5 common vaccine myths debunked

Vaccines are one of humanity’s greatest success stories — immunization has saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years, according to a study by the World Health Organization. That’s equivalent to six lives every minute.

Yet despite the global success of vaccines, misunderstandings about their effectiveness and safety are widespread. These misconceptions can lead people to make decisions that are harmful to their health and the health of their communities.

Gretchen LaSalle, MD, a family medicine physician at MultiCare Rockwood Clinic – Quail Run explores common myths about vaccines so you can make informed decisions about your family’s care.

Myth: Vaccines contain a lot of dangerous ingredients.
Truth: Vaccines contains ingredients in doses that are safe and carefully tested.

Every ingredient in a vaccine serves a purpose: Some are used during manufacturing. Others may help build immunity or protect vaccine quality during storage.

The ingredients aluminum, formaldehyde and mercury are common sources of concern.

“It’s important to remember that just about anything can be toxic, even water, in high enough amounts. It all depends on the dose,” Dr. LaSalle says. “The dose of these substances in vaccines is so miniscule that it doesn’t meet the thresholds for toxicity.”

Here’s what to know about these three ingredients:

Aluminum. Naturally found in our environment, aluminum is in the Earth’s crust, common medicines like antacids, and our food — from vegetables to dairy products. Aluminum is used in some vaccines to help boost immunity. We are exposed to more aluminum in our daily lives than we could ever get from vaccines.

Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde exists in our environment, and our bodies also produce it. It’s used in the manufacturing process for some vaccines. Formaldehyde is mostly eliminated during production, but small amounts may remain. The trace amount of formaldehyde in some vaccines is less than what naturally occurs in the body and does not pose a safety concern.

Mercury. The Department of Health & Human Services recently adopted a recommendation to remove thimerosal from all influenza vaccines in the U.S. Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative used in the production of multi-dose vaccine vials. It contains ethylmercury, which the body quickly processes and eliminates. This is different from methylmercury, the kind of mercury found in some fish that can be harmful to people with high exposure.

“While research has shown no evidence of harm, ethylmercury was actually removed from single dose vaccine vials in 2001 to help reduce vaccine hesitancy,” Dr. LaSalle says. “So most people, including children and pregnant women, have not been getting vaccines that contain mercury of any kind since then.”

Since most vaccines were already thimerosal-free, HHS’s recent decision only affects multi-dose vials of flu vaccine, used in some rural clinics and in preparation for a potential pandemic.

Bottom line? Every vaccine goes through a rigorous review process with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before it’s approved. This includes examination of ingredients, manufacturing processes and more. The FDA then continually monitors for safety and side effects even after approval.

Myth: Vaccines cause autism and SIDS.
Truth: Vaccines do not cause autism or SIDS.

Multiple studies have disproven claims that vaccines cause autism and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

“These conditions are often diagnosed around the same time kids are receiving routine vaccinations,” Dr. LaSalle says. “Sometimes this leads people to make false connections between these events. There is no evidence linking autism or SIDS to vaccines.”

So, what do we know about the cause of these conditions? While research is ongoing, it’s likely SIDS is related to an abnormality, present at birth, in the part of the brain that’s responsible for prompting an infant to breathe. Some studies show immunization may actually reduce the risk of SIDS.

As for autism, science has not revealed one single cause. Research indicates that several factors, from genetics to environmental influences, can play a role in the development of autism.

Myth: It’s better to develop immunity naturally through infection.
Truth: Vaccines help you build immunity safely — without the risk of getting sick.  

Vaccines are developed to protect people against diseases that are dangerous, highly contagious or both.

“Most of the time, the risk you take from getting infected with a particular virus or bacteria is much greater than any risk posed by the vaccine,” Dr. LaSalle says. “Depending on the type of disease, risk from an infection can include hospitalization, long-term disabilities or even death.”

Take measles, a vaccine-preventable disease, for example. One in four children who contract measles are hospitalized. Approximately one or two in 1,000 will die. Long-term complications can include damage to the brain as well as the immune system.

“It’s true that the immune response from infection is often slightly more robust than the immune response from a vaccine,” Dr. LaSalle says. “But the risk isn’t worth it. Vaccines offer a much safer alternative to building immunity.”

Myth: Getting too many vaccines at once overwhelms the immune system.
Truth: Our immune system can safely handle multiple vaccines simultaneously.

Every day we come into contact with thousands of germs in our environment, from the surfaces we touch to the air we breathe. In fact, the amount of germs we encounter on a daily basis pales in comparison to the amount of viruses or bacteria we may be exposed to in vaccines.

“Our immune systems are designed to handle all kinds of challenges simultaneously, whether from substances in our environment or vaccines,” Dr. LaSalle says. “Research shows that it’s safe to give people, even babies, multiple vaccines at the same time.”

Some parents wonder if it’s better to space out routine vaccinations, but this can put kids at risk.

“Vaccines are given at certain intervals to maximize protection,” Dr. LaSalle says. “Spacing them out further can leave kids more vulnerable to illness.”

Myth: My child doesn’t need to get vaccinated if other children are.
Truth: Vaccination protects individual children and the whole community. 

Ensuring children are up to date on routine vaccinations protects them and the entire community from infectious diseases.

“It takes a certain number of people being vaccinated to keep a virus or bacteria from circulating,” Dr. LaSalle says. “This is known as herd immunity. When the number of vaccinated people in the ‘herd’ falls below a certain threshold, it leaves communities open to outbreaks — this is what we’re seeing with measles right now.”

Due to declining herd immunity, the U.S. is experiencing its largest measles outbreak in 25 years.

“If we don’t maintain high levels of vaccination, then we’re likely to see the continued resurgence of infectious diseases like measles,” Dr. LaSalle says. “And those most at risk are the ones who haven’t been vaccinated.”