There is growing concern among parents regarding the number of vaccines that children now receive. Children are required by government schools to have completed the required vaccines prior to enrolling in school. The list of required vaccines continues rising, along with the costs. The number of vaccines raises concerns about safety and reasons for the large numbers of vaccines.

In the early 1980’s the cost to immunize a child with the required vaccines was $75 to $100. Presently the cost of obtaining the recommended vaccines is about $1,250. Even accounting for inflation, the increase in cost is dramatic. The cost is about to become more for teenage girls. The vaccination that reportedly protects against cervical cancer costs about $360 for a three dose series, which raises the total for the vaccines to about $1600. Although the number of shots has been reduced, the combination shots make it difficult to trace down which shot children are experiencing a reaction to when there are side effects.

Part of the reason for the increased costs is that many of these vaccinations are for multiple antigens. The combination shots increase the cost of the vaccines. One of the reasons for the combo shots is an effort to reduce the number of physical injections the child receives. In terms of the number of chemicals injected into the developing bodies of children is amazing. . When a girl receives all doses of all the recommended vaccines, the number of antigens received is 156 in the form of 45 shots. Boys, on the other hand receive 144 vaccine antigens in about 42 injections.

The government recommends many vaccinations. The required vaccinations include: hepatitis A and B; inactivated poliovirus (IPV); rotavirus; haemophilus influenzae Type B (Hib); measles, mumps, rubella (MMR); pneumococcal conjugate (PCV); varicella (chickenpox); influenza; and diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (DTaP). In addition, there is Tdap — tetanus diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine and meningitis vaccine (MCV4) for those entering high school.

Researches have documented reactions to the pertussis and chicken pox vaccines. The danger with the chicken pox is that many of those vaccinated develop shingles within 10 years of the vaccination.

Vaccination has been cited as one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. However, it doesn’t require an advanced degree in science to grasp that the public health accolades, celebrating high vaccination rates and low infection rates, have lead to serious health consequences across the globe. Vaccine ingredients seem to be playing a substantial role.

Sometimes it is the additives to the vaccines that create problems rather than the vaccines themselves. Gelatin, one of many ingredients often used has been documented to cause allergies and asthma. Vaccines known to contain gelatin include chickenpox, MMR, Boostrix (a pertussis booster for teens), Tripedia (DTaP) and Zostrix which is the vaccine used for adult shingles.

Formaldehyde is another dangerous additive. It has been found to interrupt the normal function of the immune system. Formaldehyde, besides being a preservative for lab specimens, can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, difficulty in breathing and asthma attacks. The chemical is categorized as a hazardous chemical on eight federal regulatory lists. With the current vaccine children receive more than ten times the recommended safe amounts. Vaccines containing formaldehyde include DTaP, polio, influen

The sales figures for preventative vaccines in 2007 amounted to $16.3 billion. This is an crease from the $11.7 billion generated in 2006. Since many vaccines are mandated by governments, the likelihood of the sales declining is low. The portion of these numbers that were for pediatric vaccines was $8 billion.

Sources:

Reasons to Just say no to vaccines by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, DO, http://www.newswithviews.com

July 10, 2008

Number of Vaccines, Complex Shot Schedule, Confuse Patients, Monday July 31, 2006, Associated Press