May 03, 2006

Big shots

Ellen had me thinking- as she usually does! :-)

This matter may not perhaps be so relevant to this Mater, given that my 'babies' are 11 and 7. But am very disturbed by this stuff and do need to vent - not merely to 'ventilate' views but at a more essential level to right the blood gas levels (as we ventilator-baby parents often joke!).

In India we have had much initial distrust of vaccinations, spearheaded by various prominent leaders such as C. Rajagopalachari, the vaccination policy has travelled far before reaching where it is. His concern was largely directed at the BCG vaccine for TB, given that its efficacy was not proven at the time of its large-scale adoption in the national vaccination policy. It is among the first vaccinations given to all babies who have access to any medical care in India. It is accepted that BCG prevents only childhood forms of TB like disseminated and miliary TB, but has no role in preventing TB in adults especially cavitary forms. But this is even more disturbing. As is the link between TB vaccine studies and research and the PL480. And this link is an article detailing the continuing lack of self sufficiency in the production of the vaccines, including OPV.

Given that dd received all her shots (both those included in the Universal Immunisation Programme and many others which were even more expensively priced) , and that ds received nearly most of the UIP ones, the unease is perhaps, a bit late in the day, but, nevertheless, persists.

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