CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
September 5, 2001
Reprint of letter to the Editor

Vaccines need shot of investigation
Our statewide members question the one-sided vaccination view portrayed in ''Kids feel sting of vaccines'' (Aug. 20). Instead of concentrating on needle phobia, your health reporter would do well to investigate vaccines' serious side effects. Our federal government has on file, from 1990-2001, more than 222,000 adverse-reaction reports, including 30,000 serious ones and 5,000 deaths. This could be underestimated because 99 percent of serious drug reactions go unreported to the Food and Drug Administration.

Illinois law prohibits school officials from turning away students if their parents have a written statement objecting to required vaccinations on medical or religious grounds. And Gov. Ryan recently signed a bill that prevents the Department of Children and Family Services from charging parents with medical neglect for failure to vaccinate.

It is sad to read that a doctor and mother held down her screaming and sweating 3-year-old daughter for the shots. Maybe it's more than a fuss. Maybe children's reactions and crying photos are sending adults a message. Is anyone listening?

Even adults are wary of shots, especially the flu and pneumonia injections, because of their neurotoxic mercury content. The tetanus-diphtheria shot is now in short supply, without adequate explanation of the reason. Because of safety concerns regarding asthmatics and diabetics, an FDA advisory panel advised against approval of the live nasal-spray flu vaccine for adults and children.

Could it be vaccination risks are undeniable?

Barbara Alexander Mullarkey
spokeswoman
Illinois Vaccine Awareness Coalition
Oak Park

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