Arguing with Anti-Vaxxer friend

[Astreja]

As a side note, alum isn't just in vaccinations; it's also used in baking powder, although one can get an alum-free version. Total avoidance would involve cutting all commercially-made baked goods out of one's diet, just in case.

[zebo-the-fat]

Measles is on the rise in Europe due to the falling number of people being vaccinated, this is affecting "heard immunity" There have been several deaths and more will probably follow.

[Mr.Obvious]

I can't help you with The article, for i am not a medical genius.
I can help you by telling her to vaccinate his/her damn kids, for i am not a bloody retard.

[Jehanne]

If your anti-vaxxer friend is concerned about this, answering two questions should settle the whole thing.

1.  How many lives have been saved as a direct result of vaccinations?

2.  How many lives have been lost due to metal poisoning from vaccinations?

There is a risk to - quite literally - everything. The question isn't 'Is there a risk to vaccinations?' but 'Are vaccinations worth the risk?'  I had a mate (this is years and years ago) who suffered a broken leg in a car crash.  He had the leg set at RVH, managed to contract sepsis, and very nearly died of it.  Does this mean setting a broken bone has an inherent risk?  Yes.  Does this mean that setting broken bones is a risky enough procedure to end the practice?  Come on.

Boru

Drinking too much water will kill you, too, but you'll also die from not having it.

P.S.

Local officials nearly fall for H2O hoax.

[Mermaid]

Wow, an anti-vaccine person with actual peer-reviewed information. How refreshing.
There are no guarantees in life. Every single medication bears at least some risk. Aspirin, vitamins, etc. Nothing is perfect.
The probability of neurotoxicity and injury is a lot smaller than the probability of contracting and transmitting a preventable disease. The risk of dying in a car accident when you get into the car and drive to work is a lot bigger than the risk of a vaccine injury.

[LadyForCamus]

Wow, an anti-vaccine person with actual peer-reviewed information. How refreshing.
There are no guarantees in life. Every single medication bears at least some risk. Aspirin, vitamins, etc. Nothing is perfect.
The probability of neurotoxicity and injury is a lot smaller than the probability of contracting and transmitting a preventable disease. The risk of dying in a car accident when you get into the car and drive to work is a lot bigger than the risk of a vaccine injury.

IKR?  I was not expecting that, lol.  I actually had to read the whole thing and try to understand it.. 😂😭  She definitely gave me more work than I was expecting, which was refreshing.  But, then when I linked her to a summary of over forty papers (including meta-analyses), and a court ruling that overwhelmingly  support the safety of vaccines, she said she’d read them all and wasn’t interested. She insists the mercury is dangerous. She has changed pediatricians twice in order to find someone who will  allow a ‘one at a time’ immunization schedule.  This is a dear friend of mine from college, so I’m not exactly sure how to have a conversation like this with her.

[Mermaid]

The long and short of the article is that cells that make up some of your immune defenses collect the alum molecules and keep them stored for apparently long periods of time, and this has been a finding in some syndromes.

Mercury isn't even used in vaccines anymore other than trace amounts in I believe one of the tetanus vaccines.
I don't have an issue with the "one at a time" scheduling, as long as they are all done. At least she's willing to get vaccines.

I dunno. I don't usually get involved in an argument about this or anything else unless someone specifically asks for my opinion.

[LadyForCamus]

The long and short of the article is that cells that make up some of your immune defenses collect the alum molecules and keep them stored for apparently long periods of time, and this has been a finding in some syndromes.

Mercury isn't even used in vaccines anymore other than trace amounts in I believe one of the tetanus vaccines.
I don't have an issue with the "one at a time" scheduling, as long as they are all done. At least she's willing to get vaccines.

I dunno. I don't usually get involved in an argument about this or anything else unless someone specifically asks for my opinion.

Yeah, that’s how all this got started.  She asked me why her baby needs a hep B vaccine.  Dunno why she asked me if she’s already got all the answers anyway, lol.

[The Valkyrie]

If he’s an anti vaxxer he can’t be a friend.

Valk!  You’re a doctor!  You gotta give me more than jokes, woman! 😝

I’ve spent enough time arguing with anti-vaxxers to know that most are simply a lost cause like creationists.

Offer them peer reviewed evidence and they go on about conspiracies or everyone being paid off by “big pharma”.

Just ask your friend why he hates kids.

[GUBU]

So, apparently the study concerns the adverse effects of aluminum adjuvants, a component found in some vaccines. Apparently, the reactions only occur in a few individuals.

Just to address the italicised words: In tiny amounts, well below what has shown to be harmful, and even at that to be on the safe side most vaccinations which previousaly contained them no longer do.

The "aluminium adjuvants" argument is common amongst anti-vaxxers and has as much validity as the "MMR causes autism" dog whistle.