Letter to the Editor

I was recently made aware by local physicians and public health nurses that erroneous and misleading information about vaccines has been circulating in the Elk Valley. As a public health physician and area Medical Health Officer (MHO), I want to provide residents with some accurate information.

One of our legal and ethical responsibilities as MHOs under the Public Health Act of BC is to prevent and minimize communicable disease outbreaks, including vaccine-preventable outbreaks such as measles, whooping cough and bacterial meningitis. One of the best ways to ensure the health of our infants and children is through our clinically-proven, effective routine childhood immunization program. All the vaccines used in the B.C. routine childhood immunization program are very safe and very effective, and they are the only real way to protect our infants and toddlers against what can, at times, be very serious infections.

We see these severe childhood diseases less frequently now because of the effectiveness of immunization programs and the fact that the large majority of parents in the Elk Valley and throughout B.C. get their children immunized – at a rate of about 85-90 per cent by the time they enter kindergarten. But, we have recently seen local and provincial outbreaks of pertussis and measles, and severe bacterial meningitis cases, because those germs are still out there, and can attack unimmunized and unprotected children.

There are a lot of myths and untruths out there about vaccines and their safety. I urge parents, to be critical of the information they read and hear – especially when it comes from unnamed and uncredentialed sources. Be a skeptic and ask yourself these questions: What are the individual’s credentials and training? What are they selling?

The public benefits from having a range of alternative or natural health care providers, such as chiropractors, osteopaths or homeopaths, in addition to mainstream science, evidence-based medicine. These disciplines, like public health and mainstream medicine, do share common principles such as promoting health through diet, exercise, good hygiene, and stress reduction. Alternate care providers also believe in the positive benefits of touch and physical manipulation, which are valued by many of their clients. But it is important to note that immunology and vaccination is not their area of expertise, and most have no or little formal training in this area. Not all alternate or natural health care practitioners oppose vaccination, but there are some who are providing clients and the public with very inaccurate information on vaccines and immunization via the Internet, in seminars or during appointments. And in some cases, they may also be selling ‘natural’ vaccine products that have not been scientifically reviewed for effectiveness and safety.

When reviewing information on vaccines it is also important to ask yourself what source or research is being cited and is that source credible. Anti-vaccinationists often cite Dr. Andrew Wakefield from the UK as having shown the supposed link between measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism. His research has now been fully refuted and discredited, both for bad science and for accepting bribes from companies in competition with MMR vaccine manufacturers.

In the Elk Valley a ‘Vaccine Fast Facts’ one-pager has been circulating – it is anything but factual.

None of the information is referenced to allow the reader to check the truth of the claims. My understanding is that one or more area chiropractors are circulating this document to argue against vaccination. Residents should know this goes against the Canadian Chiropractic Association’s professional position statement on vaccines and immunization which states the following: “Vaccination is a well-established and widely mandated public health policy and the Canadian Chiropractic Association supports public health promotion and prevention strategies that encourage physical and mental health and well-being. The CCA accepts vaccination as a cost-effective and clinically efficient public health preventative procedure for certain viral and microbial diseases, as demonstrated by the scientific community. The public responsibility for vaccination and immunization is neither within the chiropractic scope of practice, nor a chiropractic specific issue. Public health programming and literature provide appropriate sources of information for patient education regarding vaccination and immunization.”

https://www.chiropracticcanada.ca/en-us/the-cca/position-statements/VaccinationandImmunization.aspx

I went into medicine to help people. I spent eight years studying at university to get my undergraduate and then medical degree. After several years in family practice, I spent a further five years getting specialized training in community medicine and public health, with a focus on communicable disease control, prevention and immunization. I’ve spent 20 years practicing public health medicine in B.C., reviewing which vaccines to use and when, and watching for any side effects, to ensure all vaccines are safe to use.

All parents, both the majority who have their children immunized and the smaller percentage of parents who have not yet chosen to have their children immunized, want to do their best to protect their family. There are parents out there who are understandably confused by all the conflicting information about vaccines and they are hesitant to get their children immunized. They want to protect their kids but are uncertain about how best to do that. My role is to make sure they are basing this decision on the best information available.

I urge all parents to review and arm themselves with the most credible information possible. Go to a credible source, such as www.ImmunizeBC.ca which was developed by specialist public health physicians and nurses in B.C., who are independent and not beholden to any vaccine manufacturer. Talk to your family physician and your local public health nurse. If you still have questions or concerns, or are unsure about whether to immunize your infant or child I am more than happy to talk to you directly.

On June 19 at 7 p.m. I will be providing an information session on immunization in Fernie at the Senior Citizens Drop In Centre located at 562 – 3rd Ave.

I would be happy to discuss any and all questions parents and others may have. I encourage everyone who is interested in learning about the best scientific and medical information on immunizations to attend. If you would like to speak with me but cannot attend the session you can leave your name and phone number with your local public health nurse and tell them you would like me to contact them.

As a legally appointed Medical Health Officer in BC, it is my duty to ensure that all residents of the region have access to the best health information possible in order to make health decisions for themselves and their families. I am not a fan of, nor a paid-agent of big multinational corporations or the pharmaceutical industry. I don’t get money from vaccine manufacturers to promote their products. In fact, I have sat on provincial committees that have rejected vaccines from inclusion into the publicly-funded schedule, either because the clinical trial evidence was not persuasive enough, or because they were of little benefit to the public. My only wage is from you – the citizens of BC, and my only job as a physician and public servant is to make sure you get the most accurate information possible.

Dr. Rob Parker

Medical Health Officer

Director of Communicable Disease Control 

Interior Health Authority

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