Politicoid

Politicoid

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Email to Steve G. Robison, MPH of the Immunization Program at Oregon Health Authority, Portland, OR

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I recently came across a study which tried to place blame for a 2012 Pertussis outbreak on an unvaccinated population. While it is possible that this population was the source of the infection, the study methodology, as is often the case with vaccine studies, was flawed and so the study constitutes little more than fuel for a witch hunt. Normally I just comment on these studies, and provide my analysis for my readers. However, because this study was conducted by members of a government agency, I decided I might as well respond in a more direct fashion by sending the agency an email.

Dear Mr. Robison,

It has come to my attention that you and another colleague recently published a study fining that Pertussis cases, among unvaccinated individuals, seem to precede those cases among vaccinated individuals.
From this finding, you concluded that the unvaccinated group was a source of the infection. You further claimed that the unvaccinated group placed herd immunity at risk.
Consider a few studies listed below:
Two ideas become evident based on these studies. First, it is unreasonable to equate identified cases, which require fairly obvious symptoms, with an overall infection, which may be sub-clinical or asymptomatic. Given that there is evidence consistent with the idea that vaccination reduces the chances of an infection becoming symptomatic, but has little impact on infection itself, it is clear that cases will be identified in the unvaccinated population, even if infection started at the exact same time. Indeed, it is possible for the infection to start in the vaccinated population, but there be so few clinical/symptomatic cases that it goes unnoticed for some time, even as the infection spreads to the unvaccinated population.
Second, the vaccine may not even be able to create herd immunity, so even if the first point is incorrect, the study places blame on a group, for something which may be impossible anyway. It would be like blaming a group of people for the fact that we have not achieved immortality.
Both of these flaws in the study place a target on the unvaccinated population and amount to little more than a witch hunt. We want to find an answer to our problems. We want that answer to be simple. And we want the solution to the problem to be equally simple. Therefore we will often latch onto any answer which we find, regardless of how much sense it makes and how much harm it does. That is not appropriate for either a public official or a scientist.
Sincerely,
Daniel Goldman

Response

I technically did get a response, but it carries with it no meaning. Here it is.

Daniel,

 

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts about our study. We appreciate your interest in this subject and always welcome people’s comments on our work. The Oregon Immunization Program works to reduce the incidence of vaccine-preventable disease in Oregon. Our staff members seek to identify and promote evidence-based public health best practices to both the public and health care professionals throughout the state.

 

Aaron Dunn

Manager, Oregon Immunization Program

As anyone can see, this is more or less just a generic cookie cutter response.

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