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HEPATITIS
A DISEASE AND VACCINE
Hepatitis A
is a viral disease that thrives in areas with poor sanitation and
is spread when people eat or drink something that has been contaminated
with human body waste products. Children often show no symptoms
and the disease is more serious in adults. Hepatitis A involves
the liver and about 15 percent of people who get it will have relapsing
symptoms of jaundice, fatigue, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and
fever for 6 to 9 months. 1 Hepatitis A does
not cause chronic, long term infection and very rarely causes death.
Infection with hepatitis A gives a person lifelong immunity and,
in some populations around the world, close to 100 percent of all
inhabitants have antibodies to hepatitis A. 2
In this country, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that
30 percent of Americans have evidence of past infection with hepatitis
A and are immune. 1
The CDC states
that persons at high risk for hepatitis A are household and sexual
contacts of infected persons; drug users; persons traveling to countries
where hepatitis A is common; and persons living in regions where
there are "consistently increased rates of hepatitis A."
1 The best tool for prevention of hepatitis
A is to wash your hands with soap and water after using the bathroom,
changing a diaper or preparing and eating food.
The hepatitis
A vaccine is recommended in selected areas and is currently mandated
in 5 states for all children entering kindergarten in those states.
3 The hepatitis A vaccines licensed in the
US are HAVRIX manufactured by SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals
and VAQTA manufactured by Merck & Co. 4,5
WHY NVIC
OPPOSES A HEPATITIS A VACCINE MANDATE:
- Hepatitis
Does Not Cause Chronic Infection and Rarely Causes Death:
Hepatitis A has a mortality rate of less than one percent (0.6)
and over 70 percent of deaths occur in adults over the age of
49. 4
- Hepatitis
A Gives Lifelong Immunity But Vaccine Does Not: Children often
show no symptoms if they get hepatitis A and then develop lifelong
immunity to the infection 2, but nobody
knows how long vaccine-induced immunity will last. (All vaccines
only give temporary immunity). SmithKline Beecham states "At
present the duration of protection afforded [by HAVRIX] has not
been established. Therefore it is unknown if the protection provided
to immunized children will last until adulthood." 4
- Child
to Child Transmission in School is Rare: According to the
CDC, "Child-to-child disease transmission [of hepatitis A]
within the school setting is uncommon." 6
- Hepatitis
A Already Declining: In 1970 the reported cases of hepatitis
A in the US were 27.87 per 100,000 population. Since that time
the incidence of hepatitis A has been declining so that in1999
the incidence rate was only 6.25 cases per 100,000 population.
7
- Hepatitis
A Vaccine Can Cause Reactions: In clinical trials conducted
by SmithKline Beecham, between 9 and 14 percent of adults and
children reported headache after vaccination and between 21 and
56 percent had local reactions. Up to 10 percent had fever, fatigue,
malaise, nausea and loss of appetite. Other reported reactions
included stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and joint pain. Post
marketing vaccine reaction reports have included anaphylaxis,
jaundice, convulsions, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome,
and neuropathy. 4 Since the vaccine was licensed in 1996, there
have been 2,652 reports of hepatitis A vaccine related adverse
events made to the government (VAERS), including 476 serious events
and 18 deaths. 8
- Vaccine
Components Not Adequately Evaluated: Hepatitis A vaccines
manufactured by SmithKline Beecham and Merck are made using human
fetal diploid (lung) cells to propagate the virus. HAVRIX contains
aluminum as well as phenoxyethanol as a preservative. Traces of
formalin and residual fetal human diploid cellular proteins are
also present. 4 VAQTA contains aluminum and small amounts of non-viral
protein, DNA, bovine albumin, and formaldehyde. 5 Both HAVRIX
and VAQTA have "not been evaluated for its carcinogenic or
mutagenic potential, or its potential to impair fertility."
- No Long
Term Studies: There were no long term studies to evaluate
whether hepatitis A vaccine given alone or in combination with
other vaccines is associated with chronic illness or disability,
such as the development of diabetes, asthma, seizure disorders,
learning disabilities, ADHD, or autism. The Merck product insert
for VAQTA states "Subjects were observed during a 5-day period
for fever and local complaints and during a 14-day period for
systemic complaints." 5
- Voluntary
Use of Vaccine Could Be High: When 66 percent of eligible
children in Butte County between the ages of two and 12 years
old received free hepatitis A vaccinations over six years, the
number of reported cases in the country fell from 57 in 1995 to
4 in 2000. 9 This indicates that offering free vaccines to parents
who wish to give their children the vaccine will result in voluntary
uptake. No mandates are needed.
References:
1. CDC Hepatitis A Fact Sheet www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hepatitis/a/fact.htm
2. WHO Position Paper on Hepatitis A Vaccines: Weekly Epidemiological
Record, No. 5. Feb. 4, 2000.
3. Immunization Requirements www.sabin.org/map.htm
4. SmithKline Beecham Product Manufacturer Insert (Hepatitis A Vaccine,
Inactivated (HAVRIX). From Physicians Desk Reference (PDR), 2001.
5. Merck Product Manufacturer Insert (Hepatitis A Vaccine, Inactivated
(VAQTA). Issued March 2001.
6. CDC. Prevention of Hepatitis A Through Active or Passive Immunization.
Recommendations of the ACIP. MMWR. Dec. 27, 1996: Vol. 45, No. RR-15.
7. Selected notifiable disease rates: United States, 1950-99 www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hus/tables/2001/01hus052.pdf
8. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) Report data
9. Associated Press press report: More Hepatitis Vaccinations Urged.
Dec. 18, 2001.
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The Meningococcal Vaccine - Public Policy and Individual Choices
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Whooping Cough or Pertussis
Adverse
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First International Public Conference on Vaccination
Letter
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Quotes: Medical Doctors Speak out on Vaccinations
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Link
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