Current weblog posts by contrarian physicians have tried to defend Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr) as somebody who will enhance public well being if confirmed as Well being and Human Providers Secretary. They declare United States COVID19 insurance policies and the mainstream media created the poor public well being state of affairs within the US, together with vaccine hesitancy. These authors appear to suppose antivaccine sentiment didn’t exist earlier than 2020, and that vaccine hesitancy has nothing to do with RFK Jr’s antivaccine nonprofit, which grew considerably through the pandemic.
On Smart Drugs Dr. Frederik Schaltz-Buchholzer, a Danish vaccine researcher, states that the excessive US mortality in comparison with different rich nations is probably defined by “the upper use of pesticides comparable to glyphosate, components in processed meals…extremely processed meals, seed oils, unequal entry to well being care, and overconsumption of medicines and vaccines.” He cites zero proof to help this hypothesis however goes on to elaborate about vaccines as a attainable clarification for poor well being outcomes within the US.
Intentional deception
The crux of the piece facilities on vaccines with Dr. Schaltz-Buchholzer claiming Danish youngsters solely obtain 11 photographs whereas American youngsters obtain 72 injections. It is a basic antivaccine trope and borders on deliberately misleading. He’s counting the Danish mixture vaccines comparable to DTaP/IPV/Hib as one shot however counting the identical US vaccines which can be virtually at all times given as a mix shot as particular person photographs — DTaP/IPV/Hib = 3 photographs. He’s counting oral rotavirus as an injection which it isn’t.
However better of all, he criticizes the inclusion of yearly COVID & flu vaccines for kids within the US schedule, which aren’t required by colleges and usually have much less uptake. He makes some extent to say the flu vaccine is totally pointless for kids, which isn’t an correct reflection of what research present. In the meantime he neglects to incorporate that the Danish Pediatric Society and Danish Well being Authority now suggest a yearly flu shot for kids aged 2-6. He has such excessive reward for the Danish vaccine schedule however ignores lots of the suggestions as we are going to discover out later.
Hep B Historical past Lesson
In equity, he’s right that Denmark doesn’t give hepatitis A, varicella, rotavirus, or meningococcal vaccines. Hepatitis B is barely given to in danger youngsters. He goes a step additional and claims hep B vaccination within the US is “large overtreatment.” This means a lack of know-how of the historical past of hepatitis B vaccination and hep B epidemiology. Since 1991, the hep B vaccine has been advisable for all newborns within the US. Previous to 1991, the US adopted Denmark’s method of specializing in in danger people. In these focused applications, maternal testing is essential to find out if a pregnant lady was contaminated with hep B after which the new child can be vaccinated if testing was constructive. Why did the US change methods? Why can we give a vaccine for a supposed STD at start?
First off, now we have to deconstruct the parable that hep B is simply an STD that may be unfold solely by sexual exercise, injection drug use, or from mom to youngster transmission at start. A single mL of blood from somebody contaminated with hep B can comprise billions of infectious viruses. Usually folks have no idea they’re contaminated till years later. We all know that 30-40% of adults can have not one of the above threat components and nonetheless contract this virus.
Why vaccinate infants in opposition to hep B?
Earlier than beginning common hep B vaccination within the US almost half of the 18,000 youngsters <10 years of age who acquired hep B every year weren’t contaminated by mom to youngster transmission. So how did they get it? We don’t know the precise route of transmission however sharing a toothbrush, a chew on the playground, and so on. may probably unfold the virus. This cryptogenic unfold can occur simply from residing with somebody that has continual hep B which is why you might be requested this query earlier than you donate blood.
Another excuse there are limitations to this focused method is that maternal testing for hep B isn’t as common as we want and the take a look at will be reported or interpreted incorrectly. The stakes are excessive if an toddler turns into contaminated with hep B. We all know that 95% of infants who get contaminated will develop continual hep B which requires lifelong remedy and might result in extreme problems like cirrhosis of the liver & liver most cancers. Previous to the event of the HPV vaccine, the hep B vaccine was the primary vaccine that prevented most cancers.
Worldwide Hep B vaccination: Denmark an outlier
The US is much from the one nation that takes the method of common neonatal vaccination. In truth the WHO experiences that common hep B vaccination to infants has about 84% protection around the globe with 45% of nations giving the primary dose on the primary day of life. The WHO explicitly recommends neonatal vaccination as a manner of eliminating hep B. Some European nations give hep B at start however virtually all have a common childish immunization program.
Denmark and some different Scandinavian nations are the outlier right here. Dr Schaltz-Buchholzer later claimed on X that Sweden doesn’t vaccinate infants in opposition to hep B. That is incorrect. Beginning in 2016, Sweden started providing hep B vaccination to all infants and as of 2022, 92% of youngsters lower than 2 are protected. Norway added childish vaccination in 2017, with 96% protection in 2022. Is that this large overtreatment? Why would Sweden & Norway make this alteration?
2015 was the very best 12 months of continual hep B circumstances within the final decade with a gradual pattern of accelerating circumstances 12 months by 12 months from 2010-2015 and, regardless of their focused program, Sweden had additionally seen circumstances enhance. In 2016 the WHO introduced the plan to remove hepatitis as a world well being menace. Sweden & Norway joined the 83% of different EU member states to suggest common vaccination of infants.
Logically fallacious
If common hep B vaccination is very large overtreatment that outcomes unwell outcomes then how can we clarify that nations with higher well being outcomes additionally suggest it? Taiwan was the first nation to implement common neonatal vaccination in 1986 and is ranked as one of many healthiest nations on the earth. For me to say that this proves the hep B vaccine is the reason for their world-leading well being outcomes is as illogical as this weblog put up claiming the US giving hep B at start explains our poor well being outcomes.
America’s healthcare system is very complicated and includes many social components comparable to entry to care which might immediately have an effect on maternal and toddler well being. I might not anticipate Schaltz-Buchholzer to know these issues however I additionally don’t perceive why he has an opinion on American well being insurance policies or our HHS secretary candidate. Put one other manner, I’ve zero opinion on Denmark’s hep B vaccination technique or their division of well being director as I do not need an in-depth understanding of the burden of illness of their nation or how their healthcare system works.
What I do know is that focused hep B vaccination was unsuccessful within the US however common neonatal hep B vaccination has led to an 88% discount in circumstances total and the close to elimination of pediatric hep B circumstances. I’ve by no means seen a case of pediatric hep B in 4 years of medical college or 10 years of being a pediatric doctor, because of our vaccine program.
Autism waffling and nonspecific results
To his credit score, Schaltz-Buchholzer criticizes RFK Jr for claiming that MMR causes autism and that the HPV vaccine causes most cancers. Neither of RFK Jr’s claims are right although he has repeatedly doubled down regardless of the overwhelming proof that refutes them. Shockingly Schaltz-Buchholzer claims we don’t know if different vaccines may trigger autism, which suggests he didn’t learn the work of his Danish colleagues. Hviid et al confirmed that along with MMR not inflicting autism, there was no affiliation between childhood vaccines DTaP/IPV/Hib publicity and autism. This query has additionally been reviewed on this meta-analysis involving 1.2 million youngsters that discovered no affiliation between vaccines and autism.
Schaltz-Buchholzer then goes on to speak about how vaccines can have nonspecific results. It’s value noting that that is the realm his group focuses on and a few of their findings haven’t been replicated in different research. It’s attention-grabbing that he explains which vaccines he gave his daughters. He says he “delayed and/or skipped” (which is it?) DTaP-IPV-Hib & PCV whereas including BCG, measles and varicella.
What’s he considering?
This frankly baffles me for a number of causes. First off, he praises the Danish vaccine schedule as superior to the US after which doesn’t even comply with it. He decries the overtreatment of the US schedule however provides some vaccines and refuses others. By delaying and/or skipping these vaccines, he’s risking insufficient safety in opposition to tetanus, pertussis, Hib & pneumococcus all of that are current in nearly each nation and are probably lethal infections.
As a pediatric neurologist I’ve fortunately by no means seen tetanus due to the effectiveness of vaccines however I’ve hardly ever seen pertussis and bacterial meningitis from each pneumococcus and Hib. The latter was as soon as the scourge of pediatrics, inflicting an estimated one thousand deaths in younger youngsters every year and leaving a 3rd with everlasting incapacity previous to the vaccines. Tetanus, Hib & PCV are vaccines I might stand in line for hours to obtain. This to me signifies he’s not a clinician or if he’s, he has not seen the consequences of those horrible ailments as a result of vaccines have made them uncommon. In the meantime he opts for BCG which we don’t give within the US as a result of it has variable effectiveness at its main objective of stopping tuberculosis however might have some nonspecific results. That looks like overtreatment to make use of a vaccine not in your nation’s schedule within the hope of nonspecifc results.
I do agree with him about defending in opposition to varicella. Chickenpox used to kill 200 youngsters a 12 months yearly within the US and causes a 4-fold elevated threat of stroke in youngsters who have been just lately contaminated. The vaccine has decreased pediatric mortality from varicella by 99%. To not point out defending in opposition to shingles — with out varicella vaccination, people who reside to 85 years outdated have an roughly 50% lifetime threat of growing shingles.
RFK Jr’s Biggest Hits
The weblog put up ends with an amusing disclaimer of types: “Whereas I’ve not learn all of RFK’s statements carefully, my common impression is that he focuses on subjects which can be probably vital/related, after which sadly usually exaggerates or distorts the information.” Each supporter of RFK loves this cop out, claiming they’re unfamiliar with all of his views. Let’s assessment the best hits of his many false claims so they can’t fake to be ignorant any longer.
- He has stated that no vaccine is protected or efficient.
- He has repeatedly claimed that MMR and vaccines trigger autism.
- He nonetheless believes thimerosal causes autism although it was faraway from vaccines over 20 years in the past.
- He has repeatedly claimed vaccines trigger continual childhood ailments apparently citing a paper which describes childhood weight problems as the commonest continual illness of childhood. Does he suppose vaccines trigger weight problems?
- He believes COVID was engineered to spare sure ethnic teams, significantly Jews and Chinese language.
- He repeatedly in contrast vaccines to the Holocaust.
- He claimed that 5G is a authorities plot for surveillance and that Anne Frank had it higher as a result of no less than she may disguise from the Nazis. Attempt to actually let these 2 terrible Holocaust statements sink in as I write most of this put up on Worldwide Holocaust Remembrance Day.
- Blames his spasmodic dysphonia on the flu vaccine.
- Blames college shootings on psychiatry medicines.
- Argued that COVID vaccines killed extra lives than they saved. RFK Jr believes Fauci deliberately created the virus.
- Continues to consider ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are cures for COVID and would suggest them within the subsequent pandemic.
- He needs to criminally examine journal editors and publishers for mendacity to the general public.
- He says vaccines are categorised as biologics moderately than medication to exempt them from security testing. That is utter nonsense. As a result of they’re biologics they endure extra security testing than common medicines.
- He has said that “poppers” trigger AIDS moderately than HIV. It is a lengthy debunked homophobic principle that ought to be criticized by each doctor.
- He repeats phrase for phrase the identical misinformation because the weblog poster about youngsters receiving 72 vaccines.
- He needs to return to the 1986 vaccine schedule which might imply denying youngsters safety in opposition to all 3 types of vaccine preventable meningitis (Hib, PCV, MCV) and two most cancers stopping vaccines (hep B and HPV). On a private be aware, I used to be born in 1985 and I’ve had virtually each vaccine on the fashionable schedule (hep A, hep B, Hib, MCV, PCV, HPV and COVID). I didn’t get varicella or rotavirus vaccines.
- He needs to repeat already carried out placebo research for childhood vaccines which might imply placing youngsters prone to meningitis, tetanus, and different horrible ailments.
- Claimed the polio vaccine paralyzed virtually half 1,000,000 youngsters in India when in actuality there have been 17 vaccine associated circumstances in over 18 years.
- After being nominated for HHS secretary, he skipped a gathering about preparedness for a possible H5N1 pandemic as circumstances proceed to unfold amongst the hen inhabitants within the US, denied the H5N1 vaccine can be efficient primarily based on no proof (it actually can’t be examined but), and claimed somebody may bioengineer a extra harmful model of H5N1 simply to promote vaccines.
Samoa
Saving the worst for final, he visited Samoa on the peak of the nation’s MMR vaccine disaster in 2019, prompted by the deaths of two infants who died after receiving vaccinations in opposition to measles, mumps and rubella, elevating native fears over the vaccine itself and contributing to antivaccine hesitancy. It was later decided that the deaths had been because of the nurses mixing the vaccine with an expired muscle relaxant, as a substitute of water, however the injury was carried out.
RFK noticed this disaster as a chance to experiment with youngsters’s well being and advisable learning unvaccinated youngsters. Months later a measles outbreak left 83 lifeless, largely youngsters. After the virus had killed 16 largely unvaccinated youngsters, RFK Jr wrote to the prime minister claiming the federal government’s MMR vaccine marketing campaign was the reason for the measles deaths. Happily the federal government ignored RFK Jr and didn’t cease the vaccine marketing campaign. The outbreak ended lower than a month later when 95% of the inhabitants was vaccinated. RFK has by no means admitted he was improper to attempt to blame the vaccine for these preventable measles deaths.
Untruths and no penalties
In brief, RFK Jr will consider absolutely anything, together with conspiracy theories, so long as vaccines are in charge. What considerations me essentially the most nonetheless, is his incapability to reply to new proof. He has been doing this for almost 20 years with out admitting he was improper about any of the above claims. This isn’t a person we would like ready of energy, not to mention a well being coverage place. He’s not able to restoring public belief however he’s able to damaging folks’s understanding within the security and efficacy of vaccines to a a lot bigger viewers if confirmed as HHS Secretary.
Moreover, if youngsters get harm by RFK Jr’s amplified vaccine misinformation, it is not going to be the grownup oncologist or the vaccine researcher who will take care of them–it will likely be as much as pediatric healthcare staff in our main care clinics, emergency departments, and ICUs to deal with this preventable struggling. Physicians supporting RFK Jr are desirous to cheer from the sidelines and repeat his antivaccine speaking factors with out studying why they’re improper or taking any accountability for the hurt they could trigger.
They’ve discovered their response to new knowledge immediately from RFK Jr: Shrug, transfer on and by no means admit you have been improper.