How to determine the value of a vaccine

by Sandy Lunoe

International health authorities use enormous resources to promote every new vaccine developed as providing nothing but benefits for the average medical consumer and society as a whole.

Efforts are focused on increasing uptake of various vaccines.

However, there are serious considerations which should be adequately addressed prior to the issue of vaccine uptake.

Just imagine what would happen to a family’s budget if they bought a new car and ignored the fact that it got half the gas mileage of their current vehicle. If the family finances were already pushed to the limit, this could be disastrous.

Despite the fact healthcare budgets around the world are strained to the breaking point, a recent study, “Valuing vaccination,” edited by Novartis vaccines decidedly promotes vaccines and even more extensive vaccination.

This paper basically outlines how to improve the PR campaign for universal vaccination programs. Positive cost/benefit issues are presented without reservation.

However, there are numerous details omitted from this paper which must be taken into account in order to determine the true cost/benefit ratio for any vaccine prior to including it in a national vaccination program.

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SaneVax Inc. maintains four common sense criteria must be met prior to the introduction of any vaccine: The vaccine should be proven Safe, Affordable, Necessary and Effective.

Following are some issues which must be closely examined in order to accurately determine any vaccine’s value to any given country. They are at least as important as vaccine uptake, if not more so.

Safe

• What serious adverse reactions are anticipated with the vaccine? What subset of the population is most susceptible?
• Long term adverse reactions include autoimmune conditions of which there are more than a hundred. What subset of the population is most susceptible to autoimmune disorders with the vaccine?
• How many fatalities are expected per 100,000 injections of this vaccine?
• What are the potential consequences of interactions between ingredients in this vaccine and ingredients of other vaccines that may be administered at the same time?
• What are the potential consequences of synergistic toxicity due to administration of several substances and/or several doses of the same substances?
• Are there any ingredients in the vaccine that increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier with potentially detrimental consequences including brain damage?
• Is this vaccine vial stopper made of latex/rubber? If so, what percentage of the population is susceptible to allergic reactions because of the packaging?
• What percentage of our population is likely to be susceptible to allergic reactions to this vaccine’s ingredients?
• Does this vaccine contain any ingredients that are known to impair fertility? Suspected of impairing fertility?
• Has this vaccine been tested for the potential to cause genetic mutations?
• Does this vaccine contain any foreign DNA? If so, what are the potential consequences of injecting this material?
• Are there any genetically engineered components in this vaccine? If so, what are the potential detrimental health consequences including cancers regarding injection of these recombinant ingredients?
• Has this vaccine been tested for the potential to cause cancer?
• Has this vaccine been tested for safety in pregnant women?
• What are the odds of the bacteria or virus targeted in this vaccine being replaced by another more virulent strain?

Affordable

• What is the current cost of treating those who contract the disease targeted by this vaccine versus the cost of vaccinating the population susceptible to contracting it?
• What is the anticipated cost to the vaccine injured for loss of social network, activities, education and prospects of employment?
• What is the anticipated cost to parents and caregivers for anticipated vaccine injuries?
• What is the anticipated cost of medications and treatments for the vaccine injured?
• What is the anticipated cost to society for loss of paid work, mental and physical burdens, loss of productivity, etc…due to either injuries or family members caring for the injured?
• What is the cost to the community and tax payers for treatment and care of the injured?
• Would the money spent on this vaccine be more wisely used by investing in other areas of healthcare?

Necessary

• How prevalent is the disease targeted by this vaccine?
• Does the risk of contracting this disease justify a mass vaccination program?
• What other preventive measures are available for this disease?
• What treatments are currently available for this disease?
• What risks are involved with using the currently available treatments?
• What are the long and short term health consequences of contracting the targeted disease?
• What percentage of those who contract this disease will face long term health consequences?

Effective

• How many people need to use this vaccine in order to avoid each case of the targeted disease?
• Out of each 100 people vaccinated, how many will be protected from contracting the disease?
• How long will this protection last? Is the need for boosters anticipated?
• Does this vaccine target the genotype of bacteria/virus prevalent in our country?
• What is the possibility of the vaccine targeted bacteria/virus mutating in response to being suppressed?
• What are the chances of the bacteria/virus targeted by this vaccine being replaced by a more virulent type as a result of suppressing the original one?
• What storage and transportation requirements exist to maintain the original efficacy of this vaccine?

As you can clearly see, there are many questions which must be answered in order to determine whether or not any particular vaccine has enough value to be added to a national immunization program. Only after the answers are provided, should vaccine uptake become an issue.

If people let Government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny. – Thomas Jefferson

Sandy Lunoe is a contributor to SaneVax, Inc. where this article first appeared.