A Government Call for Vaccine Research

[Guest guest]

 

A Government Call for Vaccine Research

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/childrens-health/2008/12/11/a-governmen\

t-call-for-vaccine-research.html

The National Institutes of Health has put out a call for answers

By Bernadine Healy M.D.

Posted December 11, 2008

The way to cool the hot debate on vaccine safety is to turn to science and get

the facts, and here, there is reason for optimism. Last August, the National

Institutes of Health embarked on an effort entitled " Research to Advance Vaccine

Safety, " involving five of its institutes plus the CDC. The operating premise:

Vaccines are of vital importance to human welfare, and new and better technology

enables researchers to address as never before gaps in knowledge about how to

use them more safely and effectively. Areas the NIH wants to see tackled

include:

The Polings. Hannah's autism was found to be vaccine-linked.

Related News

Vaccines Get New Scrutiny

A Parents' Guide to Managing Vaccinations

Vaccines for Adults Are Underused

Discuss Vaccine Risks

Vaccine response. Vaccines do more than stimulate antibodies. Yet there is scant

research on the way the complex networks of specialized white blood cells and

immune chemicals behave in response to the currently licensed vaccines and their

assorted nonvaccine components. Reactions vary among children and those of

different ages, and sometimes, vaccines can induce overly sensitive immune

reactions. Studies showing that early childhood vaccination may promote chronic

allergies, for example, beg for further research.

Susceptible groups. The recognition that vaccines can be unsafe for some

children made headlines last spring when experts determined that Hannah Poling,

who had an unknown mitochondrial disorder, suddenly and dramatically developed

autism as a toddler in reaction to nine immunizations administered at once,

validating many parents' concerns. Recently, serious complications from the new

smallpox vaccine have been tied to specific gene variations, and there is

ongoing concern that rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions have

been triggered by the hepatitis B vaccine in those with genetic susceptibility.

The NIH wants to identify risk factors and biological markers predictive of

adverse reactions, which could protect vulnerable groups and allow better

clinical trials.

Vaccine schedules. The one-size-fits-all vaccine schedule has served the public

well but has yet to be tested for optimal efficacy and safety. The NIH proposes

comparisons of the immunologic and physiologic effects of different combinations

of vaccines administered on different schedules. Supporting this need is a 2008

Canadian study that found that delaying the diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus

vaccination a few months cut the risk of childhood asthma by 50 percent.

Immune capacity. As infants leave the womb's sterile environment, their immune

system is virtually a blank slate, soon molded by generally benign and natural

exposures—to pollen in the air, proteins in food, microbes on their mother's

skin. It's assumed the little ones can handle with the same ease a sudden and

concentrated exposure to the less benign antigens in vaccines. Research on the

capacity of the young immune system to do so needs further investigation,

particularly with the flood of new vaccines on the horizon.

Dr. Healy formerly headed the NIH

Love, Gabby. :0)

http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/

 

" I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had

some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport