Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., made an unqualified announcement: “We encourage people to get the measles vaccine.”
He also said that government “should not be mandating those,” but did not mention any concerns about safety. One might point out that the calculus of risks and benefits is different when there is an outbreak, or that the risk of triggering a neurodevelopment disorder appears to be less in children older than 3 years.
Some people have moral concerns about the use of a product developed using aborted human fetuses. In immunosuppressed persons the vaccine is neither effective nor safe. Children under one year of age are not eligible to be vaccinated with MMR. Hence, it is important to note, writes Dr. Peter McCullough, that there is an alternative: measles immunoglobulin (Ig), derived from donor blood. This provides passive protection with antibodies for a period of time and can be given to pregnant or susceptible individuals.
A recent review of nine studies involving 660 patients who received either Ig or measles vaccine showed effectiveness ranging from 76%–100% for Ig and from 83%–100% for vaccine.
Post-exposure prophylaxis is recommended within 6 days for Ig or 72 hours with vaccine.
This option, which may be safer and morally acceptable to many, should not be ignored.
Additional Information:
- Measles immunoglobulin: California Dept. of Public Health
- Post-exposure prophylaxis: Germany
- Measles IG: Journal of Pediatrics
