THE 'OUCH' ISN'T WHAT HURTS
New 5-in-1 vaccine hailed as pain-saver.
Parents have been asking us how we feel about the new Pediarix vaccine, which combines diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, and polio vaccines all in one shot.
As directors of an organization whose mission it is to support the right to choose surrounding issues of vaccination, we are bound to accept the existence of this vaccine as long as it is not universally mandated, which it is currently not.
As parents, however, we can’t help but feel that this is a triumph of marketing over healthcare. Not only would five antigens in one vaccine logically place additonal stress on a child’s developing immune system, but should the child actually experience an adverse reaction, it would make it virtually impossible to target any one antigen as responsible. We personally feel that, rather than progress, this is a major step backward in the effort to secure true health for our children, our communities and future generations.