Letters to the editor
Share with others:
Vaccines have prevented many deaths
In the March 9 letters, James H. Winer engages the usual tactics of the anti-vaccination crowd: scare tactics, conspiracy mongering and utter disregard of the facts ("About Immunity"). He first discusses measles and chickenpox, later referring to them as "harmless childhood diseases." He should be reminded that the vaccine in question is MMR, which is measles, mumps and rubella -- no chickenpox included.
Did he mention the "harmless childhood disease" known as measles killed almost 200,000 children worldwide in the year 2007? Certainly many of these deaths were complicated by poverty and malnutrition, but measles are harmless? I think not.
Next comes conspiracy mongering: "Big Pharma" is immune from legal action because of a complicit government. In truth because vaccines are important to the public health, a no-fault system of evaluating claims against vaccines was established in 1986. This past February, this "vaccine court" found that the MMR vaccine contributed to the encephalomyelitis of a young girl and awarded damages to her family. In the same month this court, after hearing evidence from those on both sides of the issue, found that there was no evidence to support a link between autism and the MMR vaccine.
The next time you hear someone carry on about the dangers of vaccines, ask to see the facts. Even better, search them out for yourself. Are vaccines a perfect solution? No, but on balance they do much, much more good than harm.
KEVIN ELSKEN
Upper St. Clair
A proven measure
I am appalled at the letter from James H. Winer ("About Immunity") with his perspective of childhood diseases that have been greatly reduced by our current immunization program. To call diseases such as chickenpox or measles "these harmless childhood diseases" demonstrates the height of irresponsibility.
Prior to the introduction of the measles vaccine, about 500,000 people per year suffered from measles. I guess it was a harmless disease unless you or your child were one of the 250 people per year who died or suffered permanent damage. In 2006, there were 55 cases in the whole country with fortunately no serious permanent complications.
Prior to vaccines there were roughly 16,000 cases of polio with some permanent paralytic effects in the United States. After years of vaccination there are no cases in this country. Prior to vaccines, there were about 20,000 to 30,000 cases of serious Hemophilus influenza infection (HIB) with 2,000 to 3,000 patients either dying or suffering deafness or other permanent neurological damage. In 2006 there were 140 total cases in the United States.
Vaccines are a proven mode of therapy that have saved hundreds of thousands of lives from these so-called "harmless childhood" diseases. I will be more than happy to notify James Winer the next time I see a patient who has suffered grievously from lack of immunizations, so he can explain to the family why it was OK to gamble with their child's health!
These facts can be verified through the Centers for Disease Control, the American Academy of Pediatrics and any children's hospital. Unless you believe that all of these organizations that are committed to the best child care possible are part of a massive conspiracy to hurt children, the facts speak for themselves.
MARK DIAMOND, M.D.
Children's Community Pediatrics
South Hills Pediatrics Associates
Brentwood
A humane reality
Let me add a few neglected facts to Jim Cannon's letter "Europe's Reality" (March 8 Issue One). The reality in most European countries is that comprehensive health care is a legal right for all citizens from birth to death -- it is not welfare. The reality is that you do not lose your insurance when you lose your job or income. The reality is that there are no limitations or denial of care due to "pre-existing conditions."
The reality is that there are no medical bankruptcies from high medical costs. The reality is that medical care is based on need, not ability to pay -- and it costs less.
This is not to say that problems don't exist, but they pale in comparison to the United States. (How long do you have to wait for a hip replacement if you are uninsured?) The reality in the United States is that a government-funded health care for all, like Europe's, would save millions of people from agony, misery, illness, bankruptcy and possible death. That is why we have to go down that road! You could be next ...
GUNILLA NORDHAMMAR
Point Breeze
Medicare for all
Arguing about Europe's health-care systems leads to confusion. Like magicians distracting us from the real trick, conservatives cry, "Look over here," when the answer can be found at home.
We need to model a new health-care system on the most successful single-payer system in this country: Medicare. While it's not perfect, it's worked well since 1965 improving both the quality of care and life for America's elderly.
Currently Medicare serves 45 million Americans -- our population with the greatest health challenges -- while holding administrative costs to 5 percent! Compare that to the HMOs or private insurers whose private bureaucracies are four to six times more expensive and whose costs have been growing while delivering less.
Medicare, the costs of which have been growing too, can and should be improved. But the principles of public financing, public standards and private delivery of care are what's important and what the current non-Medicare system lacks.
"If you can't convince them, confuse them," Harry Truman said. "It's an old political trick." We've been distracted and deluded for too long. Medicare for all should be our simple, straightforward goal.
TOM O'BRIEN
Mt. Lebanon
Teaching to the test isn't education
What is happening to our commitment to educating our students? Students spend a large portion of their time in the classroom preparing for tests for which teachers are obligated to "teach to the test" (such as the PSSA, Pennsylvania System of School Assessment). Recently there was a "pre-test pep rally" at Pittsburgh Concord K-5 in Carrick for students in grades three to five who will be taking the five-day PSSA test this week (Post-Gazette, March 14). Has the general objective of education lost its focus? Is not the cultivation of excellence the prime goal of education?
The primary objective of education should be to enable every student to achieve his or her intellectual development to the fullest. "Teaching to the test" is not a viable educational process. We must instill in our students a desire to learn and to learn how to learn. Interest in the material to be learned is the best stimulus to learning rather than an external goal to make a "passing score" on the PSSA.
In April 2010, Pennsylvania's high school juniors will have at least 12 days of PSSA testing: writing, math, reading and science. Now we have Gov. Ed Rendell spearheading another test: "Graduation Competency Assessments" (now re-named "Keystone Exams" and will delay implementation of them by one year). No matter how you spin these tests, the toll it will take on our students insofar as their actually becoming educated, independent adults who know how to think and how to solve problems is unconscionable.
We need analytical and problem-solving techniques taught to our students so that they may be able to take their place in our ever-expanding technological world. Gov. Rendell: Please stop this new "Keystone Exam" in its tracks so that our teachers do not have to spend more time "teaching to the test" and our students do not have to be deprived of a "real" education.
ELLA BOOTH GIBSON
Kilbuck
The writer is the head emeritus of the Youth Learning Center, Shady Lane School and The University School.
Can't wait to respond to our letter writers? Go to community.post-gazette.com/blogs.
We welcome your letters. Please include your name, address and phone number, and send to Letters to the Editor, 34 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh 15222. E-mail letters to letters@post-gazette.com or fax to 412-263-2014. Letters should be 250 words or less, original and exclusive to the Post-Gazette. All letters are subject to editing for length, clarity and accuracy and will be verified before being published.
First Published March 16, 2009 12:00 am
