Posted on 10/07/2002 5:48:03 PM PDT by bonesmccoy
Below is a news release on a policy statement published in the October issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) or Pediatrics electronic pages, the Internet extension of Pediatrics.
For Release: October 7, 2002, 12:01 am (ET)
CHICAGO - The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in a new policy statement recommends ring vaccination for smallpox, also called surveillance and containment. Ring vaccination controls an outbreak by vaccinating and monitoring a ring of people around each infected individual. The idea is to form a buffer of immune people to prevent the spread of the disease in the event of an outbreak.
The AAP recommended the ring strategy rather than universal or voluntary immunization, citing potentially serious health risks from the vaccine weighed against the possibility, currently thought to be unlikely, that a smallpox attack could occur. The new policy stresses that a major reason not to initiate universal immunization in the absence of actual cases of smallpox - besides the limited availability of vaccine - is the risk of serious complications from immunizations.
According to Robert S. Baltimore, M.D., FAAP, member of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases (COID) and a lead author of the AAP policy, "The policy is flexible and could change if there is an actual outbreak of smallpox or if a safer vaccine becomes available." The AAP also is pushing for the vaccine to be tested on children before any immunizations are done.
The AAP understands that use of the ring vaccination strategy does not preclude either universal or voluntary vaccination if smallpox is introduced as a bioterrorist agent or if the likelihood of an attack is felt to be higher than currently believed. A critical part of building up the vaccine stockpile is to distribute vaccine around the country in such a way that it could be quickly - within 24 hours - distributed to every community.
One of the AAP's greatest concerns is that the general public is uninformed about the dangers of the vaccine, Dr. Baltimore said. "Many pediatricians are getting questions about it, and we want to arm them with information."
Common side effects from the smallpox vaccine include fever, weakness and lymph gland swelling or tenderness occurring about a week after immunization. Studies from the 1960s show approximately 1,200 people per 1 million immunized will suffer serious complications. Data from 1968 show at least 40 people per million immunized developed potentially life-threatening complications. Multiply those rates by 280 million Americans and "those reactions would end up being very high numbers," Dr. Baltimore said.
The AAP urges that the public should be educated about the possible serious adverse effects of smallpox immunization, especially for children, because surveillance studies demonstrate that they have a higher incidence of adverse effects.
You didn't read the article carefully. It stated there should be no voluntary vaccination.
You don't really make sense. You express concern over the dangers of the vaccine, which are about 0ne in a million, but then advocate shooting people who would move from an area where there is an infection.
These numbers are much too high.
As pointed out, the vaccine has been given for centuries with worldwide universal innoculation for decades.
Death rate is on in a million due to reaction. Side effects perhaps 10 time hegher (and that could include side effects that cause no lasting harm, eg sickness for a few days).
If you are in your thirties or older you were vaccinated. Check your arm at the side by the shoulder.
I will paint it out for you. Smallpox outbreak occurs in Chicago. The highways get clogged with millions seeking to avoid the disease by leaving Chicago. Are you going to say that only healthy people are going to be among those leaving town? Are you saying that those who leave that are infected are not going to stop for food, to use the bathrooms, to sleep and thereby infect people along the way. Are you saying that they are not going to infect people when they arrive in Milwaukee, St. Louis, Peoria, Benton Harbor, Fort Wayne, etc. And what about those that go to O'Hare and flee to Los Angles? If there is an active outbreak and its not contained, then we are not talking one in a million.
You didn't read the article carefully. It stated there should be no voluntary vaccination.
Do you know what an alternate strategy is????
Studies from the 1960s show approximately 1,200 people per 1 million immunized will suffer serious complications. Data from 1968 show at least 40 people per million immunized developed potentially life-threatening complications. Multiply those rates by 280 million Americans and "those reactions would end up being very high numbers,"
IN CASE YOU CANT DO THE MATH, THATS MORE THAN 11,000 WITH LIFE THREATENING COMPLICATIONS BASED ON RATES SEEN IN THE 60'S.
Ok bones, you said it. You support it. What's your evidence for this. If you provided any, you sure buried it. I didnt know the DNC had a political position on smallpox vacination. Could you share with us what it is? I still think you ought to write yourself a script for Thorazine.
So after your lengthy reply, the only thing you say to answer my question of why you claim "the American Academy of Pediatrics is embarassing in it's continual pawning of the DNC political agenda rather than supporting the defense of America's children" is that YOU feel that their preference for ring vacination approach is because Democrats want our children to be vulnerable to blackmail. Thats an emotional claim, not factual.
On your arguments in favor of advance vaccination, I am probably in agreement, although I would prefer to get the vaccination from my own doctor on my own time rather than standing in some public health line for eight hours. Guess we will find out soon what the Bush administration is going to recommend. As of earlier this week, they were undecided but it didnt sound like much expect early responders and then medical people would be vaccinated prior to next Summer. Not much good for us in relation to Iraq.
BTW, are you going to call the Bush Administration a pawn of the liberal Democrats if they decide to go with ring vaccination?
And if you had read any of my posts you would know that what I was objecting to was your demogoging the issue by attacking the AAP as puppets of the DNC and that they cared more about the DNC agenda than they did the nations children. Thats what you said Mr. Demogauge (sp). YOU RAISED THE ISSUE FOOL. Next time take your Thorazine before you go online.
The fact that someone doesnt agree with you on what should be done about vaccinations doesnt have anything to do with political party or left vs right, except in the eyes of the paranoid and sick. The AAP may be right or they may be wrong. It maybe that there is no clear cut right or wrong on this. As I said before the Bush Administration is still debating the issue and hasnt decided what to do. Your attacking someone with an opposing view on vacinnation and blaming that on their being a liberal democrat who doesnt care about children is a bunch of crap. You really should get back on your Thorazine.
As far as the timing of their press release, what real evidence do you have that they issued yesterday BECAUSE Bush was giving a speech on Iraq? For supposedly being a scientist you certainly dont have much of a grasp of the scientific method or the difference between association and causation. With logic like yours we would be attempting to change the skin color of people with sickle cell disease because only people with darker skin tones get it.
And as far as the most important speech of Bush's life, get real. Very few people watched it because it wasnt on network TV. The most important speeches of Bush's life todate have been the speech ten days or so following 9/11 and the state of the union speech. Yesterdays was good and necessary but no more important than the one to the UN on 9/12.
Im out of here as its impossible to discuss anything with you. You throw in the Davis campaign, gun control and a million other factoids. I still dont know what exactly it is that you recommend. I know you disagree with the Ring approach but Im not sure why? I dont know what you want in its place and whether it would be voluntary or involuntary. Quit screaming and throwing in the kitchen sink and maybe someone would know what you are for.
As for the medical facts, I havent seen you refute the 11,200 people would suffer from life threatening side effects other than to say its not true. The AAP said the rate of 40 per million was based on data from the 60's. Multiply that by 280 for the 280 million population at present, more than twice that of the 60's and you get 11,200 who could die when small pox may never be used.
BONESMCCOY STOPS THE TAPE...(MY COMMENTS IN italics)
Quoting CDC's own documenation at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol7no6/rosenthal.htm
The complications arising from smallpox vaccination were well documented during the vaccination program (14-20).
OK. SO, WE HAVE GOOD DATA ON COMPLICATIONS. HERE IT COMES.
Dermatologic and central nervous system disorders were the most frequently recognized adverse events. Dermal complications included vaccinia necrosum, a complication with case-fatality rates of 75% to 100% that occurred almost exclusively in persons with cellular immunodeficiency (21).
This case-fatality rate is not comparable to the rate today. While there may be fatalities related to the vaccine, the reality is that it will be substantially less than in the 1960's. Since the worst fatality rates occured with individuals having cellular immunodeficiency and because, today, we have molecular diagnostic techniques to identify these patients early in their lives; we can exclude these patients from the vaccine administration parameters.
Because most children with cellular immunodeficiencies get other indications of illness prior to when they are two years of age, most physicians can identify these children prior to receipt of the small pox vaccine.
Given the substantially improved level of clinical acumen between current medical diagnostics versus 40 years ago and the existance of anti-viral drugs to treat these cases, the risk of incorrectly giving the vaccine to a patient is not comparable between today and 1969.
Eczema vaccinatum was associated with case-fatality rates of up to 10% overall and 30% to 40% in children <2 years of age (22).
So, again, do not give the vaccine to children less than two years of age or who have HIV or other dermatologic conditions
Generalized vaccinia was reported and probably resulted from rare bloodborne dissemination of virus in normal persons. Erythematous urticarial eruptions occurred in 1% of all primary vaccinees, and rarely, Stevens-Johnson syndrome occurred. Rarer diseases such as pericarditis (23), arthritis (24), and malignant tumors at vaccination scars (25) have been described in case reports.
During the U.S. smallpox vaccination program, approximately seven to nine deaths per year were attributed to vaccination, with the highest risk for death in infants. Most of these infant deaths were attributed to postvaccinal encephalitis (26). Most primary vaccinations in the United States were administered to children, so less is known about adverse events in adults. Rates tended to be higher in primary vaccinees and also in certain countries such as Austria and Denmark, where strains were used that may have been more virulent.
Of important concern is inadvertent administration of vaccine to persons who are immunodeficient or have other underlying contraindications to VACV vaccination, such as pregnancy.
NOW GUYS GET A LOAD OF THIS CORKER OF A LINE
"Administration of vaccine in the context of mass vaccination for outbreak control increases the risk for serious adverse events, since careful screening for vaccine contraindications would be problematic."
In this line, the author is warning the obvious. He is warning that the number of errors in administration will increase if we're suddenly required to give a million doses of vaccine within a few days time. This line has enough merit to warrant immediate release of the vaccine to physicians for use of small pox vaccine on a voluntary basis
Cultures of the vaccination sites of primary vaccinees have yielded positive cultures from days 3 through 14 after vaccination. Thus, transmission of VACV to close contacts of vaccine recipients does occur (27-30) and, in light of the global HIV epidemic and the large prevalence of patients on immunosuppressive therapy, constitutes a serious concern (31).
In my opinion the answer is very easily understood. Permit voluntary immunization of the US citizenry. Release the stockpile to physicians NOW!
For later reading.
There would be some risk to these people with the vaccine being out there but they would be much better off if the population was vaccinated before smallpox breaks out. The immune-compromised would need time to build up immunity and also would benefit by having many people able to donate pheresed plasma with antibodies against smallpox.
They should offer careful vaccinations first to those with weakened immune systems so they'd be somewhat protected when everyone else is vaccinated (voluntary vaccinations).
Whose the demogog? One of the first statements you made was a demigogic statement about the intentions of the AAP. Completely unsupported by the way. You are one sick puppy or one big fool. If you really are a doctor you must be senile. Its docs like you that give the medical system a bad name, you dont listen to what your patients are saying. You havent read a thing I said. You continue to attack everyone with all this right wing super fanatiscim and then you say Im a demigog. What a fool.
Apparently, America's liberal elite can attack our party and even the President of the United States on the day of a major policy speech. Yet, you fail to observe these facts.
You are so paranoid you would question your own mothers motives.
You also fail to read the original posting where I noted that only weeks after being impeached Bill Clinton and Janet Reno were lecturing pediatricians about how to care for America's children.
What does that have to do with anything but your paranoia. Ever stop and think that maybe, just maybe the pediatricians are as smart as you are and know not to pay any attention to the what the filanderer in chief was saying. You are so f---ing serious. Everything is war with you. We had a dentist like you in our town. He was finally arrested and thrown in a mental institution while awaiting trial. He was a nutty militia man who was as paranoid as you. Maybe that flouride has eaten your brain cells.
I am no fool in this matter. You have aired no facts and only offered ad hominem attacks.
Are you really a doctor or do you play on on TV? Go back and read what I wrote you dumbass. I dont even disagree with you on policy and you havent figured that out because you are so emotionally cripppled that you cant read three words without screaming "commie."
where are the cases of HIV+/AIDS patients DYING from a vaccine given to a different person?
Since more than three quarters of those with HIV/AIDS are either gay or a drug addicts, are you really surprised that they dont get exposed closely to children who are about the only people vacinnated in this country today?
Look Dr NO, I have read perhaps ten posts from you at this point and I know what you are against although you havent given any reasons. its all politics and no reasons. Also more importantly you have yet to say what you are for? How and when would the vacine be made available? Would it be voluntary or involuntary? I have asked several times and all you do is rant about politics. What is your plan, fool? OR are you just Dr. No or is it no doctor? What are you a nauturalpath or chiropracter?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.