Red Flags - ProQuad: The new kid on the block

Parents concerned about the dangers of pharmaceutical companies developing more and more vaccines for our children (more vaccines = more revenue) have new reason for alarm:

"Parents dealing with vaccination decisions, on the other hand, seem to be going on faith alone, when they allow their one-year-old children to receive multiple vaccines together in an attempt to protect them against diseases that have disappeared or are so rare that medical students start and finish their training without ever seeing a case.

"On Sept. 6, 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ProQuad™ by Merck. It is a combined attenuated live virus vaccine containing measles, mumps, rubella and varicella viruses for use in children aged 12 months to 12 years. The vaccine was also approved for use “if a second dose of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is to be administered.”

It appears that the following facts about ProQuad™ are acknowledged by its manufacturer:

• Efficacy studies were not done
• Safety studies never exceeded six weeks
• Protection against the four diseases is not 100 percent
• The duration of protection is unknown
• Risks exist
• Cost considerations are the primary advantages of combined vaccines"

When will it stop? Read on ...

http://www.redflagsdaily.com/yazbak/2005_sep26.html