Mass Immunization Not Effective
baj...@my-deja.com
According to an article in the January 10, 2001, issue of the Journal
of the American Medical Association, there is no evidence mass
immunization is effective for controlling outbreaks or epidemics of
serogroup C meningococcal disease protection in young children.
Philippe De Wals, PhD, of Sherbrooke University Hospital Center,
Sherbrooke, Quebec, and colleagues studied the impact of a mass
immunization campaign and assessed the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of
serogroup C polysaccharide vaccine in controlling outbreaks of
meningococcal disease (MCD). The authors analyzed MCD cases reported in
Quebec from 1990 to 1998, before and after the mass immunization
campaign was conducted during the winter of 1992-1993.
The target population of the campaign was individuals aged six months
to 20 years, and 84% were vaccinated.
The mass immunization campaign was a response to an outbreak of MCD in
Quebec province in the late 1980s. In an attempt to control this
outbreak, local immunization programs directed at school-aged children
and adolescents were initiated in late 1991 and extended in 1992. By
the autumn of that year, approximately 300,000 doses of polysaccharide
vaccine had been administered, but the incidence of serogroup C MCD
continued to stay high in the groups that were not vaccinated, and
clusters appeared in previously unaffected areas.
As a result, local authorities decided to conduct a mass immunization
program and to offer the vaccine free to all 1.9 million people living
in the province between the ages of six months and 20 years. The
campaign started in December 1992 and was completed by the end of March
1993. Approximately 1.6 million doses of vaccine were distributed.
During the period from January 1, 1990, through December 31, 1998, a
total of 899 MCD cases were registered.
The study found that vaccine effectiveness was strongly related to the
age of the individual at the time of vaccination, for children aged two
to nine years, VE was 41%.
"There was no evidence of protection in children younger than two
years; all eight MCD cases in this age group occurred in vaccines," De
Wals et al. reported. "Ultimately, cost-effectiveness should be the
criterion for deciding which of the polysaccharide or conjugate
vaccines should be recommended for different age groups. Results of
randomized trials and epidemiological studies on conjugate vaccines are
urgently needed for comparison purposes.
"Serogroup C polysaccharide vaccine is effective for controlling
outbreaks in teenaged individuals but should not be used in children
young than two years," De Wals' group concluded.
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CBI
> JAMA Author Says Mass Immunization Not Effective Among Very Young
>
> According to an article in the January 10, 2001, issue of the Journal
> of the American Medical Association, there is no evidence mass
> immunization is effective for controlling outbreaks or epidemics of
> serogroup C meningococcal disease protection in young children.
How misleading!
The study found that the mass immunization program was effective for
stopping the outbreak.
Subgroup analysis showed that immunizing the very young was not very
effective and that most of the beneficial effect was in immunizing the older
kids. I'm sure all concerned will be relieved to learn that the vaccine is
not routinely recommended for infants in the US, despite the huge profits
that would be generated if it was.
--
CBI, MD
PF Riley
PF Riley
wrote:
><baj...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:94ut9p$vnt$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
>> JAMA Author Says Mass Immunization Not Effective Among Very Young
>>
>> According to an article in the January 10, 2001, issue of the Journal
>> of the American Medical Association, there is no evidence mass
>> immunization is effective for controlling outbreaks or epidemics of
>> serogroup C meningococcal disease protection in young children.
>
>How misleading!
>
>The study found that the mass immunization program was effective for
>stopping the outbreak.
Gee, are you surprised that an anti-vaccination liar like bajabum
would selectively quote an article in order to further his propaganda?
CBI
news:3a734f48.2032759240@news.nwlink.com...
Not at all.
What surprises me (Ok- no it doesn't) is that after selectively quoting it
he then attached an abstract that clearly says it was.
PF Riley
wrote:
>"PF Riley" <pfr...@watt-not.com> wrote in message
>news:3a734f48.2032759240@news.nwlink.com...
>>
>> Gee, are you surprised that an anti-vaccination liar like bajabum
>> would selectively quote an article in order to further his propaganda?
>
>Not at all.
>
>What surprises me (Ok- no it doesn't) is that after selectively quoting it
>he then attached an abstract that clearly says it was.
Almost as bad as when that asshole Classen said "CDC finds Haemophilus
and hepatitis B vaccines cause diabetes!" with a direct reference to
the citation from the CDC. I looked it up, and the title was
"Haemophilus and hepatitis B vaccines do not cause diabetes."
That's why I call them liars. That's all they are.
PF