Vaccines are like drugs: Some are safe, some are effective, and some have benefits > harms, but not all

We need evidence, not virtue signaling.

Recently, I saw a professor of medicine say something naive.

Some are, but not all of them. This isn’t hard.

Of course, there incorrect information about vaccines from both sides. One side has, at times, wrongfully linked specific products to specific safety concerns, but the other side, has dismissed important safety concerns, and says trite things like the above.

Vaccines are just like drugs. Some vaccines are safe, some are effective, and some have benefits that exceed harms, but not all. Some vaccines work for some people, but not others.

No one thinks Shingles vaccination would benefit a healthy 25 year old, and the CDC was wrong about COVID19 boosters. They were harmful, on balance, to young men. Even dose 2 and beyond was net harmful. Vaccinating someone who recently had COVID— was also harmful. Adding COVID-19 vaccines to the childhood immunization schedule was a mistake.

Why can’t we talk about vaccines like we talk about drugs? The right drug for the right patient at the right time is beneficial, but not all drugs are safe and effective. Vaccines are just the same.

When I posted on this recently, I got a response that also contained errors

Well, many drugs are given to the healthy. Many drugs are given to people with prior reactions. Many drugs are not compared against true placebos. There are long term studies of vaccines, but they could be a lot better.

I disagreed with COVID19 vaccine mandates, and I have repeatedly said manufacturers should not be shielded from liability.

Vaccine proponents and opponents should moderate their positions and join my platform:

1. When vaccines are approved we need to measure meaningful endpoints, and not virus related endpoints. I.e. no hospitalization from RSV, but rather hospitalization for any reason, or any lower respiratory tract reason— a clinical category.

2. Some portion of these RCTs should remain blinded for longer follow up.

3. Despite this, we will always need phase IV surveillance. This should be made much better, and safety investigated by independent teams. All data should be publicly available. Much of this should be active and not passive (like VAERS).

4. Vaccines should be subject to cost effectiveness analysis

5. Mandates should never be used for vaccines that don’t have third party benefit

6. Manufacturers should not be shielded from legal liability

7. Third parties who mandate— i.e. colleges— should be able to be sued

8. FDA officials should not be able to turn around and work for Pharma

9. We need bigger, simpler, and better RCTs for drugs and vaccines.

Vaccines are just like drugs. The more we think of them that way, the better we will be. Of course, I am more disappointed in professors in medicine choosing to virtue signal than random people on the internet engaging in conspiracy theories, but that is just me: I expect better from people who completed medical training.