Randolph M. Howes, MD, PhD (plastic surgeon)
August 22, 2009
Fear of vaccinations has progressively increased over the years, due in part, to the current epidemic of autism and the government requirement that pre-schoolers must now receive dozens of shots. Public officials try to downplay any risks and reassure parents that all vaccinations are safe. Unfortunately, the World Health Organization has issued a warning that the paralyzing disease, polio, may spread beyond Africa. Most shocking is the fact that it is being spread by a mutant of the vaccine itself.
Myths and fears have abounded with vaccines since 1955-1963, when some of the polio vaccine administered in the U.S. was found to be contaminated with a suspected cancer-causing monkey virus, the simian SV40 virus. In 2002, the Institute of Medicine finally issued a report on the investigation into this incident and stated that, "It has not been conclusively established whether it might have caused cancer in humans" or not.
The Immunization Safety Review concluded that "the evidence was inadequate" but recommended continued public health attention, policy analysis, communication and targeted biological research. The vaccine used in Nigeria is made from a "weakened" live virus and carries a risk of about one in a million of giving a patient polio. The problem is that, in even rarer cases, the virus can mutate into an even deadlier mutant and ignite new outbreaks and cases of the disease.
When WHO officials discovered the mutant virus outbreak, they found that it was harder to control than the natural "wild" virus. Two years after the discovery of the virus-mutant outbreak, cases continue to mount and they have linked it to cases as far back as 2005. Of even more concern, for every case of paralysis, there are hundreds who do not develop symptoms and who pass the disease along. This is not Nigeria’s first problem with the polio virus. Back in 2003, they suspended its administration due to fears of making the children sterile or of giving them AIDS.
Consequently, this episode caused Nigeria to export polio to two dozen countries globally. Experts had preached that epidemics unleashed by mutant-viral vaccines would not propagate because it had been "weakened" but that is being seriously questioned. Apparently, they were wrong. Reportedly, the vaccine used in the U.S. is made from a killed virus, which cannot cause polio.
In the America that I love, we will continue to hold our health officials accountable for the safety of any vaccines administered to our children. Vaccines can be a godsend but excuses or a mea culpa are unacceptable when dealing with such serious health issues. This whole scenario may sound like a second rate science fiction movie, but sadly, it is very real for hundreds of Nigerian children.
