Vaccine Safety

Frequently Asked Questions

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What about reports that vaccines are linked to chronic diseases or problems such as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?

Answer: Vaccines are sometimes blamed for conditions that are poorly understood. A child's first year of life is a time of tremendous growth and development, and it is a time when serious problems may start to appear. It is also the time when most vaccines are given, but this does not mean that vaccines cause these problems. Many of our vaccines have been in use for decades with no evidence of long-term adverse effects. Still, research to ensure the safety of vaccines continues. Anti-vaccine books and web sites claim that vaccines cause autism, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis (MS) or Crohn's disease, among other health problems. These connections have never held up to scientific scrutiny. Recent research using the best scientific methods and reviews of studies from around the world provide very strong evidence that

• MMR vaccine does not cause autism or inflammatory bowel disease.
• Hepatitis B vaccine does not cause multiple sclerosis or relapses of pre-existing MS.
• Pertussis vaccine does not cause brain damage.
• Childhood vaccines do not increase the risk of asthma.
• Vaccines do not cause SIDS. (Fortunately, we have learned that other factors, such as sleeping position and second-hand smoke, are linked with SIDS, and successful public education campaigns about these factors have helped to reduce the rate of SIDS in Canada.)

More extensive discussion of specific vaccine concerns is available in the resources for patients and parents listed in the Canadian Immunization Guide, 7th Edition 2006.

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