What makes vaccines dangerous

This can leave your child vulnerable to potentially serious diseases that could otherwise be avoided. And consider this: For some children — including those who can't receive certain vaccines for medical reasons such as cancer therapy — the only protection from vaccine-preventable diseases is the immunity of the people around them.

If immunization rates drop, vaccine-preventable diseases might once again become common threats. If you have reservations about particular vaccines, discuss your concerns with your child's doctor. If your child falls behind the standard vaccines schedule, ask the doctor about catch-up immunizations. Elizabeth Cozine, M. It also prevents them from spreading an illness. Jason Howland: Dr. Elizabeth Cozine, a Mayo Clinic family physician, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a standard immunization schedule for school-age children that begins with ages 4 to 6.

Cozine: …which we think of as kindergarten shots. So that's measles, mumps, rubella and varicella. Cozine: …which is tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, and the meningococcal immunization.

Jason Howland: It's also recommended every child get an annual flu shot. And HPV vaccination, which prevents cancer, can start as early as age 9. Cozine says it's important to educate families on the importance of childhood vaccinations. She likens it to seat belt safety.

Cozine: Immunizations are no different. If we have opportunities to protect our children against serious illness and potentially even death, even if the risk of that illness or the risk of death from that illness is really quite low, I'm all for it. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health. Error Email field is required.

There are several reasons why the COVID vaccines were developed faster than other vaccines: The technologies used to develop the COVID vaccines have been in development for years to prepare for outbreaks of infectious viruses. Governments gave money to vaccine developers in advance, so the companies had resources they needed. Social media enabled companies to reach out to and enroll study volunteers, and plenty of people wanted to help, so there were enough research participants to test the COVID vaccines.

Because SARS-CoV-2 is so contagious and widespread, many volunteers who got the vaccines were exposed to the virus, and with so many exposures, it took a shorter time to see if the vaccines worked.

Companies began manufacturing vaccines ahead of their authorization or approval so some supplies would be ready if authorization occurred. All vaccines go through clinical trials to test safety and effectiveness.

This graphic from the National Institutes of Health shows the four phases a vaccine goes through before it is released to the public. Authorization for emergency use.

The live nasal spray flu vaccine given to children has a very low egg protein content. It can be safely given to children with an egg allergy. Children and adults who have previously had a very severe allergic reaction to eggs may be advised to have their flu vaccine in a hospital. There are 2 vaccines in the UK routine schedule that contain small amounts of egg protein:.

Formaldehyde can be found naturally in our bloodstream at levels far higher than we would be exposed to in vaccines. Although formaldehyde can be harmful in high concentrations, there are no health concerns about the small amounts found in vaccines.

Formaldehyde is a chemical also used in the production of killed vaccines. It's used very early in the manufacturing process to kill or inactivate the toxins from bacteria or viruses. Once the antigens are inactivated, the formaldehyde is diluted out.

It's possible that trace amounts may remain in the final vaccine. If you know you're allergic to neomycin or any other antibiotic, speak to your doctor or practice nurse before having a vaccine.

Antibiotics known to cause allergic reactions, such as penicillin, are generally not used in vaccines. But tiny amounts of an antibiotic called neomycin, which is capable of triggering an allergic reaction, are found in:. Antibiotics are added to some vaccines to prevent the growth of bacteria during the production and storage of the vaccine. A full list of any vaccine's ingredients is available on the electronic medicines compendium emc website. Read more about specific vaccine ingredients on the Oxford University Vaccine Knowledge Project website.

Page last reviewed: 30 July Next review due: 30 July Why vaccination is safe and important. Video: vaccines - are they safe for my child? In this video, a GP reassures a parent about vaccinations for her child. Media last reviewed: 29 July Media review due: 29 July Be aware of anti-vaccine stories Anti-vaccine stories are often spread online through social media.

Measles and mumps cases in England How many measles and mumps cases there were in England in and Year Measles Mumps Information: Read more about herd immunity and who it protects on the Oxford University Vaccine Knowledge Project website.

Information: Read about how vaccines are licensed, tested and monitored on the Oxford University Vaccine Knowledge Project website. Non-urgent advice: Speak to your GP or practice nurse if:. Live and killed vaccine comparison Live and killed vaccine comparison Live weakened vaccines Killed destroyed vaccines Contain viruses or bacteria that have been weakened Contain viruses or bacteria that have been destroyed Cannot be given to people with a weakened immune system Can still be given to people with a weakened immune system Gives long-term protection Often needs several doses or a booster vaccine for full protection.

Over the past 30 years, the number of people who develop autoimmune diseases has been increasing, particularly in societies where rates of infectious disease have declined. This has raised the question of whether vaccine use can lead to the development of autoimmune disorders. Except for the two rare diseases mentioned below, the answer is no. This conclusion is based on the stringent monitoring procedures put in place for detecting side effects of vaccination. The first exception is the small increase in the risk of developing the rare condition known as immune thrombocytopenic purpura, a condition where blood fails to clot normally, after receiving the MMR vaccine.

However, the risk of developing this disorder associated with measles infection itself is more than 10 times greater than that associated with the vaccine. Again, the risk of developing the disease after the influenza vaccination is much lower than after influenza infection. Like autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases such as asthma have become more common in the developed world over the past 30 years.

However, there is no significant evidence that vaccines cause allergic diseases in otherwise healthy people. Generally, for every , doses of a vaccine, less than 1 person will experience a severe allergic reaction after receiving it—a rate that is extremely low. Injectable vaccines used in Australia do not contain detectable amounts of antibiotics such as penicillin or sulphonamides to which some people may be allergic. The hepatitis B vaccine is grown in yeast.

Although there have been some isolated reports of possible severe allergic reactions to this vaccine, the benefits of receiving the vaccine far outweigh the multiple risks associated with hepatitis B infection.

Careful testing of vaccine safety is an essential part of vaccine development and manufacture. There are also ongoing surveillance programs after vaccines have been introduced into the community.

Before a vaccine can be developed, research is undertaken to better understand the pathogen and the disease it causes, helping to determine how potential vaccines are likely to work. The first stage involves preclinical assessment in the laboratory, usually using animals. Phase II clinical trials involve hundreds of participants and are designed to show how good a vaccine is in provoking an immune response and determining the best dosage to use.

Only after the vaccine has passed each of these safety and efficacy hurdles is it approved for widespread community use. Some side effects of vaccines are so rare that they are not detected during the extensive safety testing before a vaccine is approved for use. To ensure that even very rare side effects are detected, careful surveillance continues even after a vaccine candidate has proven to be effective and has passed all safety checks.

The formal term for this collection of information and reporting of any suspected adverse events is post-licensure assessment. If a potential problem with a vaccine is detected, the use of that vaccine may be temporarily paused.