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Vaccines inspire fear—almost as much fear as the diseases they’re meant to prevent. In parts 1 and 2 of The Great Vaccination Debate, Dr. Brady Pregerson and Nurse Rebekah Child discussed their own hesitations and common reasons for refusal. In part 3, they detail the benefits of vaccination.
Dr. Brady: If it weren’t for vaccines, I think I would have already died of measles, tetanus or rabies; suffered permanent damage from H. flu, rubella or polio; or been incredibly sick from typhoid, yellow fever or mumps. Infections are a major cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, they account for six of the top ten causes of death in low-income countries. In high-income countries, where vaccination tends to be widespread, infection accounts for only one of the top ten causes of death.
It’s not that I’m looking forward to any of the alternatives—heart disease, stroke and cancer topping the list—but I’m happy to avoid any and all ailments that I can. Measles—there’s a vac for that. Polio—there’s a vac for that. Swine flu? There’s a vac for that, too. I wish there were a vaccine for everything, but for now, I’ll take what they’re giving. I know that a vaccination, like everything else in medicine, and everything else in life, has a risk. There are no certainties. But there are calculable odds, and that’s a good enough strategy for me.
Nurse Rebekah: Poor Dr. Salk. All that work to invent the polio vaccine and people are walking around just snubbing their noses at vaccines in general. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think my iPhone would get great reception in an iron lung. Vaccinate away, please! Kids today don’t even have to suffer through the chicken pox. I kind of think that’s a little unfair, though…itchy pox never hurt anyone (ha ha); they built character and gave Calamine lotion a guaranteed demographic.
Imagine, though, if there were a vaccine for the common cold…think of all those companies that would be out of business! Wait a second, talk about a conspiracy! What if the cure for the common cold is out there, but scientists are holding out on us for financial reasons? Nah, what am I talking about? They would still make money from all the people who refuse to get vaccinated.
How do you handle a patient who refuses vaccination? In part 4 of The Great Vaccination Debate, Dr. Brady and Nurse Rebekah weigh in on this tough issue.
