Are you Fully Vaccinated?

I’m asked all the time about my professional stance on routine childhood immunization vaccines. Are they safe? Do they cause autism? Are they effective? And now, as you can imagine, I’m being asked more and more about the COVID-19 vaccine. Is it safe? Is it effective? Do they microchip you? I will address the COVID vaccine in another newsletter, but I want to dive in deeper on the start of vaccinations, in children. Should you vaccinate FULLY? Should you follow the schedule, or should you spread them out more? This is a very, very, complicated process; as well as a SCARY process for new parents and families.

I want to be CRYSTAL clear here. This is not a newsletter to tell you TO vaccinate, or NOT to vaccinate. This is a very personal decision, and a very intimate one as well. This is a decision that everyone makes with their families, behind closed doors, and should never be judged, questioned, or ridiculed, no matter which direction they so choose to go.

We all have our own personal views on how we raise our children, raise ourselves, and live our lives. Me telling someone not to vaccinate, or to vaccinate, would be like saying “you shouldn’t feed your children sugar, or heavy carbs, or boxed/processed foods”. This is a very personal decision, and one that should be respected. We all have people in our lives that don’t live life exactly the way we do, or we want them to live. But guess what? We still love them for who they are, and meet them where they’re at, with love and adoration.

I firmly believe that if we lived this simple premise of meeting people where they are in their life decisions with love, compassion, adoration and understanding; we wouldn’t be at such odds with each other like we are today. Shouldn’t we be less judgmental of others? We all aren’t perfect in our daily choices by any means. We don’t always choose the salad over the burger, the vegetables over the carbs, the gym over the couch, and so on…. So, why should a choice on what we inject, or don’t inject into our bodies, separate us? Doesn’t the saying go, “my body, my choice”? Or, am I mistaken?

Here we go, childhood vaccines…. Being a parent isn’t easy, and sifting through the ton of health articles, and other information out there on childhood vaccines, can definitely be confusing, even frustrating!

The fact is:

Most American children are given (54) vaccination doses today in comparison to (24) doses in the 80’s.

and, 

After accidents, despite improvements in pediatric care, cancer is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14.

and,

The rise in childhood behavioral disorders, including hyperactivity and learning disorders are shocking, with approximately 15% of children today classified as learning disabled.

and,

Compared with earlier generations, a substantial portion of today’s children are receiving frequent courses of antibiotics for ear infections and respiratory illnesses, a pattern which suggests an increasing immune impairment.

and,

Chemical sensitivity and chronic fatigue are disabling millions of our youth who should be entering the prime of their lives.

Today in our “Let’s Make America Healthy Again” series, we will delve into the question that every parent must address: Do vaccination programs stunt, or in any way thwart the normal development of the normal immune systems of children? And this is the most important question we can ask: Do vaccination programs DECREASE the ability of the immune system to work fully?

Why do some parents not want to vaccinate their children?

There is a trend in America towards deteriorating health in children and young adults, which is well substantiated by scientific statistical reports. Unquestionably, there are multiple cases for these adverse health trends such as unhealthy NUTRITION patterns, lack of EXERCISE and exposure to environmental chemical TOXINS. We have to admit, with how “superior” of a country America is, we are still sicker than most other countries. Why is that? It starts with what we do from day #1!

However, there are concerns that routine mass inoculation of children may be playing a role in the increasing patterns of disabled weak IMMUNITY systems among Americans.

There are grounds for questioning both the safety and efficacy of current childhood vaccination programs. These reasons are reviewed with clarity and thoroughness in several books written by Neil Z. Miller.

Miller provides research on each “mandatory” vaccine, the symptoms of the disease it was meant to protect against, and how dangerous the disease would be should it be contracted. He also reviews the evidence that each vaccine is effective, whether it is responsible for a decline in the disease, and its side effects and safety. Check HERE for books available.

We should keep in mind that each state provides exemptions for vaccines, some more than others. Those exceptions are:

  1. Philosophical - this means that you personally do not believe that the vaccine will benefit your child, and therefore you do not get them.

    1. If you live in New Jersey, don’t worry about this one. The state says, you as parents aren’t smart enough to make a decision like this on your own, so we don’t have this exemption available.

  2. Religious - this means that it goes against your deep religious view, as to why you cannot vaccinate.

    1. We do still have this exemption in New Jersey, but the state senate is trying to take this one away each year. Each year, they slip this one to be voted on again and again, and try to do it during the most inconvenient time for people to oppose it.

  3. Medical - this says that your child cannot receive vaccines due to existing health conditions, he or she has.

    1. We still have his exemption in New Jersey; however, most doctors are afraid to write this exemption.

So, to say that “you must get vaccines; it’s the law” or “you can’t go to school unless you get them”, is not an accurate statement. Remember, it is all about education and knowing your rights, in order to make the most educated health decisions for your family.

CHILDHOOD IMMUNITY

It’s important to understand the development of the immune system following birth. The newborn infant comes into the world with a relatively undeveloped immune system (this is where the idea of giving vaccines comes into play). The idea is to vaccinate the child to give them an “immune system” against these viruses and disease pathologies that are out there.

Infants carry antibodies from the mother for about (6) months, but the lymph nodes and plasma cells are undeveloped, and immunoglobulin synthesis is low. Normally, soon after birth, the infant begins to respond to multiple low-grade infections (estimated one every six weeks) which are acquired from the environment. These infections gradually increase the infant’s immune system to make it stronger and resistant, a process which under normal circumstances requires 10 to 12 years.

Think of it this way, if you come across small bits of the flu at multiple different times of the flu season, and your immune system is moderate to strong; you will build antibodies to the flu variants (yes, I used the word variant) and NOT EXPRESS symptoms of the flu. This is TRUE HEALTH, when you come across a virus, bacteria or disease and build antibodies, whereby you do not express symptoms.

There are basically two simple responses when you come in contact with a virus, bacteria or disease (obviously, there is a multitude of scenarios, but to keep this simple and understandable, I will give two simple examples).

  1. You come in contact with the disease (small, moderate or large amounts of it) and you have a weakened immune system. This is when your body cannot produce enough white blood cells to fend off the initial attack, and you express “symptoms” of the disease.

    1. This is what people FEAR the most. They fear contracting sickness and disease, and look at this as unhealthy. You can view this as unhealthy, or what I like to call it, expressing health. Because, guess what? Your body is doing exactly what it is designed to do, every second of the day. If you have a fever because of the flu, that’s what it’s supposed to be doing. The fever is trying to kill the virus by increasing your temperature. So, it always makes me cringe when a patient says, “I got a fever, and I took Tylenol right away, to bring it down”. In doing this, you are literally working against your god-given potential to heal. Yes, there is a safe fever and a dangerous fever (for questions on this, ask me when you see me, or email me for more info.)

  2. You come in contact with the disease (small, moderate or large amounts of it) and you have a strong immune system. This is where you get the disease, build antibodies and DO NOT EXPRESS symptoms.

    1. This is what everyone wants! You want to come across all these viruses and bacteria, and get small amounts to build your immune system into what we call a “titanium immune system”. The more viruses and bacteria you come across, and the healthier you build yourself up, the stronger your immune system is.

In the past, childhood diseases of measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles) may have served a major role in the normal development and strengthening of the immune systems of children. By altering this former pattern with vaccinations, we may have set the stage for the serious chronic diseases now occurring with increasing frequency.

Many researchers believe that without the need for our bodies to fight off childhood diseases, we have stunted the development of our immune systems; thereby making Americans sicker and unable to fight off chronic illnesses. This theory can be backed up as I am writing this newsletter, and you need to ask yourself; WHY DO WE HAVE A RESPIRATORY BREAKOUT IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER, WHEN WE DON’T NORMALLY HAVE THIS? I will dive more into this with the COVID newsletter….

CHILDHOOD VACCINES

Childhood vaccines are injections that contain weakened amounts of the disease germ that they are meant to protect against. They are supposed to work by stimulating the body to produce antibodies (proteins) that defend the body from an invasion by harmful germs.

Today in America, most children are given (54) vaccination doses during their childhood years. The current schedule of recommended vaccines is so crowded that doctors are administering several shots during a single office visit (access the CDC vaccination schedule HERE). As you can see, (17) vaccine doses are suggested prior to a baby turning one year old, and the first dose of Hepatitis B is given at birth. 

Researchers have noted that the immature immune system of a baby is normally stimulated, strengthened, and matured by responding to NATURAL viral and bacterial challenges in the environment. However, if the immature immune system of a baby is forced to respond to a barrage of un-natural injected vaccinations directly into the body, (bypassing the outer immune system defenses), inner immune systems may become overwhelmed.

Under natural conditions, enemy germs are attacked and rendered benign by the immune system. But alien viruses injected int the body fuse with healthy cells, and continue to replicate along with those cells. This is likely to confuse the immune system, which can no longer differentiate between harmful and harmless conditions within the body. Under these circumstances, the immune system is likely to either invade its own cells (Cancer), or ignore danger signs altogether, making the body vulnerable to (Autoimmune) diseases.

According to cancer.org, about 1,190 children under the age of 15 are expected to die from cancer in 2021 (read more HERE). In general, cancerous tumor growth is triggered by DNA mutations within your cells. Your DNA contains genes that tell cells how to operate, grow, and divide. When the DNA changes within your cells, they don't function properly. This disconnection is what causes cells to become cancerous.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF CHILDREN DIDN’T GET VACCINATED? 

Good question! Let’s take a look at the (5) major “mandatory” vaccines, the symptoms of the disease it was meant to protect against, and how dangerous the disease would be should it be contracted. Also, the evidence that each vaccine is effective, whether it is responsible for a decline in the disease, and its side effects and safety.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a viral infection. The groups at highest risk of contracting hepatitis B are intravenous drug users, prostitutes, and sexually active gay men. Infants and children rarely develop this disease. Less than 1% of all cases occurs in children younger than 15 years old. In North America, Europe and Australia, true carriers of the virus represent just one-tenth of 1% of the population.

Hepatitis B is contracted by an infected person’s blood, getting into the non-infected persons blood stream, for example. You have to ask yourself, is my infant going to start using drugs and prostituting right away? If your answer is yes, then you have a very, very, very good case to vaccinate against Hepatitis B. So why are we vaccinating children against this? If they need to get a blood transfusion for example, it might be a concern; but we live in a highly developed country (yes, this can be debated) and we screen all donated blood to make sure it is free of all viruses and diseases.

According to the WHO, up to 60% of those vaccinated will lose all detectible antibody to hepatitis B vaccine within 6 to 10 years, meaning you will need a booster shot. This brings me back to my original question, are you FULLY vaccinated?

Symptoms may be similar to the flu, including weakness, loss of appetite, diarrhea, pain in the upper right abdomen and jaundice. In some cases, individuals who contract this disease may be carriers of the virus, yet exhibit few or none of these symptoms. Acute hepatitis B usually runs its course within 1 year. Long-term or chronic infections may progress to liver failure, coma, and death.

Unless someone is an intravenous drug user, prostitute, or sexually active gay man, a person is not at high risk of contracting hepatitis B.

According to PubMed.gov, 82% of pediatricians who administer immunizations were aware of the CDC’s new Hepatitis B recommendation for newborn babies, only 32% believed it was warranted in their practices (read the report HERE). 

Many of the adverse reactions following the hepatitis B vaccine have been noted in the scientific literature, including: diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Bell’s palsy, Rolf’s palsy, ocular and brachial plexus neuropathy, and (14) more reactions.

Surveys in medical journals indicate that up to 87% of pediatricians and family practitioners do not believe the hepatitis B vaccine is needed by their newborn patients.

This is where you start to ask the question, does this vaccine make sense in our family’s lifestyle, scenario, and health plan?

Rotavirus

Rotavirus is a common cause of diarrhea and vomiting in children. It occurs most often in the winter months. Symptoms typically last from 3 to 8 days and many include fever and abdominal pain. In most cases, rotavirus is mild enough that parents can care for their children at home. However, in severe cases dehydration and death are possible.

Over 80% of all rotavirus deaths occur in poor countries where babies are malnourished and there is limited access to healthcare. In the U.S., about 20 deaths per year are attributed to Rotavirus.

More than 71,000 infants were evaluated in (3) placebo-controlled clinical trials. Adverse reactions ranged from seizures, middle ear infections, and intestinal blockage.

Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis

The DTaP and Tdap (booster) vaccines have been used since 2015, and are for diphtheria, tetanus and (whooping cough) pertussis bacterial diseases. The single formulas are grown in a bovine extract, and contain aluminum, formaldehyde and polysorbate 80.

Diphtheria is a contagious bacterial disease of the upper respiratory system. It is mainly spread by the coughing and sneezing of infected persons. Symptoms include a sore throat, headache, coughing, fever and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. In severe cases, a thick membrane can completely block the breathing passages, inflammation of the heart muscle and respiratory paralysis can occur. Diphtheria requires medical attention, but is treatable with common antibiotics such as penicillin.

Tetanus (often called lockjaw) is a non-contagious bacterial disease that causes severe muscular contractions. Between 2002-2008, there were (28) cases average per year in the U.S., with an average of (4) deaths per year. In 2000, researchers found that children who receive tetanus vaccines are significantly more likely to develop a “history of asthma” or other “allergy-related respiratory symptoms” than those who remain unvaccinated. There were 50% more likely to experience severe allergies, 80% more likely to experience sinusitis, and twice as likely to develop asthma.

Pertussis (often called whooping cough) is a contagious disease caused by a bacterium that affects the respiratory system. The disease is rarely fatal; however when infants under (6) months old contract pertussis, it can be serious and life-threatening. In 1996, U.S. authorities replaced the DPT with the DTaP vaccine for all (5) doses. Unfortunately, a highly virulent strain of pertussis recently emerged from within pertussis-vaccinated populations. This new strain produces 1.62 times more lethal toxin than the old strain that the vaccine was designed to fight against. The DTaP and Tdap vaccines are not effective against these new strains that are now circulating throughout society. Per the FDA, another problem with the pertussis vaccine is that it allows vaccinated people to become silent carriers of the disease, spreading it to others. The pertussis vaccine has caused pertussis micro- organisms to mutate and become more virulent. People vaccinated against pertussis are able to spread the disease. The pertussis vaccine poses significant risks of irreversible harm due to the irreversible mutations it is creating.

Pediatrics published a study showing that the DTaP vaccine caused serious reactions, such as encephalitis, plus brain inflammation occurred at the rate of 1 out of 106 vaccinated children (read article HERE).

Inactivated Polio

Polio is a contagious disease caused by an intestinal virus that may attack nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord. In severe cases it may be fatal, due to respiratory paralysis. Many people mistakenly believe that anyone who contracts polio will become paralyzed or die. In fact, 95% of everyone who is exposed to the natural polio virus won’t exhibit any symptoms. About 5% of infected people will experience mild symptoms, often diagnosed as a cold or flu. Polio is virtually nonexistent in the U.S. today.

How do you contract polio? We have to ask better questions, if we don’t even know how we contract it, why are we worried about it? Polio is mainly contracted by eating feces from an infected individual. So, for me and my family, this was an easy decision to make. We won’t be feeding our baby anyone else’s feces, so we are good (remember, no judgements here).

Fact sheets on polio, published by the U.S. Department of HHS, warn parents that the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) can cause “serious problems or even death”. The vaccine maker warns that Guillain-Barre syndrome can occur, and that deaths have occurred after vaccination of infants with IPV.

Despite the polio vaccine’s long history of animal-virus contamination, today’s inactive shot is manufactured in much the same way as earlier versions. “The viruses are grown in cultures of a continuous line of monkey kidney cells… supplemented with newborn calf serum…” The vaccine also contains two antibiotics (neomycin and streptomycin) plus formaldehyde.

You may ask, when did the eradication of polio truly happen, and how? It’s when we developed clean living standards, introduced running water with toilets inside the house, and moved away from outhouses that were contaminated with feces of others laying around.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella

Measles is a contagious disease caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system, skin, and eyes. Symptoms (high fever, cough, runny nose, sensitive eyes, itchy pink spots on the face and body) usually disappear after 1 to 2 weeks. Treatment mainly consists of allowing the disease to run its course. Prior to the 1960’s, most children in the U.S. caught measles, and complications were unlikely. According to WHO, the chances are about 15 times greater that measles will be contracted by those vaccinated against the disease than by those who are unvaccinated. The measles vaccine does not offer permanent immunity, as epidemics regularly occur in those vaccinated (sometimes over 95%). The measles vaccine has a long history of serious adverse reactions from encephalitis, subacute sclerosing panecephaslitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, seizures, and (26) more, including death. People who received the measles vaccine are (3) times more likely to develop Crohn’s disease when compared to unvaccinated controls. The measles vaccine dramatically altered the distribution of the disease by shifting incidence rates from age groups unlikely to experience problems from the disease (children 5 to 9 years old) to age groups most likely to suffer from severe complications (infants, teenagers, and adults). When natural immunity is denied, mothers can no longer pass protective maternal antibodies to their babies.

Mumps is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Beginning with a fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue, salivary glands beneath the ears along the jaw line become swollen (testicles, ovaries, and female breasts may also swell). Treatment mainly consists of allowing the disease to run its course. Medical intervention is seldom required and symptoms usually disappear within a week. An infected person will not contract mumps again. Mumps is a relatively harmless disease when it is experienced in childhood. Researchers are reporting cases of diabetes and pancreatitis after the mumps vaccination, and aseptic meningitis is officially recognized a resulting from the mumps vaccine.

Rubella (or German measles) is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Symptoms include a slight fever, rash, sore throat and runny nose, lymph nodes on the back of the head, behind the ears and on the side of the new may become tender. Treatment mainly consists of allowing the disease to run its course. Medical intervention is seldom required and symptoms usually disappear within a few days. Most cases of Rubella rarely infect the same person twice. Rubella is usually so mild it escapes detection or passes for a cold; however, if a pregnant woman develops the disease during the first trimester, her baby may be born with birth defects. Unfortunately, with the rubella vaccine shifting cases to more risky age groups, there have been an increase in congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) related birth defects. The NE Journal of Medicine reports that 33% of all hospital employees reject rubella shots; 81% of doctors refuse the vaccine; and 91% of obstetricians and gynecologists refuse to participate.

THE BOTTOM LINE

There is a growing movement within this country, and other parts of the world, toward questioning “routine” immunizations. By “routine”, I mean the usual “baby shots”, and not vaccines for particular high risk groups for special occupations or travel. Certainly the smallpox vaccine is an example of one routine shot which was eventually discontinued when the morbidity (occurrence of the illness) from the immunization exceeded the benefits.

Interference with the natural course of many diseases significantly dampen the immune responses of children. For these reasons, and those reviewed above, there are grounds for questioning both the safety and efficacy of current childhood vaccination programs. The time is long overdue for a complete reassessment of these procedures. 

Science thrives best in an atmosphere of freedom. Mandated childhood vaccinations are the opposite of freedom. Every parent should be allowed full freedom to accept or reject vaccines for their children. They should be allowed the privilege of “informed consent”, the same as with any medical procedure that includes the possibility of adverse reactions.

Many of the medical establishment are simply unaware of the true extent of damage being caused by vaccines. They sincerely believe that only good can come from them. The decision regarding whether or not to vaccinate is the parent’s alone. It must not be based upon irrational factors. Instead, this choice should be made only after examining credible evidence from several sources.

I encourage parents, and non-parents, to pick up a copy of Miller’s book, Vaccine Safety Manual (you can order HERE), and research this topic even further. As parents, you are entitled to - and responsible for obtaining - the facts about the benefits and risks of vaccinating your children.

I sincerely hope that today’s newsletter has given you a greater insight into current childhood vaccination programs, and the Pros and Cons of each vaccine. It is dangerous for our society to blindly accept the advice of others. Our bodies truly depend on us to treat it with respect and love.

Remember,

We can’t give away our health to any one. Our health is our responsibility, to preserve and protect.

As you dedicate yourself to educating this generation, you can affect positive health impacts, by helping to prevent a multitude of chronic illness, including PREVENTABLE diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Thank you for joining me in making a huge difference in our children’s future and Making America HEALTHY again!

Believe it or not, you don’t have to be a doctor to make a difference. Many times it’s just spreading the word, or setting an example, or even making a phone call to someone that will help make a change in their world.

Dr Derek Ferguson