: Panel backs tougher hepatitis B guidelines

[Guest guest]

OK, this is really scary. This vaccine has a very high side effect rate, and unless the mom is Hep b positive, the chances are extremely rare a baby would be at risk for hepatitis b. The baby would have to come in contact with blood or body fluids of an infected person.What about informed consent???? They are not-so-subtly implying that hospitals will be more aggressive in strong-arming parents into getting this shot.The CDC's own research says the 3 series shot only lasts about 7 years, at most. Consider this: If the government can mandate a vaccine that carries a risk of serious injury, even death, for a disease that you have an EXTREMELY LOW risk for, and is extremely difficult to contract, than they really think they can get away with anything.What good is free speech, if you, or your children are injected with biologicals of unknown origin against your will??? Can you say "Police State"?

 

 

Allie

 

 

 

Panel backs tougher hepatitis B guidelinesBy Anita Manning, USA TODAYATLANTA — Vaccine experts voted Wednesday to strengthen arecommendation that all healthy newborn babies get a hepatitis Bshot before leaving the hospital, saying "exceptions should be rare"and should require documentation and follow-up.The current guidelines say the first shot should "preferably" begiven while the newborn is still in the hospital but say it can begiven up until the child reaches 2 months old if tests show themother is not infected. The recommendation, which will not be finaluntil approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,says a doctor's written order to delay the vaccine is needed, alongwith a lab report showing that the mother was not infected with thevirus.Since routine infant vaccination began in 1991, "we've essentiallyeliminated hepatitis B infection in children," Eric Mast of theCDC's National Center on Infectious Diseases reported at a meetingof the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Studies showthat immunization rates for children 19 months to 35 monthsincreased from 8% to 92.4% from 1992 to 2003. Nationally, rates ofinfection in those age 19 and younger have dropped from 3.03 per100,000 in 1990 to .34 per 100,000 in 2002. Among children age 4 andyounger, the incidence declined 94%.In 2001-02, 42% of cases in children who were born after 1991 werein those born overseas. The advisory committee also is recommendinghepatitis B screening for children from Asia, the Pacific Islands,Africa and other countries where the prevalence of the disease is 2%or greater.Hepatitis B can cause chronic liver disease that is fatal in up to25% of cases. It is carried in blood and body fluids and can betransmitted to adults through sex, needle-sharing or in health caresettings and to babies born to infected mothers.Screening for the virus is part of prenatal testing. But about 5% ofmothers do not have prenatal care, and their infection might not bedetected.The updated recommendation "indicates exceptions should be highlyrare and provides guidelines that there be a laboratory report,"said Edgar Marcuse of Children's Hospital and Regional MedicalCenter in Seattle.The meeting continues today, when the committee will decide whetherto recommend newly licensed tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (whoopingcough) vaccines to battle the growing number of outbreaks amongadolescents. The new vaccine would be given in place of the tetanus-diphtheria booster shot for 11- and 12-year-olds. The committee alsowill discuss boosters for adults.Chanuntell Viet, 37, of Harahan, La., who represents Parents of Kidswith Infectious Diseases, urged the committee to consider whoopingcough boosters for both adults and teens.Viet developed whooping cough when her baby, Geoffrey, was 1 monthold, too young to get his first DTP shot. He caught it from her andhad to be hospitalized for nine days. He's now a healthy 6-month-old."The most shocking part was the fact that my 'cold' was pertussis,"Viet said. "Adults don't realize they can have this disease and passit to others."