Georgia group raises concerns on routine immunizations

A Georgia-based group raised concerns about adverse events for routine immunizations, claiming that it only takes one vaccine to harm a child. The group shared an image promoting a social media account which has a history of linking vaccines to SIDS, autism, fertility issues, cancer, and death. In the comments, parents have asked for detoxification strategies and shared personal stories of regret for vaccinating their children. One account described a child’s febrile seizure post-vaccination, saying the event caused her to not vaccinate her other children. Another post from the group linked the MMR vaccine to autism.
Risk level: High

Recommendation: These types of events perpetuate false information about vaccines, including the common myth that vaccines cause autism in children, which may discourage parents from vaccinating their children. This may result in negative health outcomes. It is recommended that doctors be prepared to answer questions about adverse reactions to vaccines and emphasize that credible studies have found no link between vaccines and autism. Doctors may also emphasize that the risk of vaccine-induced febrile seizures is extremely low and that vaccines help prevent febrile seizures caused by vaccine-preventable illnesses. The CDC continues recommending vaccination for children.