Aaron Siri@AaronSiriSG
Bryan, getting “Tdap because Kate’s family has a newborn” is contrary to the evidence. This is because those vaccinated for pertussis are more likely to spread this pathogen.
Why? Two reasons. First, those vaccinated are less likely to have symptoms if infected with the pertussis bacterium but the bacterium still multiplies in their nasopharynx and they then unknowingly spreading it to others (instead of showing symptoms and knowing to isolate). Not science fiction—the hard cold facts as detailed below.
Second, and this makes the reality even worse, because after an unvaccinated person has been infected with pertussis (and is more likely to have symptoms and stay in bed) that person won’t get infected again for many years – but the vaccinated individual can become infected over, and over, and over again with the pertussis bacterium because of the defective immunity this vaccine generates.
If you don’t agree with the foregoing, take it up with the FDA, industry scientists, infectious diseases societies, and the hard cold data and studies:
- As the FDA explained in 2024: “aP [acellular pertussis] containing vaccines induce helper T cells (TH2) memory and neutralizing antibody responses that effectively prevent symptomatic disease but fail to prevent colonization and carriage.” fda.gov/media/181937/d…
- As those considered the world's leading pertussis vaccine experts, pharma consultants, and infectious disease societies explained in a consensus paper on pertussis vaccine in 2019: “Natural infection evokes both mucosal and systemic immune responses, while aPVs [acellular pertussis vaccines] induce only a systemic immune response. … Mucosal immunity is essential to prevent colonization and transmission of B. pertussis organisms.
- Consequently, preventive measures such as aPVs that do not induce a valid mucosal response can prevent disease but cannot avoid infection and transmission. … aPV pertussis vaccines do not prevent colonization. Consequently, they do not reduce the circulation of B. pertussis and do not exert any herd immunity effect.” pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31333640/ They also explained that: “Lack of mucosal immune responses after aPV administration favor infection, persistent colonization, and transmission of the pathogen.”
- Also see: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29180031/ (“That vaccination does not prevent B. pertussis infection in humans, nor the circulation of the organism in human populations in any important manner, comes from the observation that the inter-epidemic intervals have not changed in a major way since the implementation of mass vaccination.”); pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30793754/ (“Because of linked-epitope suppression, all children who were primed by DTaP vaccines will be more susceptible to pertussis throughout their lifetimes, and there is no easy way to decrease this increased lifetime susceptibility.”)
- For a detailed discussion with many more citations and irrefutable evidence, see Chapter 9 of my book, Vaccines, Amen.
As for the rest of your post, appreciate your “Note” pointing out some of the potential confounders but there are more, including other confounders and data that reflect the reality may be the opposite of what these studies indicate. I appreciate, however, that you are trying to view them objectively. That said, I would welcome having you on my podcast to go through these studies and more!
