Chickenpox
| Question | Evidence-Based, Logic-Driven Response (Varicella) |
|---|---|
| What is my child’s actual risk of dying from this disease, statistically? | Before the vaccine (licensed in 1995), chickenpox was a universal and typically mild childhood illness. CDC data: ~100–150 deaths/year in a population of 280+ million. Nearly all deaths were in immunocompromised or adults. Risk of death in healthy, full-term children was effectively zero. |
| Have you lost an unvaccinated patient to chickenpox? Any patient lost due to the vaccine? | Nearly all doctors practicing today have never seen or heard of a fatal chickenpox case in a healthy child. In contrast, deaths post-varicella vaccination are documented in VAERS, including encephalitis, seizures, and immune collapse. |
| Odds of any side effect? Severe side effect? Compared to disease mortality? | - Common: fever, rash, swelling at site (~10–15%). - Severe: seizures, thrombocytopenia, encephalitis, shingles (yes, post-vaccine), death. - CDC admits risk of herpes zoster (shingles) in vaccine recipients. The illness itself almost never killed healthy kids; the vaccine has a documented non-zero risk of severe outcomes. |
| Most severe adverse event you’ve seen? Most common? | - Common: mild rash or fever. - Severe: brain inflammation, regression, loss of motor function, seizures within 7–14 days of injection. Cases of vaccine-strain varicella causing disease are recorded in VAERS and medical journals. |
| Worst-case outcome from insert or VAERS? How many deaths reported? | Merck insert lists: anaphylaxis, encephalitis, seizures, pneumonia, thrombocytopenia, and death. VAERS contains hundreds of deaths linked temporally to Varivax or ProQuad (MMRV combo). |
| Recent VAERS reports? Severity? | Recent entries show children hospitalized for encephalitis and seizures, and deaths within 2 weeks of varicella shot. Cases where vaccine-strain virus was isolated from brain tissue post-mortem have been published in peer-reviewed journals. |
| How many VAERS reports have you filed? Do you follow up? | Most pediatricians do not file even in serious cases. Adverse events post-varicella are chalked up to “rare chance” or coincidence. Long-term follow-up is typically nonexistent. |
| Will you check titers before giving a second dose? Why a one-size-fits-all approach? | No titers are checked. CDC recommends two doses regardless of first dose efficacy or natural exposure. Many children already seroconvert after first dose or from silent exposure. |
| Can you guarantee no autoimmune or neurological damage? | No. Varivax contains live attenuated virus that can persist and reactivate. Risk of vaccine-strain shingles is real and acknowledged. Long-term outcomes on brain, nerves, and immune function are not studied. |
| Was this tested against a saline placebo? | No. Varivax was tested against another vaccine or gelatin-placebo. ProQuad (MMRV) had higher rates of febrile seizures than separate MMR + Varicella. Trials were short-term only. |
| Do you have unvaccinated patients? Ever advised skipping for low-risk child? | Most pediatricians follow CDC guidelines. Few recommend skipping, even though natural chickenpox provides superior, lifelong immunity without boosting or second doses. |
| How do you proceed after a serious adverse reaction? | Doctors often continue vaccination unless reaction was immediate and life-threatening. Cases of regression, seizures, or persistent rash are usually not attributed to the shot. |
| Can you walk through the package insert and ingredients? | - Contains: live attenuated virus, MSG, gelatin, neomycin, fetal cell lines. - Risks: shingles, encephalitis, seizures, death. - Merck notes caution in immunocompromised or infants with family history of seizures. |
| How do you assess causation vs. coincidence? | Time-proximity, strain confirmation, and similarity to known reactions should logically indicate causation. But most doctors are taught to default to denial, even when symptoms are on the insert. |
| Are there long-term comparative health studies? | No. No study exists comparing lifelong health of naturally immune vs. vaccine-induced immune children. Nor any vaccinated vs. unvaccinated study tracking shingles, autoimmunity, or cancer risk later in life. |
| Do you have concern about the growing schedule? | Chickenpox used to be considered a rite of passage — and immunity was lifelong. Now, the vaccine is part of a pharmaceutical dependency cycle requiring boosters and follow-ups. Shingles cases in children (vaccine strain) have increased since mass vaccination began. |
| Have you seen an increase in allergies, eczema, asthma, or neurological disorders? | Yes, and this trend accelerated post-2000s. Varicella vaccine, like others, alters immune programming. Early artificial suppression of common illnesses may dysregulate immune development and reduce natural resilience. |
| Would you acknowledge and report serious reactions? | Most don’t. Even with strong temporal connection, they fear professional consequences. Parents often left with no support or recognition. |
| Are you under pressure to vaccinate universally? | Yes. Insurance reimbursements, public health targets, and EMR reminders incentivize compliance. Deviating risks being flagged. |
| Do you understand how VICP works? Any varicella-related claims filed? | Varicella-related seizures, brain injuries, and deaths have been compensated under VICP. Most pediatricians have never assisted a claim and never mention the program. |