Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Vaccine Trials: Methods and Best Practices

Time and time again, the strange notion that "vaccines have never been tested in combination" and iterations of that is propagated online and in the media. We had previously addressed this myth, when Dr Bob Sears appeared on Fox Friends. We even presented a handy list of papers, proving how comprehensively vaccines are tested before they can be licensed.

Hexavac with Hepatitis A
Hexavalent vaccine with Rotateq
DTaP with Hib
PCV-13 with all infant vaccines
MMR and Varicella
PCV-7 with MMR, Hib and Varicella
Pediarix with Hib and Infanrix-hexa
New Hib with all infant vaccines
MMR with Varicella
MMR-V with Hib-HepB
MMR-V with all infant vaccines
Meningococcal-C with Hep B and Pentacel
Pentacel with PCV-7

But somehow, it doesn't seem to matter how easily digestible factual information is presented. It is always easier to complain [concerned/enraged/engaged tone on] vaccines have never been tested in combination [tone off; start triumphant gaze].

In my experience, knowledge sticks best when you have honestly worked for it. Here is the chance for anyone who really wants to know how vaccines are tested before licensed - Coursera.org is offering a free online course for anyone interested in the topic, run by experts in Health and Health Education from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School School of Public Health.



Go enroll, learn, and the next time you make a claim about vaccine testing you will be equipped to back it up with actual evidence (which is a great feeling).

2 comments:

  1. Thank you, I'm swiping this for my blog. Some random anti-vaxxer (plus pro-homeopath, just to make it wonderful) through this men in my face, and I just didn't have the time to dig up all the studies.

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  2. Can you please point me to the study that compares the long-term (at least 7 years, preferably 10) health of 1) completely unvaccinated and 2) fully vaccinated according to CDC recommended schedule? I am sure there is one out there, but haven't been able to find it

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