[LChoy]

Another Message from National Immunization Awareness Week

Are Vaccines Safe?

Vaccines are administered to prevent certain diseases. They are held to the highest standards of safety by both Health Canada and Alberta Health and Wellness (AHW).

All vaccines have possible side effects. Most side effects are mild, such as fever, or tenderness and swelling where the needle or injection is given, and have no long term effects. Occasionally there will be a more serious reaction to a vaccine, such as an severe allergic reaction.
In Alberta, all serious reactions are reported to AHW shortly after the reaction occurs. This ensures that we are able to monitor reactions and respond quickly to address any concerns that may arise.

So, if vaccines cause side effects, wouldn’t it be “safer” to just avoid them?

Unfortunately, choosing to avoid vaccines is not a risk-free choice – it is a choice that has a different and much more serious risk. Not immunizing can lead to vaccine preventable disease rates going up.
For example:

In Japan, pertussis immunization rates dropped from 90% to less than 40% because of public concern over safety of the vaccine. Prior to the drop in immunization rates, there were 200 to 400 cases of pertussis each year in Japan. Following this drop, there were 13, 000 cases of pertussis disease with over 100 deaths*.

In Ireland, measles immunization rates dropped to 76% following allegations of a link to autism. The number of measles cases increased from 148 per year to 1200, along with several deaths in children, a complication of measles*.

In most instances, the risks from getting the disease are much greater than the risk of a serious reaction to a vaccine. For example, whooping cough (pertussis) still occurs in Alberta – stopping to breathe, seizures and pneumonia are a few of the complications that result from this infection. The possible effects of the vaccine are often minor such as pain or redness at the immunization site and mild fever


References:
* National Advisory Committee on Immunization. (2006). Canadian Immunization Guide (7th ed.). Ottawa, ON: Public Health Agency of Canada.