very responsive. I think that it is not smart to mess with the immune system. I do remember reading that there were many deaths from the last attempt at a swine flu vaccine. As a specialist you deal in statistics but when a child loses his father to a vaccine that child loses his dad, not just a decimal point. I call death a serious negative outcome and not just not getting immunity.
Yes, ask your MD, If you feel he is very qualified and honest do as he says. Ask whether vaccines should be given a month later, probably not going to cause an epidemic.
NO ONE who’s child has not been affected by autism can comment that vaccines do not cause autism and other disorders. millions of parents can not be wrong.
u may want to see this website:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/us-health-officials-back_b_170794.html
To #9,
Where did you get this # of millions? And even if every parent of every autistic child in the world believed it, doesn’t make it true. What makes something true is proof. The most probable cause of autism is genetics. Esp. in the frum community were shiduchim are a big problem, if you were the parents, would you blame it on a vaccine or on your genetics? Stop feeding people conspiracy theories, esp. when people lives are at stake.
To cbdd,
Why does a few deaths due to the vaccine bother you more than MANY deaths due to the illness? Do you not read the news? Even this swine flu has claimed lives; what happened to “a child loses his father to a “preventable illness” that child loses his dad, not just a decimal point. I call death a serious negative outcome and not just not getting immunity.”? Stop trying to portray the illnesses that vaccines are trying to prevent as benign. This is a total falsehood. They are all serious life-threatining illnesses.
Fancyshmancy commented that
“NO ONE who’s child has not been affected by autism can comment that vaccines do not cause autism and other disorders. millions of parents can not be wrong. ”
Actually, the parents of these children, as difficult and heartbreaking as their lives may be, CAN be wrong. Having a patient in the family does not mean that you know the cause of the syndrome. And, believe it or not, the doctors and researchers devoting their time to the study of autism are not unfeeling. they are people just like you and I, and some of them have autistic children of their own. Don’t you think that if they thought that there were indications for the vaccine hypothesis that they would investigate this direction?
As far as your link goes, what will you do when the results of that study show the same results as the many studies conducted previously? Will you then accept them?
to cbdd;
I think that my “background in science” is just fine, thank you.
I have read just about every study published in medical/scientific journals concerning possible causes of the various syndromes in the autistic spectrum. so far, the studies of vaccines and autism have proven negative; a dead end. Huge amounts of research moeny and research time have been applied to this problem. while the moeny is a renewable resource, the time of these researchers and laboratories is not. in other words, while they have been researching the correlation of vaccines and autism, they have not been researching other aspects of the syndrome.
It may be that a future studym will find a correlation. It may also be that a futre study will find a correlation with eating various types of foods (this is also the age where parents are giving the children new foods). Or it may be that we will find causes associated with other environmental effects that we currently do no suspect.
However, scientific investigation works in a specific way. When enough negative evidence accumulates about a certain question, the scientists beleive that there is little point in continuing that direction of investigation. this is currently the case with the vaccinations as a cause of autism.
The vaccination scare is especially harmful because it causes the uniformed to fear vaccinations. Not vaccinating your children is not risk-free; it needlessly exposes them to diseases that they would otherwise not have to worry about. the people encouraging this behavior are doing a grave disservice to their communities.
For those people who do not have access to medical journals, or do not wish to take the time to thoroughly research this matter, allow me to recommend the aptly-named book by Paul A. Offit: Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure.