Debunking Common Myths About Vaccines

Vaccines have been combating infectious diseases such as smallpox and rabies for over two centuries. However, even today, certain myths and misconceptions question the safety and effectiveness of modern-day vaccines. This article aims to shed light on what are vaccines and some common myths and facts about vaccines.

What are Vaccines and How Does a Vaccine Work?

Vaccination is a safe and effective process that helps the body develop immunity and gain resistance against a specific disease. This is done by simulating a weakened pathogen in the body to trigger the immune system to recognise the antigens and start producing antibodies. However, mild symptoms of the disease can sometimes be experienced that resolve on their own. The long-term benefit of getting vaccinated is that the immune system can prevent the same illness in future.

What Does a Vaccine Contain?

A vaccine acts as a preventive measure and contains specific ingredients to train the immune system. These can be narrowed down to:

• Antigens: These refer to weakened or inactive pathogens which activate the white blood cells (WBCs), which in turn produce antibodies to fight the infection and build immunity.
• Adjuvants: These are added to the vaccine to boost and speed up the immune system’s response by stimulating immune cells, such as macrophages (a type of WBCs) and dendritic cells, and others.
• Preservatives and Stabilisers: Preservatives and stabilisers are added to vaccines to protect them from contamination. This also retains its effectiveness during transport and storage. Thimerosal and Formaldehydes are the most commonly used ones.

Common Myths About Vaccines

Here are some widespread beliefs and myths about the safety and efficiency of modern-day vaccines:

• Vaccines Can Cause Autism in Children:
  Fact: There is no scientific evidence stating vaccines are the cause of autism. There was a study in the year 1988 by Andrew Wakefield that named the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine as the reason behind autism in children. This study was debunked in the year 2010 by the medical journal, ‘The Lancet’.
• Natural Immunity is Better Than Vaccines:
  Fact: Complications of diseases outweigh the benefits of natural immunity. Acquiring natural immunity involves contracting the disease first and then recovering from it. Severe and even life-threatening complications can arise in such cases. Hence, it is better to gain immunity in a risk-free, controlled manner.
• Herd Immunity Over Individual Immunity:
  Fact: Herd Immunity can be protective sometimes, such as for newborns. However, it does not replace the need for individual immunity. It is commonly believed that if a high number of people get vaccinated in a community, then some can be exempt and still stay protected. Even though herd immunity is a proven way of avoiding outbreaks, it does not entirely stop the spread of an infection.
• Harmful Ingredients Present in Vaccines:
  Fact: The safety of all vaccines available in India is regulated by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). Some people consider preservatives and stabilisers as harmful ingredients present in vaccines. However, this is not the case, as these ingredients are naturally present in the human body in even higher amounts. These ingredients are used sparingly to ensure safety and potency.

The Benefits of Getting Vaccinated

For infectious diseases, prevention is better than cure. A study by WHO stated that childhood vaccines alone save over 4 million lives per year. Hence, vaccines offer a reliable layer of protection. Some of the significant benefits are:

• Decreased risk and severity of a disease
• Strengthened immune system
• Defence against fatal outbreaks
• Helps avoid hospitalisation and emergencies
• Long-term or sometimes lifetime immunity
• Essential for immigration in some cases

It is evident how vaccines act as a layer of defence against widespread infectious diseases. Be it newborns or the elderly, getting vaccinated against classified vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) is advised by the WHO (World Health Organisation) and CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention). Some common VPDs are typhoid, cholera, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), all of which can be prevented through timely vaccination.

Stay ahead of health risks through proper consultation with doctors and timely diagnostics. Download the Dr Lal PathLabs app to book tests and access reports easily.

FAQs

• What are the cons of getting vaccinated?
  Sometimes, vaccines can cause reactions such as redness, soreness, irritability, mild fever, and allergic reactions in infants, which usually resolve on their own.
• Do vaccines grant life-long immunity towards an infection?
  Vaccines used to treat HPV, smallpox, polio, and so on offer lifetime immunity. Vaccines that provide long-term immunity also require booster doses.
• What vaccines are administered to newborns?
  Newborns receive their first vaccine doses at birth, as recommended by Indian health authorities. These vaccines include BCG, Hepatitis B, and an oral dose against polio.