First off, this is NOT intended to be a flame thread. Any insulting or demeaning of others for their views on here will be deleted, but everything else will stand, whatever the view may be. I am looking for a healthy debate based on research you have done (not media or alt-media FUD on either side). This is for a respectful discussion on your opinions.
The below is my opinion only:
To start the post, for most vaccines, I am in full support of. Vaccines like MMR, Polio, Tetanus, Rabies, TB, Hepatitis and other vaccines have saved many lives. They have been time-proven over many years and if they were dangerous, large chunks of the world population would know it by now. The thiomersal preservative (which is metabolized into ethylmercury) was phased out of virtually all vaccines apart from some flu shots years ago. I think that vaccines are responsible for the elimination of many dangerous diseases, such as Polio.
Thus, I would if I were straight or if I adopt, would have my kids vaccinated if they were not already with the common vaccines. This is coming from someone who believes that 9/11 was a set-up, that the Illuminati secret societies who manipulate society via media and other methods are real, I believe in witchcraft, spirituality, fairies, non-physical and physical entities, that our consciousness survives the death of the body, out of body experiences (having had many) and I run a spiritual blog. I have researched and had my own spiritual and life experiences I draw my conclusion from.
But, vaccine negativity? I could not find any hard concrete evidence that almost all vaccines including the ones that I mentioned and others are dangerous in any way, but plenty to suggest benefit (and not just drug-company-sponsored studies), thus I am in full support of them. However, I will make exceptions that two particular vaccines that can be or may be problematic in my opinion:
The Flu vaccines are in some cases according to the WHO's own data only 40% effective in some cases. I know of at least 3 people personally who fell ill for WEEKS after taking it when they were fine before. The media FUD on the flu merely exists I think to sell papers and vaccines for it and that made me highly suspicious further. I think only in the event of a compromised immune system or some serious medical condition that warrants use of a flu vaccine that may or may not be effective is a good idea, a good quality physician would know if that should be given or not. Some groups may be more vulnrable to the Flu, in which case if the vaccine may be of benefit then the paitent can decide if the risks/reward (as part of it's effectiveness seems to be luck) is worth it, and they can take it after an informed decision has been made to do so. Given what I have witnessed with it personally and my research, I won't take the Flu one. For fairness of information, I know of 3 people who had bad reactions, and one family friend who took the Flu vaccine without issue, though she has a compromised immune system and often feels sick due to diabetes.
The Dengue vaccine in the Philippines caused a national scandal that is well known among many Filipinos. The dangers and effectiveness were called into question. I knew of people who were negatively affected, having spent a lot of time in this part of the world in provinces.
--
Minus those two exceptions, I am pro-vaccine. However, I do not condone forcing others to vaccinate their children, as that goes against their free-will as a parent. Once you begin forcing the taking of vaccines, you begin going down a slippery slope in restricting freedoms further. Some cultures have survived just fine without them, and we survived as a species apart from some deaths for millennia without vaccines in their modern form. But I do believe as in modern society many are useful, and based on my research, I could not find any proof by anyone credible that the common vaccines that we vaccinate kids with today or that we take as booster shots (tetanus, etc) are dangerous, in fact, quite the reverse.
So, what are your opinions? For? Against? Any reasons why? Respectful discussion and disagreements are fine, but let's not turn this into a flame thread. All opinons are welcome, but vitriol like I witness in so many vaccine threads in other places is not welcome in this thread.