Why are medical professionals so adamant that vaxes MUST be given on schedule?

[minkajane]

I have seen many times that not only is it important that ALL vaxes be given, but that they MUST be given on schedule. I don't get it. Why is it so important that they be given at that specific time? The conspiracy theory side of me wants to think that it's because people will realize "Hey, my kid's done ok so far without this vax and now they're past the main risk age, guess we don't need it after all." The other side of me thinks it's because the CDC has figured out what age children are most likely to get a certain illness and timed the vax so that the kid will have the immunity before that time period. I'm thinking it's a little bit of A, little bit of B.

[Kirsten]

Well, docs get financial rewards if a certain percentage of their clients are fully vaxxed. Too many families that don't vax or partially or slowly vax will mess up that percentage.

But our pediatrician is SO GREAT! We do most of the "original" vaxxes (not all the new ones that seem to pop on the market all the time) but in a one or two at a time schedule - of my comfort level. Our ped and I had a talk about the first day we met; he was fine with it. The nurses and everyone there are always fine with it. I really appreciate the respect. The ped told me "I want the best for your child; it is my job. But no one on the planet cares more or is more invested in your child's health and well-being than you. You have final decision." I shook his hand and we are still happy there ten years later.

[alegna]

Originally Posted by minkajane

I have seen many times that not only is it important that ALL vaxes be given, but that they MUST be given on schedule. I don't get it. Why is it so important that they be given at that specific time? The conspiracy theory side of me wants to think that it's because people will realize "Hey, my kid's done ok so far without this vax and now they're past the main risk age, guess we don't need it after all." The other side of me thinks it's because the CDC has figured out what age children are most likely to get a certain illness and timed the vax so that the kid will have the immunity before that time period. I'm thinking it's a little bit of A, little bit of B.

All A. Very little B. Hep B? All A- no B at all. Pertussis? Maybe mostly A and some B. etc.

-Angela

[FernG]

When major medical organizations have an official position about certain medical care (e.g., the CDC or AMA or AAP saying that vaccines need to be given on schedule), then that recommendation becomes "the standard of care." Many, many health care interventions are not research based but are the standard of care. Health care professionals are at risk of ostracization from their peers (and possibly malpractice law suites) if they recommend anything other than the standard of care.

[Deborah]

A lot of politics in the way vaccines are added to the schedule. But I'm not sure doctors in general are conscious of the politics. They may think it has something to do with science.

Do some research on the process by which vaccines are added to the schedule in the U.S.

[mamakay]

I think they, like all people, just get really attached to doing things in one certain way. It's just easier for them to always do things in one certain way.

[luminesce]

Predominantly because it is what they were taught and trained to do.

[Deborah]

Which leads us to the question: do you want your medical professional to be exercising their obedience to authority on your child rather than their medical expertise?

[laohaire]

Personally, I honestly think most doctors believe in vaxxes and are as brainwashed as the rest of us. I think that medical school is an indoctrination () along the lines of military training. I've not been to medical school, so this is just uneducated opinion, but what I hear about it suggests that they discourage interns from challenging things and asking REAL questions.

Anyway, from that perspective I think most doctors push vax on schedule because it helps them gain full compliance. I think if they were lax about the schedule, compliance would drop significantly. Not so much because most parents would start thinking "hey, my kid didn't die of XYZ yet, maybe the vax aren't that critical" (though that would happen to some extent - though it's a fallacy* even if I agree with the final conclusion) but more because things tend to slide if not done on time, even if a person "intends" to do it. So hence we have bulit-in well-baby visits, parents don't question it when the staff hands them a card to come back in two months. If parents don't do the schedule, it's harder to keep the vax compliance up, especially since they have to come back so many times.

And yeah, doctors get $$$ for getting full compliance.

* It's the fallacy along the same lines as "I don't use my seatbelt and I'm not dead yet. But again, I'm not using that as a pro-vax argument - just hate to see bad logic applied.

[MissRubyandKen]

Originally Posted by serenitii

Predominantly because it is what they were taught and trained to do.

This.

I've read quite a bit of this type language directed to health care professionals,

Don't miss an opportunity to vaccinate.

If patient comes in for minor illness, assess whether or not to use this opportunity to vaccinate.

Blah, blah, blah missed opportunities = BAD !!!!!!

In other words stick them early, stick them often, and above all else get them all in, every single one. I'm sure its much easier for them to accomplish if the schedule is stuck to.

[MissRubyandKen]

Originally Posted by mamakay

I think they, like all people, just get really attached to doing things in one certain way. It's just easier for them to always do things in one certain way.

And this. That way they don't have to think twice about it. They know it's getting done 'right'.

[mysticmomma]

there is also the every child by 2 campaign.

[Gitti]

Big Pharma is into selling dugs. Period. The most effective way to do this is to have really faithful product (drug) pushers. So big pHARMa has set guidelines that doctors must follow. They have rewards in place.

Doctors are trained by reading, memorizing and believing exactly what they have read. They are not to question anything. The science has been done for them. The studies are all there. All they must do is follow the rules.

It all works very well for big pharma. Most doctors vaccinate themselves and their own kids without ever reading the insert papers. Doctors didn't even know that there was mercury in the shots. Parents started doing the research. And now since doctors do know they put on blinders....

[runes]

The schedule allows health care providers to operate without thinking. This is also known as "efficient".

The schedule takes the pressure off of parents to do their research, as they just accept it as the norm instead of something that needs to be looked at specifically for each individual child and for each individual vaccine/disease.

The schedule makes it easier for health care providers to keep records and send out reminders.

The schedule legitimizes the vaccines that are on it. If they weren't safe, effective or necessary, they wouldn't be on the schedule. Right?

It saves time. It saves money. It saves brain power, increases efficiency, and increases uptake.

Sounds good, right?

Except it doesn't save kids.


This page brought it home for me, when I saw it this week.

It made me wonder why people bring up Africa as the reason to vaccinate (as in, so many babies die there), instead of comparing us to other countries that we like to feel at least equal to, if not "superior" towards. How is it possible that we have the BY FAR the most bloated vaccine schedule on the face of this earth, and we're not even in the top 20 countries for child mortality. We're 34th. How pathetic.

Yeah, we're world leaders all right. In numbers of shots that children receive. And in numbers of kids with autism. And we're nowhere close to being tops in overall child health. Way to go, USA!