Robert F. Kennedy Jr., top official US public health; I recently claimed Some religious groups are eschewing measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines.Discontinued fetal fragmentsand “DNA particles.”
The US is facing the worst measles outbreak in years Approximately 900 items Some states have had an active outbreak with national and aggressive.
At the same time, Kennedy, secretary to the Department of Health and Human Services, continues to Erodes trust in vaccines.
So, what can we do with his latest claim?
Credit: Annie Rice/AP, provided by conversation
MMR vaccines do not have fetal fragments
Kennedy said “splitting fetal fragments” in the MMR vaccine are the reason many religious people refuse to vaccinate. He made particular reference to Mennonites in Texas, a deeply religious community. Among the most difficult hits Due to the current occurrence of measles.
Many vaccines work by using small attenuated (weak) forms of the virus. Alternatively, with the MMR vaccine, the virus that is attenuated for the virus that causes measles, mumps, and rubella will decay. This gives the immune system a safe opportunity to learn how to recognize and respond to these viruses.
As a result, if a person is exposed to an actual infection later, the immune system can respond quickly and effectively, preventing serious illnesses.
Kennedy’s claims about fetal debris specifically refer to the rubella content of the MMR vaccine. Rubella viruses commonly grow in human cell lines Known as WI-38It originally came from the lung tissue of a single selective abortion in the 1960s. This cell line has been in use for decades and no new fetal tissue has been used since.
be Vaccines for other diseasesRabies such as chicken PO and hepatitis A are also produced by cultivating fetal cell viruses.
These cells are used not because of their origin, but to provide a stable, safe and reliable environment for cultivating attenuated viruses. They only serve as a growth medium for viruses and are not part of the final product.
You might think of your cells as a virus production plant. As the virus grows, it is extracted and purified as part of a rigorous process to meet strict safety and quality standards. What remains in the final vaccine are the virus itself and stabilizers, but also human cells and fetal tissues.
Therefore, the claims about the vaccine’s “fetal fragments” are false.
It is also worth paying attention to the major religions of the world Allows vaccine use In the absence of available alternatives, they were originally developed from cells derived from fetal tissue.
Do MMR vaccines have fragments of DNA?
Kennedy argued that Mennonites were reluctant to vaccinate stems ranging from “religious objections” to what the MMR vaccine described as “many fetal fragments and DNA particles.”
The latter claim regarding vaccines containing DNA particles is technically true. Trace amount DNA fragments It may remain after purification from the human cell lines used to produce rubella components of MMR vaccines.
However, this claim has the implications that these fragments pose health risks. This is false.
The DNA that may be present in this vaccine is present in very small amounts, highly fragmented, degraded, and biologically inactive. In other words, It cannot cause harm.
Even if (but not) in the vaccine, it is hypothesized to cause harm. One common (but unfounded) concern is that foreign DNA can integrate with a person’s own DNA and alter the genome.
It is extremely difficult to introduce DNA into human cells in a way that leads to integration. For example, even if a scientist is intentionally trying to do this, Gene therapyrequires accurate tools, special virus delivery systems, and controlled conditions.
It is also important to remember that our bodies are Exposed to foreign DNA Always through food, bacteria, and even our own microbiota. Our immune system regularly digests and disposes this material without incorporating it into the genome.
This question has been extensively studied over decades. Several health officials including Australia Treatment Product Managementaddressing misinformation about recognized harm from residual DNA in vaccines.
Ultimately, the idea that fragmented DNA within a vaccine can cause genetic harm is wrong.
Conclusion
Despite Kennedy making you believe, the MMR vaccine does not have fetal fragments and there are trace amounts of DNA fragments that may not pose a health risk.
But the evidence shows that vaccines like the MMR vaccine have provided and saved excellent protection against deadly and preventable diseases. Millions of lives all over the world.
Hassan Vally, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Deakin University. This article will be republished from the conversation under a Creative Commons license. Please read Original article.
