Re: neglect and religious beliefs

["John M Price PhD" <jmprice@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 20 Feb 2002, Brian Morgan wrote:

> What about refusing triple MMR vaccination?

This seems to be related to the early autism issues, and the fact that
mercury is (or at least was) involved as a preservative.  (I don't know if
it is still there.)  ISTR that some of these folk wished to have the kids
get the vaccinations, but not as the combination because of the
preservative/autism link.

As far as I know, the link to autism has been dropped as an early spurious
finding.  The levels of mercury are very low.  This really is a risk
benefit issue in the Hg regard, as there is a real risk, however vanishing
small.  The risk of measles, mumps or rubella far outweight the risk from
the perservative IMNSHO.

Some of these discussions have also gone to the level of herd immunity.  
The problem there, of course, is that one individual opting out, relying
on the herd, could end up to be thousands doing so, and that immunity
would vanish.


-- 
John M. Price, PhD                                     jmprice@xxxxxxxxxx
Life: Chemistry, but with feeling!      |      PGP Key on request or FTP!
Comoderator: sci.psychology.psychotherapy.moderated          Atheist# 683