Get the facts about vaccines

Are fetal tissues used in the creation of some vaccines?

by Natalie Kozma | Jun 23, 2018

Varicella (chickenpox), rubella (the “R” in the MMR vaccine), hepatitis A, one version of the shingles vaccine, and one preparation of rabies vaccine are all made by growing the viruses in fetal embryo fibroblast cells. Fibroblast cells are the cells needed to hold...

Why was RotaShield® was taken off U.S. market in 1999?

by Natalie Kozma | Apr 10, 2018

RotaShield® vaccine was the first vaccine to prevent rotavirus gastroenteritis approved for use in the United States in August 1998. Its removal from the market is a good case study for how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Advisory Committee on...

Why are there so many side effects listed on vaccine package inserts?

by Natalie Kozma | Nov 13, 2017

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets specific guidelines on what must be included in a vaccine package insert. Specifically, any side effect that occurred after receiving the vaccine during the clinical trials must be reported, even if that side effect was...

What is Guillain-Barré and can vaccines cause it?

by ebunch | Feb 16, 2017

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare disorder in which a person’s own immune system damages their nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. It often follows infection with a virus or bacteria. Most people recover fully from GBS, but some people...

Can my child actually get the disease from a vaccine?

by ebunch | Feb 16, 2017

With an inactivated (killed) vaccine, it isn’t possible. Dead viruses or bacteria can’t cause disease. With live (weakened) vaccines, some children get what appears to be a mild case of disease (for example, what looks like a measles or chickenpox rash, but with only...