Vaccines are among the greatest inventions in the history of medicine. They have saved countless lives and reduced human suffering by an amount which is impossible to calculate.However, today there are many rumors and concerns going around about the safety and effectiveness of vaccinations, which have caused many people to reject them. Here, we will consider their questions and answer them as we can.

Vaccines cause autism.

This is a common refrain, but one that has been thoroughly debunked over and over again. There is no evidence showing a connection between vaccination rates and the prevalence of autism. This argument also relies on the idea that suffering the worst effects of these preventable diseases, including death, is preferable to an unsubstantiated increased risk of autism, an extremely controversial idea.

Mercury is dangerous! And it’s in the vaccines! 

Firstly, that’s not quite true: the only thing in the vaccines was Thimerosal, which is not the same as the dangerous mercury you are thinking of. Secondly, the FDA called for (and achieved) the removal of that substance from all vaccines other than the flu shot back in 2001. And if you like your vaccinations like you like your Jamba Juice (i.e. — a la carte), doses withoutThimerosal are available if you are really a stickler for it.

 

– Scotty Hendricks

 

Read More: Vaccination 101: Here’s Why You Should Vaccinate | Big Think

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