anti-vax, non-vax, pro safe vax?

[purslaine]

So…..what do you call yourself?

I have toyed around with anti-vax, but in my case that is not quite true.  I think for some people, in some countries, with some diseases, vaccines might be a good choice.  Anti-vax is also quite the  loaded term.  

I do not embrace the label pro-vax safety - although I certainly am pro safe vaccines!  Pro-vax safety implies (to me) that I would vaccinate if vaccines were safer, and that is not entirely true.  I would be more open to vaccinating on a selective basis if it were true, but there are diseases I do not think we need to vax for.

I call myself non-vax:  it is a pretty non-descript term, but the best I have come up!

What say thee?

[katelove]

I havent really come up with a satisfactory description for my stance. I'm definitely not anti-vax, I think vaccines work (although not as well or in the ways implied by the pro-vax literature in Australia). Equally I'm not prepared to say I'm pro-vax because I think there are to many large and significant gaps in the research and that key stakeholders are not as forthcoming about that as they should IMO be. I've never used the term no vax but I guess that's what we are at the moment although I anticipate that we will be selectively vax in the future.

Bit complicated really :-)

[mama2j&t]

non-vax

but also:

anti-current vaccination schedule

anti-mandatory vaccination

[Bokonon]

I'm pro-vax-choice, pro-informed-consent, pro-vax-safety.  For all.  For my family, at this time, we are not vaccinating further.

[fruitfulmomma]

That is a tough one... For our family we are absolutely anti-vax, save possibly for Tig from an injury that provided significant risk for tetanus. In general terms I am not in favor of vaccination as a form of prophylactic health care for populations. Clean water and living conditions, nutrient dense diets, and quarantine for those with communicable diseases are all things I favor. So, again in that sense I am anti-vax.

But I also believe *very* strongly in personal and parental rights in health care. And I don't believe I am the font of all wisdom when it comes to this issue. So if people want to vaccinate themselves and their children I am not against them doing that. I would prefer it if they understood which vaxxes shed and would keep themselves and their children out of the general population as much as possible during the shedding period. My daughters, per CDC, can not be in significant contact with anyone who has had the smallpox vaccination recently due to having eczema. Since this is not one given to the general population I don't worry about it too much but if I knew someone had recently had it they would not be allowed in my home.

I would also like to see an increase in the safety of vaccines, not because I would then choose them for our family, but because I believe those people who do choose them deserve better than what is available to them now.

[Bokonon]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma 

My daughters, per CDC, can not be in significant contact with anyone who has had the smallpox vaccination recently due to having eczema. Since this is not one given to the general population I don't worry about it too much but if I knew someone had recently had it they would not be allowed in my home.

That's really interesting - I didn't realize that.  My son and I have eczema and live in a city with a large military population, which would be the only smallpox vax recipients as I understand it.  Do you know if military personnel are advised about shedding?  Somehow I doubt it, but the smallpox vax is kind of a unique thing.

Wow, this is disturbing:
http://www.smallpox.mil/

[purslaine]

Originally Posted by Bokonon 

I'm pro-vax-choice, pro-informed-consent

Lots of good stuff already on this thread - but this jumped out at me.

At the end of the day, this is why I hang out on the MDC vax forums (oh, and maybe I am drawn to debate but that seems to be waning).  I do not care if others vaccinate because they believe it is best, but I do care if they make the decision lacking information or feeling forced to.  

[fruitfulmomma]

Don't want to derail Kathy's thread too much, but...

Wow, this is disturbing:
http://www.smallpox.mil/

There is some pretty good info there under the exemption page. I don't know if they are advised or not. There was an incident with a father whose contact with his son after vax made the boy *very* ill, so I am guessing he was not told about the possibility. (http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/05/18/us-smallpox-boy-idUSN1744524120070518 - Sounds like dad was not supposed to go home but got an unexpected leave. Mom also had a minor reaction to it.)

[nukuspot]

What I say to people when they ask is that I am not anti-vaccination but at this time I choose not to vax my children.  I have no problems with choices others make as far as vaccines, and I might vax in the future if/when I feel the benefits outweigh the risks....Or they make the few I would like to do safer and single antigen.

[BeckyBird]

Good question!

I am non-vax, pro-vax-choice, and pro-safe vax......If parents are going to vaccinate their children, I hope it is with the safest product available. I am not satisfied with the safety of the current vaccines, and I hope something can be done to make safer vaccines. Vaccines should not be a one size fits all drug, but that's what they are! This is why children with known vax reactions should be studied further.

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by Bokonon 

I'm pro-vax-choice, pro-informed-consent, pro-vax-safety.  For all.  For my family, at this time, we are not vaccinating further.

This in a nutshell.

Also, I wish there could be more debate in the general public about vaccinating children for diseases suffered by adults.  "We" take it for granted that this strategy is the best for all, but the vax schedule just keeps getting more and more onerous for children every year, and I'm just done.  Enough.  I'd completely change what I would have agreed to vax my girls for if I had that chance.  But as far as boosters, we haven't had those.

Not sure what you call that.

"Confused"....perhaps?  "Disgruntled".....definitely.

[Xerxella]

I say,"At this time we're delaying vaccines." Which is very true. If I ever see an outbreak or a reason or just new compelling information on vaccine safety, I would get my children vaccinated. Every year, we continue to delay vaccines. My kids have never been vaccinated but I'm certainly open to vaccines if I ever saw a need.

[emmy526]

Nonvaccinating, pro informed choice, and proactive in making sure parents know they have a choice in the issue, and to weigh the pro's and cons for their own family. It is not a one size fits all thing, imo.  

[thegoodearth]

At this time we are non-vax -- or delayed vax depending on how you look at it. The only thing I know for absolute certain at this point is that we will not be doing the full schedule of vaccines (e.g., I would not vaccinate for CP or Hep B at birth). Like other posters have stated, it's not a one size fits all type of deal and you really need to weigh the options for your own family. We are looking at each VPD and vaccine on a case-by-case basis in conjunction with where we live. And yes -- I'm definitely pro-vax safety.  

[MrsKoehn]

Originally Posted by kathymuggle 

So…..what do you call yourself?

I have toyed around with anti-vax, but in my case that is not quite true.  I think for some people, in some countries, with some diseases, vaccines might be a good choice.  Anti-vax is also quite the  loaded term.  

I do not embrace the label pro-vax safety - although I certainly am pro safe vaccines!  Pro-vax safety implies (to me) that I would vaccinate if vaccines were safer, and that is not entirely true.  I would be more open to vaccinating on a selective basis if it were true, but there are diseases I do not think we need to vax for.

I call myself non-vax:  it is a pretty non-descript term, but the best I have come up!

What say thee?

I think I'm with you. Lol I had all my vax back in the '80s. I think basically the MMR, I know I had tetnus, and something else. Don't remember more than that but I know I mostly got the standard, though I know Mom did put her foot down at times.

We've not had our babe yet, still have a few months to wait to decide. I think delayed for sure, after that, probably safe vax, From what I have heard, there are a ton of things that don't really need vax for most ppl.

[Monkeygrrl]

Originally Posted by Bokonon 

I'm pro-vax-choice, pro-informed-consent, pro-vax-safety.  

I really like this, too. I figure, if you have done the research - which means reading things from both sides of the fence - and are able to reasonably understand the reasons why/why not, and make a decision for or against, then fine. More power to you. If you are following the - because my doctor said I needed it - train, then I don't have a whole lot of respect for your decision-making skills.

I am a non-vaxer. I don't vaccinate myself, or my children, and have helped to educate my husband and he has chosen to not receive any more vaccines either. But I am pro-educated-informed-consent.

:)

[Mirzam]

I am going to say I am anti-vax but pro-vax choice. I absolutely know from the very core of my being that vaccination is bad, no exceptions, I will never believe there is such as thing as a safe vaccine, but who am I to convince others of that if they are not open to considering the possibility. I can tell them what I know to be true, but I am not invested if it isn't their truth.

[sosurreal09]

I am also a non-vaxer. I am pro-safe vax but I'm not sure there could ever be one even without the additives. I am absolutely pro-choice for vaccines, I would like it to be an informed one but still it's parental choice. With the hell my DD1 went through with vax I could never vax another child and we are still trying to heal her so it's hard for me to not be anti-vax sometimes but the reality is it's not my business who vaxes their kids. We are all trying to do our best.

I will say I am against mandatory vax and I'm against even the crap I have been through with state insurance/aide etc b/c of our vax stance. YES you can "get away with it" but not before they give you hell...and I DESPISE when people tell me I should still vax my vaccine injured child b/c "even if she were permanently debilitated she would at least be alive" I'll take my chances with the diseases thanks (and yes I have heard this from more than 1 person)
 

[MamaMunchkin]

Pro-respect of others' vax decisions.

[sassyfirechick]

Originally Posted by Monkeygrrl 

I figure, if you have done the research - which means reading things from both sides of the fence - and are able to reasonably understand the reasons why/why not, and make a decision for or against, then fine. More power to you. If you are following the - because my doctor said I needed it - train, then I don't have a whole lot of respect for your decision-making skills.

Definitely agree with the poor decision making skills! DH and I were vaxed as kids in the 80's, but no boosters for us.  DD has Hep B and I stopped her DTaP after 2nd round bc of reactions she was having.  So that puts her at partially vaxed, and future babies will be fully no-vax.  Even our dogs are only select vaxed :-)  I'm pro-informed-choice.  Informed is key - you can't make a choice on anything unless you are informed!