Vaccines are life saving medical treatments. Like all medicine, there are benefits and risks to vaccines. Learn how to address common concerns about vaccines and combat misinformation in this episode!

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This episode was written by pediatricians Tammy Yau and Lidia Park with content support from Dean Blumberg (UC Davis pediatric infectious disease). Pediatricians Tammy and Lidia take full responsibility for any errors or misinformation. 

Key Points:

• Vaccine benefits largely outweigh risks.
• Vaccines do not cause autism. The frequently cited study that reportedly links vaccines to autism was funded by an anti-vaccine group and only looked at 12 children.
• Thimerisol is a preservative that is not used in routine vaccinations other than certain influenza vaccines. Anti vaccine groups raise the concern for ethylmercury toxicity from thimerisol but studies looking at mercury levels after vaccination with thimerisol containing vaccines showed the peak mercury levels to still be within the normal EPA range.
• Oral rotavirus is associated with an increased risk of intussusception. A history of intussusception is a contraindication to the rotavirus vaccine

Sources:

• Pediatrics (2016) 138 (3): e20162146. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2016-2146
• Pediatrics (2024) 153 (3): e2023065483. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2023-065483
• Desai R, Cortese MM, Meltzer MI, et al. Potential intussusception risk versus benefits of rotavirus vaccination in the United States. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2013;32(1):1-7. doi:10.1097/INF.0b013e318270362c
• Wakefield AJ, Murch SH, Anthony A, et al. Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children [retracted in: Lancet. 2004 Mar 6;363(9411):750. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(04)15715-2. Lancet. 2010 Feb 6;375(9713):445. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60175-4.]. Lancet. 1998;351(9103):637-641. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(97)11096-0
• Deer B. Secrets of the MMR scare. The Lancet's two days to bury bad news. BMJ. 2011;342:c7001. Published 2011 Jan 18. doi:10.1136/bmj.c7001
• Pichichero ME, Gentile A, Giglio N, et al. Mercury levels in newborns and infants after receipt of thimerosal-containing vaccines. Pediatrics. 2008;121(2):e208-e214. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-3363
• Uhlmann V, Martin CM, Sheils O, et al. Potential viral pathogenic mechanism for new variant inflammatory bowel disease. Mol Pathol. 2002;55(2):84-90. doi:10.1136/mp.55.2.84
• Uptodate “Autism spectrum disorder and chronic disease: no evidence for vaccines or thimerisol as a contributing factor”
• https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/fact-checked/fact-checked-vaccines-safe-and-effect-no-link-to-autism/?srsltid=AfmBOopWG_rQ1lTaaOvgJLyTk6VdbCN3ypSErxFzhVRjkQ2A4Fet9d