Dear Sandra, I have been told that In Japan the immuisation program does not start til the age of 2 years.Ann --- "Sandra J. Eales" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I have previously expressed concerns related to the > administration of Hep B Vaccine (HBV) to all babes > at birth ie that the midwives in my unit had become > aware of marked increase in numbers of irritable > babes and many more with breastfeeding difficulties > in the first few days, since May 2000 when the new > schedule was introduced. > Since then we have done some investigation and as we > became convinced of the connection we have been much > more conscientious about gaining "informed consent" > prior to administration of birth dose of Hep B ie > "full disclosure of risks/benefits without coercion > or fraud". As a result, parents are not consenting > and the rate of uptake of the birth dose in our unit > has dropped off dramatically. (It is generally much > nicer to come to work these days too with fewer > screaming babies, distraught mothers and frantic > fathers!) > We (the midwives) are now copping flak because we > show up very large on the radar in the 'Early > Warning System' of the authorities pushing the > universal immunisation issue. The pressure to > conform has come from Public Health Unit, District > Manager, Medical Superintendent as well as letters > of complaint from a local GP (who may be fearful > that he will lose his incentive payments if the > children who return to hispractice have missedthe > birth dose!). We have been told that we must > "actively encourage" our clients to accept the > vaccination..that "it is frequently reported that > the unit works well because of the high degree of > trust and respect. Herein lies the opportunity to > disseminate the positive effect of early Hepatitis > vaccination" We have been told that we must "act in > line with the Code of Conduct" to actively promote > this policy. > > I do believe this is a terribly important ethical > issue and will not persuade my clients to act > against there best interests and instincts. > We use the materials and information provided by Qld > Health and "immunise Australia" when we discuss the > issue with the parents.It is acknowledged in the > "Understanding infant hepatitis B immunisation" > pamphlet put out by the "immunise Australia Program" > that among the common side effects are mild fever, > joint pain, irritability and baby going "off its > food for a short time". - discuss how this might > affect their newborn in the first few days of life. > Whilst these common and perhaps transient side > effects may be of little concern in an older child > they are liable to be of much greater significance > in a newborn child who is already facing many > challenges at this deeply important point in its > life. Challenges to the newborn (physiological and > iatrogenic pathology) > > 1.. adaptation to extrauterine life - profound > physical changes in all systems respiratory, > circulatory, neurological, sensory, > digestive/alimentary > 2.. organisation of suck to enable feed > 3.. overcome effects of pharmacological substances > used in labour, birth an postnatally > 4.. recovery from the traumatic effect of birth eg > head moulding and other birth injury > We also give them the Qld Health Hep B Information > which has this advice "give extra fluids e.g more > breast feeds or water" - we discuss the implication > of this at initiation of breastfeeding. > > We also discuss the risk factors for contracting the > disease both in infancy and throught the lifespan. > > All women are screened for HBsAg antenatally so that > babes of HB positive mothers can receive both > Immunoglobulin and vaccination at birth. This has > been shown to be extremely effective in managing the > risk of vertical (mother to baby) transmission > > The risk factors (for contracting the disease) are > IV drug use, unsafe sexual practices and certain > ethnic groups have high endemnicity so may have a > slightly elevated risk of transmission (e.g > aboriginal, TSI, particular asian groups for whom we > have had an effectective 3 dose targetted program > for many years). Certain occupational groups, eg > health workers, have a higher than average risk and > are generally vaccinated witha 3 dose progam. > > World Health Organisation classifies Australia as a > "low" risk for Hep B with low endemnicity of <2%, > transmission rates in infancy are "rare" and > "infrequent" in childhood. Qld Health Notifiable > Diseases Annual Report 1997 -2001 did not count any > in the age group of < 13 years. The majority of > notifications in the 15 -39 yr age range. > > WHO recommendation is for universal Hep B > immunisation in childhood for those countries with > "high" endemnicity and the recommended program is > for 3 doses. > > Immunisation success (90% sero-conversion which is > as high as it gets) occurs after the 2nd dose, so a > child will become immunised at 4.5 rather than 2.5 > months if they choose not to have the birth dose but > elect to have the 2,4 & 6 month doses. > > Breastfeeding rates are not monitored after > discharge from hospital even though there are > mountains of scientific evidence on the economic > value and health benefits to be gained from > increasing breastfeeding rates. > > I wonder if there were pocketable profits to be made > from introduction of universal breastfeeding - would > the "breastfeeding Nazis" be men in suits with stock > options as part of their salary package rather than > the mothers at the Austalian Breastfeeding > Association coffee mornings? > > This is a very interesting document which I found in > my research. Just go to it to have a look at the > last few pages - the attendance list and the Summary > of recommendations are truly enlightening. > www.vhpb.org/stpetersburg/backgrounddoc/behaviouralissues.pdf > It is the report from a 3 day conference in Antwerp > which was heavily loaded with members and "invited > guests" with addresses and job titles which include > the following names - Pasteur Merieux MSD, > Smithkline Beecham, Merck, Aventis Pasteur MSD - > These people were "junketted" from all around the > world to meet and came up with strategic plan on how > to push and persuade health professionals, parents, > general public and gov't. > I see the language and strategies that came out of > this meeting now being employed on me, my colleagues > and clients. > Eg Early Warning System - to show trouble spots, > resistence or "crisis in confidence" > Vaccination rates used as "quality issue" > Parents being conditioned into belief that any and > all vaccination is black and white "Good Parental > Practice" > > Issues > > What constitutes informed consent? > > Coersive and/or fraudulant means for increasing > immunisation rates > > Gagging of midwives and doctors expressing > reservations > > Pressures being brought to bear on health > practitioners to conform despite genuine concern and > objective assessment > > Many health professionals have deep concerns about > universal Hep B vaccination in childhood and the > birth dose in particular. A 1995 survey of > Californian doctors showed that 43% of family > physicians and 17% of paediatricians disagreed with > the guidelines -that there is no need for it and > that it may in fact cause harm. It is also suggested > that many of these doctors are giving the vaccine > whilst they remain unconvinced that it is in the > best interests of their patient because of pressure > applied by the HMO that they worked for. > > The dynamics of the health system are such that > health professionals are coerced or bullied into > acting against their better judgement. In Australia > doctors receive payments from the federal gov't for > each completed course of vaccination as well as a > tiered payment for rate targets eg >85% , >90% of > vaccinated kids registered in the practice. Drs in > US and UK have similar deals with gov't or > employers. > > Sandra > > It would be nice if there were a few more blips > showing up on the "Early Warning System" >
__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
