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To the Editor,
The practical comments regarding vaccine allergies comes at a timely juncture when there has been considerable media and medical coverage about community-acquired measles and some connection to undervaccinated individuals.(1) There is no doubt that, in large part, vaccinology has been essential towards maintaining the health of past and current populations. The benefits of vaccines are enormous and will forever prove to be an essential arm of public health prevention.
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Regardless of the aforementioned, however, there also will always be some individuals in society who will experience mild, moderate, or severe complications of vaccine administration. Some of these complications will be directly related to the vaccine placement or to short-term reactogenicity.(2,3) Although uncommon, intermediate and long-term complications are possible. It is the occurrence of the latter which has given rise to considerable controversy both in lay press and scientific communications. The recent stir over measles vaccination illustrates such a scenario. On one hand, some opposed to vaccinations have raised the spectre of uncommon adverse events equating to a general apprehension of some or all vaccines. At the opposing end of the spectrum, others have purported that society is at great jeopardy if anyone refuses a vaccine. The arguments at times have become quite polarized, and contrasting factions have at times been quick to vilify the other.
The example o...Competing Interests: None declared.