In this Daily Telegraph article, UK doctor Richard Halvosen is concerned by the recent call for all children to be inoculated against chickenpox. Chickenpox is relatively harmless, with most children suffering only a few uncomfortable days. Chickenpox causes serious complications in fewer than 1 in 10,000 children.
Chickenpox inoculation will push the disease into older age groups, who will catch the disease when their vaccine-induced immunity wears off -- a problem already seen with inoculations for mumps. The complications of chickenpox are much greater in older people; adults are 10 to 100 times more likely to die from the illness than children are. Vaccinations are also likely to increase the number of people getting shingles, which are far more serious than chickenpox.
Halvosen argues that vaccines are being introduced too readily and without regard for long–term consequences. He points out that there is a plausible link between the rise in vaccinations and the recent rise in immune-related diseases such as diabetes, asthma and eczema.
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